South Africa Great White Shark Dives

Shark cage diving: Questions Dive company and performance Camera equipment Logistics and order of the day Weather and ocean conditions The shark experience itself Disappointments Tips for great white shark dives Overall rating Gansbaai accommodation review Other activities

Which dive company did you use and when did your great white shark dives take place?

The White Shark Diving Company (enquire about a shark cage dive with this company).

My first dive was on Tuesday 10 July [2007]. I went back for another dive four days later on 14 July with the same company after we had a storm overnight. When we went out the swell was at least 12 feet plus.

Did you only plan to go once initially?

I wanted to do go on a couple of great white shark dives during the trip, but I knew the waters were getting bad because it's winter. That's why I went a couple of days later, after the storm.

It was just heavy wind and rain, but it blew all the water activities out for a couple of days and then nasty weather was predicted for a couple of days later, so I quickly got a trip in again the same week.

How did you get to hear about the White Shark Diving Co?

I just looked them up on the internet before I went out. In fact, I planned my great white shark dives trip in December of last year and there are different operators and they seemed quite good. And Robert was fabulous… I kept e-mailing him constantly! We felt like friends by the time I got out there.

Did they provide the wet suits?

They supply everything. I was surprised at the lack of qualified divers, actually. Because they do supply everything but it was a breath-hold system, so they didn't have regulators.

Do you get a snorkel for your great white shark dives, then?

No, because the water was quite choppy and the swell was quite high as well. You couldn't have a snorkel in choppy waters, really.

It would have been nice to have a hooker-system for the great white shark dives, when you use a regulator and the air is on board the boat. But the dive master was saying that the sharks might be a bit skittish and they would have been scared of the bubbles. They do say they see what the sharks' behaviour is like before they decide to put you on a hooker-system or not.

It would have been nice, because I missed a few good shots during my great white shark dives, coming up for air. On quite a few occasions, I'd come up for air and they'd say "dive, dive!" and then they'd keep doing it every time I come up for air and I'd keep missing the sharks when they came round because they were constant.

The sharks would constantly be there; there wouldn't be one shark and then 5 minutes later another one.

There'd be one shark under you and another shark that's coming round the side of you. And the game fish were quite incredible to look at as well, they're quite huge.

Did you have a video or still camera?

I got a video function on my camera. So I took my little mini-videos and the Great White Company use their own videographer, Juri, and he took a professional video.

Did you get a special water case?

Yes it's a special diving camera, a FujiPix. I was quite lucky, I got really good pictures of the sharks.

I was collected at 8.30am for a 9am briefing.

We met at the lodge, the Great White place, then we'd all had breakfast and they gave us a pre-dive briefing.

Then we all walked down to the harbour and that's where we got on our boat. It's quite funny watching a boat being pulled out from a car park. It wasn't already in the water like a normal boat, they had it parked up! So a tractor loaded into the water, reversing down the slipway.

With the first of my great white shark dives, there were only five of us on the boat, so we got on it while it was still in the car park, because it was light enough. But the second time it was a full boat so we got on once it was in the water.

How long did you stay at sea during your great white shark dives?

Probably about 4 hours each time.

Did they also brief you with conservation information, and on the sharks itself?

A lot of that is on their website and I found that South Africa is very keyed up for conservation of the Great Whites. I think they did a little talk about it when we were in the boat waiting to go out to the great white shark dives.

When you're actually out at sea you've got the skipper who's baiting the shark, and the dive master who's helping you in and out ensuring your safety. So you weren't having running commentary because everyone's busy on the boat… because you can't mess about around these lovely creatures.

When you got back to land, did you all go your separate ways?

We went back to the lodge, the Great White place, and they had a hot soup and sandwiches or cakes or something. We could change if we wanted to and Juri played his video that he recorded. We'd all chill out and have a chat and then all go home.

Was it cold? [July is the middle of winter in South Africa - Ed.]

Well, your cold and our cold is different! It was in the 70s, high 60s°F (15-20°C) and that to us is our summer!

