Shark cage diving has become an incredibly popular experience for both tourists and locals alike in Cape Town and its surrounds. With the blending of the warm Indian Ocean and cool Atlantic Ocean around the Southern Cape Coast, this marine setting provides a rich diversity of sea creatures. Southern Right Whales, Cape Fur Seals, African Penguins and Great White Sharks are just some of the spectacular sea life which make the Cape Coast their home.

One of the world’s most heavily populated Great White Shark areas is in the waters surrounding Dyer Island. A lot of research is conducted on sharks in this area, helping scientists and the general population understand these incredible creatures better. Sharks have been found to be curious and very intelligent creatures, sometimes lifting their heads above the surface to gaze at prey or other objects.

About the Great White Shark

The Great White Shark has long been regarded as the king of the ocean and the most feared creature in the sea. With multiple rows or razor-sharp teeth and a jaw so strong it can break metal with ease, the Great White certainly has made a name for itself as a fearsome predator.

The Great White Shark is considered an endangered species on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (C.I.T.E.S.) list of endangered species. The Great White is feared by many and is still a mythical and fascinating creature. Many humans, terrified of a shark’s nature, cannot comprehend a shark as an incredible fish and a true example of nature’s brilliance.

A Great White Shark can grow to more than six meters in length and weigh up to 2,259 kilograms, making it the largest predatory fish in the world.

These sharks display ‘counter colouring’ which is the camouflage type colouring of their body to disguise themselves and make attacks on prey easier. The dorsal area (top half) of a shark is grey to disguise it from prey at the surface of the water while the underside is white to disguise it from prey underneath it. Sharks are incredibly sensitive to movement of any object in water. When any object moves, it creates an electric field and a Great White Shark is able to sense half a billionth of a volt!

Great White Sharks feed off fish, whale carcasses, dolphins, seals, porpoises and smaller sharks. Penguins can be attacked but sharks do not eat them generally. In South Africa, the Great Whites off the Cape Coast breach the surface of the water, swimming at such speed to startle their prey that they break the surface and launch into the air. This is only seen along the Cape Coast and is a spectacular sight to see.

Great White Shark Cage Diving

One of the best ways to see a shark in its natural habitat without being in danger of injury is to take part in shark cage diving. One of the best places to do this is in Gansbaai, South Africa. Dyer Island is extremely close to Gansbaai, making the shark population very dense and the trip to Dyer Island quick.

The cage used is generally a floating one and will be attached to the boat the entire time that people are diving. The cage cannot be broken and the sharks do not try and get inside it. It is advisable to book a few days in advance for a shark diving trip to avoid the disappointment of the charter being fully booked. Weather is also an important factor to consider as rough seas can mean lack of visibility so booking a few days before a planned trip allows divers to book according to weather reports for suitable conditions.

All equipment is provided by the charter company, such as wetsuits for instance. It is a good idea to make sure that the charter is a licensed shark cage diving operator. Even though the experience is a safe one, using a charter who is not registered may mean sub-standard equipment making the activity unsafe. Also, unregistered charters sometimes feed the sharks and create behavioural traits in which sharks associate humans with food. This does not help to ease the fear of shark attacks on humans. Registered charters have specific ways of feeding the sharks to stop them from ramming the cage as well as other unfavourable behaviours.

What to Expect

A typical shark cage dive will begin at dawn, with a charter boat departing the shore as the sun begins to rise. This is the prime feeding time for Great White Sharks and a substance made from fish and other proteins is thrown into the water to attract the sharks. After a short safety briefing and once a shark has been spotted, a cage is lowered into the water from the side of the boat.

After the cage is ready and the passengers wishing to lower themselves into the cage are in wetsuits and have their gear on properly, the exhilarating experience can begin.

Divers enter the cage one or two at a time and are able to have a crystal clear view of Great White Sharks swimming past the cage and their behaviours in their natural habitat. The charter will generally swing bait away from the cage so that the sharks only swim past and not at the cage. Once all the people wanting to dive have done so, the boat returns to shore for a leisurely lunch and drinks on the shore whilst experiences can be shared with one another.

With Dyer Island being just off the Cape Coast, this area is truly a shark cage diving hotspot. Shark cage diving is well known for creating an incredible adrenalin rush and has become an increasingly popular tourist attraction in the area.

Shark cage diving is a safe and extremely exhilarating way to observe these incredible fish in their natural habitat and to have an experience not likely to be forgotten.

By: Rosemary Grace Brooks