Dyer Island Cage Dive
by Tessa Cosenza
(USA)
We saw one huge shark (4.5m) after a while, and he ended up coming back as the last shark we saw of the day. The first time he came, I was out of the cage and the second time I was in, so it was neat to get that experience from both perspectives.
Diving Operator Performance
We booked with White Shark Diving Company following the recommendation from a friend.
They gave comprehensive security and safety briefings before the dive. It was very fascinating and much appreciated to learn about the creatures themselves.
They served a light breakfast before we left, and also had sandwiches on the boat. When we returned, sandwiches and soup was waiting for us. The food was good, nothing special, but I don’t think the food is why people go on these excursions!
The company was fantastic.
Out at Sea
We took off and after about 20 mins anchored the boat and they started the chumming process while we were briefed on the upper deck.
The boat was not very large - 10 passengers besides the crew. 4 people could go in the cage at a time. You don't need a diving certificate.
We were out at sea for 3 hours. Very cloudy when we first left, but became sunnier. Temperature was in the 70s (°F), but the water temp was VERY cold!
The visibility was poor, but they were excellent with bringing the sharks in close enough for us to see them given that the visibility was only a few meters.
They attract sharks to the boat by chumming and using tuna head baits.
Fortunately I did not get seasick.The Sharks
It only took about 10 mins for the first shark to appear, so some of the talk was cut short but we'd already gone through safety.
The part that was cut was mostly just educating on the sharks and the area, but our guide continued giving us more of this info throughout the trip.
Then the first group got in the cage, and we had pretty consistent sightings for the rest of the day.
There was a bit of a waiting period in the cage each time, and the water was freezing, so that was the hardest part.
We also saw a shark that had been in a fight and had a bite mark and some scratches which was interesting.
Everyone who wanted to dive had a good amount of time in the water, and after a few hours, we packed up and went back to shore.
We saw 6 different sharks, including the 4.5m long one, which the crew was surprised by.
Since it was between the low and high season, they made a game time decision to go out near the beach, versus shark alley. At this time of year and in that place, they said it was less common to come across such a big shark.
Accommodation
I stayed in Cape Town at the Mount Nelson hotel. They picked me up and dropped me off at the hotel, and it was about a 2 hour drive to the location.
I highly recommend this hotel, though it's rather pricey. I was there for business, and would probably stay somewhere cheaper if I was picking up the tab myself.
Tips and Advice
With this particular company, you are free diving which I'm not sure is the case with all of them. I think a lot of people assume they will be in full scuba gear, so might be nice to know in advance if that is not the case.
Also, keep your hands and feet in the cage at all times!! Should go without saying, but I actually though there would be more protection than there was (some sort of double layer cage). It's just the one set of bars between you and the sharks, so it's not impossible for you to have parts of your body exposed if you aren't careful.
I recommend long sleeves. Gets quite chilly on the boat.
Other than that, just take in the experience and enjoy. It was truly one of the most amazing sights and a huge rush, the opportunity of a lifetime.
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