I'm used to being on the diving boats so I know it can get cold coming back from a dive, when you're all wet and everything. So I did take a fleece and waterproof jacket. When I'm on the boat I like to actually stand up and watch the waves go past as we speed along the way, rather than being hidden under deck.

I didn't think it was cold at all, really. Not above water.

The water temperature during the great white shark dives was about 21°C (70°F). With the second dive it was about 16°C (61°F).

You say you had breakfast before you went out to sea for your great white shark dives… did that or the big swells cause any sea sickness with you or the other passengers?

No. I love the sea and I love the swell. The bigger the swell, the better, I think!

On the first dive I think there's only one person who was quite poorly and he spent all the time hanging over the side of the boat.

On the second of my great white shark dives, when we were 12 people, about 6 of them were slightly sea sick and they had a rescue boat come out to take them back. The swell, on the second dive, was about 10-15 feet.

I think if people are prone to motion sickness I wouldn't recommend them going on great white shark dives at that time of year with the sea being that rough. Because these people all took sea sickness tablets, but it didn't help. The swell was quite huge. They do actually advise you to take sea sickness tablets.

Article: different ways to prevent sea sickness »

Do you get a briefing document about great white shark dives when you book, then?

Well, it's on their website … their website is packed with information. It tells you what you should take with you, like warm clothes, a hat and sea sick tablets. They're not allowed to give you tablets on board. So they give you all the information on their website; it's very informative.

Was the visibility good?

It was excellent on the first dive.

It was just a bit greener the second time, more stirred up, after the storm.

The vis was probably … well, I couldn't see the ground and I know the seabed was only 10 metres down, so I'd say it was about 6 or 7 metres. On the second of my great white shark dives it probably was about 3 or 4 metres.

The main thing that struck me was that I was the caged animal in the shark's environment.

It was just awesome. I've always had a passion for sharks. I'm a scuba diver anyway and … the reason I got into it, was watching Jaws once! I've always had a love for sharks. I was always on the side of the Great Whites.

A couple of years ago, I set myself a goal and said, I will go to South Africa and do some great white shark dives.

Was that the main reason for your trip to South Africa?

That was my only reason, yes. I went out there specifically for the great white shark dives. I did a safari while I was there, but the main reason was the sharks.

And it was just fabulous.

On the first dive when we went out, they swarmed the boat immediately. There was one shark quite soon after we got in the cage tussling with the bait. And he was banging the boat and banging the cage. One of the girls who was in the cage with me was freaking out a bit. But I was like, get out of my way - I'm trying to film this! So she's screaming her head off and I'm going "yes, great"!

After that shark that was banging the cage, went away, the four other people in the cage got out and I was in the cage on my own for about an hour. It was brilliant, just me and the cage… it was just quite breathtaking.

They're so beautiful, these animals, and people say they have dead eyes. They are expressionless but I didn't see that when I looked at them; I tried to specifically look at their eyes during my great white shark dives and it's just … it wasn't as cold as everyone said it was. It was just a normal pair of eyes, really!

They got really close. A couple of times during the great white shark dives the ones who were playing with the cage and the bait. And one of them came under the boat and rubbed his tummy practically against the cage. And it was just brilliant.

I only got a little bit scared once during the great white shark dives, when one was swimming and started to open his mouth as he came towards the cage and he went to get the bait next to it. And I only had a second thinking, "oh my!"

That fear, it lasted for a second, otherwise it was just fabulous.

What was interesting: these sharks, I noticed during the great white shark dives, some of them had distinguishing marks. And I saw a couple of them even had tags on them, which was interesting. It means they were obviously caught and tagged for conservation. So you know conservation is quite active around there.

So you could see they were different sharks, not the same ones hanging around all the time?

I think during both great white shark dives we had about 5, 6 different sharks. There was only one (on each occasion) who was interested in the bait and kicking up water.

Other than that they just came past; they literally cruise past the cage. They kind of looked at you and just carried on. It was lovely, as they went so slowly. They'd stop almost, if they went any slower.

Were there lots of other boats around doing great white shark dives?

When we were out, on both occasions, I only saw one other boat with us. But they were quite far away.

