Shark Cage Diving Gansbaai

Shark cage diving in Gansbaai

Shark cage diving Gansbaai is an adventure for the entire family! Visiting the Mecca of the Great White Shark should most certainly be on every adventure enthusiasts bucket list this year.

Are there great white sharks in Gansbaai?

Yes, there is. Great white shark sightings have drastically improved in Gansbaai during 2021. An impressive 4.5 female meter is a recent sighting amongst others.

How much does it cost to dive with sharks?

Shark cage diving in Gansbaai costs R1190-00 per person. Children pay R800 and toddlers go free.

What other sharks will you see in Gansbaai during 2021?

Even though you have a good chance to see great white sharks, we also have copper sharks that show up daily in high numbers. These fiesty sharks grow up to 3.5 meters and make for spectacular cage diving.

What do you need to bring shark cage diving?

Pack a backpack with some essentials like your camera, cap, sunglasses, jacket and of course seasick tablets if you are prone to motion sickness. Pack your bathing costume or speedo to wear under your wetsuit and you are all set to go. Your operator supplies all the dive gear needed to hop in the cage for some fun.

Shark cage diving Gansbaai

Shark cage diving in Gansbaai is one of the most thrilling things you can do. A variety of marine animals can be seen on a shark cage diving trip, with sharks being the number one. Gansbaai is named the Mecca of the Great White Shark for an exceptionally good reason.

Book a trip with one of the cage dive operators in Gansbaai and thrill at the sight of seeing these apex predators in their natural habitat. Highly trained professionals that are very safe and conservation-conscious are always eager to take visitors out to sea for a fantastic shark experience. Tourists from around the world have been completing this event on their bucket list. Be sure to ask or check online for the various packages available. The shark dive can be combined with various other great adventures or accommodation options in and around Gansbaai. Specials are frequently on offer, so keep an eye out for those.

The number of guests per boat is controlled to prevent overcrowding and to make sure everybody gets enough time in the cage. The securely manufactured steel cages are extremely safe. More than one diver enters the cage at one time, and breath-holding is used for under the water viewing. No diving experience is required, and all ages can participate. All the diving gear is supplied by the dive operator. If you decide, for whatever reason, not to enter the cage, viewing the sharks from the comfort of the boat can be just as exciting. The sharks can become very active and can be seen doing out of water behaviour, such as breaching, showing their teeth above the water as they attack the bait or just sticking their heads out of the water to look around, called spy-hopping. All of this occurs in proximity to the boat.

The first trip of the day usually leaves the harbour at about 8 am, weather permitting. The boat heads out towards Dyer Island, the home to a colony of about 60 000 Cape Fur seals. This is of course what attracts the many sharks to the area. A narrow channel of water can be found between the island and Geyser Rock. This is the well-known Shark Alley where the sharks can be seen.

The trip to the dive spot takes about 20 minutes. As soon as the anchor is dropped, the dive crew begin to chum the water with fish products such as Tuna and fish oil. This attracts the sharks, and they soon begin to arrive. As soon as the sharks begin to settle, the first divers can enter the cage and view the sharks below the surface, and they often come right up to the cage.

The shark everybody wants to see is of course the magnificent Great White. There are sharks of varying age and size that can be seen. From juveniles to stunning 4.5-meter adults. How active they are can never be predicted, but they do not disappoint often. A full breach out of the water is truly spectacular. Expect splashing and open jaws as the sharks go about their activities around the boat. Great photo opportunities are aplenty.

The Great White status is currently listed worldwide as vulnerable. Local numbers have declined too. One of the reasons is that Killer Whales have begun attacking the sharks, only killing them to consume their liver, rich in vitamin A. The remainder of the Great White is then usually ignored. We are hoping that the serious conservation, research efforts of many institutions and public awareness will aid in seeing the numbers increase again. Losing these predators will have a serious impact on the ecology of our oceans.

Another shark that can be seen on a dive trip, is the beautiful Bronze Whaler or Copper Shark. They are often around the boat in small to larger groups of ten or more members. They mingle with the Great Whites and are not shy to attack the bait on offer. When the sun is out, their beautiful bronze colouring can clearly be seen as they swim at the surface of the water. Viewing these sharks remarkably close to the dive cage is very common. Because of their slow rate of growth and reproduction period, these sharks are currently rated as Near Threatened. Commercial and recreational fishing contribute to declining numbers, the shark’s meat being utilized as food.

Other animals that are frequently seen on a dive are very brave Cape Fur Seals that approach the boat even when the sharks are around, whales, dolphins, stingrays and sometimes a sunfish.

Do not miss out on this fantastic experience, be it in the dive cage or just from the boat. It is not just thrilling and fun, but extremely educational. There can never be too much awareness or conservation efforts to protect our vulnerable marine life.