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No, nothing at all... it was great. It would have been nice to have stayed out a little bit longer, but there were people feeling ill, so fair enough, we had to go back for them. They did stay out as long as possible. But I think that's the general amount of time you stay out, anyway. But it wasn't a disappointment at all, I think if you stay out for too long it gets boring.

The shark thing, no problems at all.

I was hoping to do those dives (seal & kelp) and then actually come face to face with a Great White out of a cage!

Everyone's saying I'm mad, but you know that's what I'm like. I think the bull shark is actually worse than the Great White, because they don't care, they just attack. But with the Great White it's just a mistake, or they call it an "incident" don't they. You always know, if a Great White wants to eat you, he won't approach you face to face, he'll come up from underneath.

That's my next trip - off the coast of Durban - Aliwal Shaol… I want to dive with Tiger Sharks and the Zambezis.

The thing is, I've gone to the very top, I've done the nastiest shark! I can't go any higher than that, I can't top a Great White! So I'll just have to come down one step...!

I'd just say do it. People say you can't go to South Africa and not do a safari. Well like-wise, if you're going to South Africa, you've got to do a shark dive. You've got the experience of doing it, because it's just awesome. And and top of that everyone thinks you're really brave as well! You can't top it really. When you say that to people they stand back, and gasp at it. I definitely recommend it.

But if they do get seasick, to pick a nicer time of the year - summer time or when the seas are flat. But then they have less chance of seeing sharks. But if they don't mind rough water, I'd say go July.

People would need to pre-book. With the second dive I did, I got the hotel to phone up and there was only space for one more person. So even in winter they're still booked up. People might go there in winter time and think they don't have to pre-book.

If you know you don't like sharks, and you know you're not going to like it, then just don't do it. It's quite a lot of money and if you don't like sharks, you'll waste the trip. This girl next to me was just losing it, she was absolutely terrified. She practically flew out of the cage with they opened the lid. Our cage was the only one with a lid on, compared to some of the other ones around… so that might settle someone's nerves.

Would YOU come back a different time of the year?

Well, I don't really like sun. I wouldn't come back in your summer. The best time for the Great Whites is July, that's why I came then. It's just after the sardine run and it's the time of the year for 100% sighting of sharks, and that's the main reason I came.

Oh, I give it a 10. They're such a friendly crew as well. They do look after you.

My experience was just the most brilliant thing I've done yet. I just spent the entire two dives in total awe of these magnificent beautiful creatures who bless the seas.

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Yes, the first week I was in Gansbaai, at Saxon Lodge. It was bed & breakfast. With dinner, it depends how many guests they had.

But it was a lovely place; a nice and personal small establishment. Rietie was the manager and she was just teriffic. For the second dive, she offered to take me down to Kleinbaai because I couldn't get down there, and they (GWDCo) couldn't pick me up. Because I decided last minute to dive that day so she took me down.

And then after the dive, Marianne Ritter, I think it's her company, her husband took me home, so that was nice.

They're just so friendly, South Africans. I really did love it out there.

How did you get around the rest of the time?

I just relied on pick-ups really. I did a couple of trips while I was out there. The mountain at Gansbaai, on the side of it ... they have these mountain tours, they come and pick you up at your hotel yes.

And then I used Francois from Great White Project - they've got a big office/shop at the start of Gansbaai - he took us to Cape L'Agulhas… wine tasting, cheese tasting - all about half an hour or an hour's drive, quite near Raka (the wine place).

I spent my second week in Cape Town, so I had two different worlds, really.

It was a shame the water was getting worse, the winds were stirring the water up out to sea. I was planning to do a sea kayak and also a seal and kelp dive, so unfortunately I couldn't do those. I'm told it's beautiful. In fact it's on the video that Uri did. When I come back next time, I'll definitely do that.

I went up to Aquila on a mini-safari while I was in Cape Town; I went on two game drives. They've got cheetahs that are hand-reared and you can go up to them and stroke them… it was just awesome seeing that. On the drives I saw all these animals that I've only ever seen in movies, it was good. But the white shark diving South Africa would top the safari, for me.

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