Dive South Africa: Gansbaai and the Cape

Of all sharks, the Great White is perhaps the most breath-taking. Enormous in size and powerful enough to thrust completely airborne out of the water with a twitch of it's tail when taking its prey, this magnificent creature is highly misunderstood and should be respected rather than feared. Dyer Island and Geyser Rock are the breeding grounds for Cape fur seals of which there are currently around 50,000. The seals offer a highly nutritious diet for Great whites. Aptly named 'Shark Alley', near the fishing village of Gansbaai, this is the hub of Great White shark viewing.

How it works: once the boat has anchored in the channel, the cage is lowed into the water. When the first shark appears, having been attracted by a chum slick, divers enter the cage from the top and a 'hookah' system is used: the tanks stay on the boat and air is fed to the divers through long hoses. The cage has been carefully designed for the safety of the divers as well as the sharks.

Sharks are surface feeders by nature, ensuring spectacular surface action. Breaching often takes place in high season.

Tours vary from 1-10 days, but it is recommended to spend at least 2-3 days as shark activity and weather conditions cannot be guaranteed. The time spent out at sea is about 5 hours per day. Snacks and drinks are available on-board throughout the day.

Viewing Seasons: Determined by the cage dive operator from over 10 years’ experience:

April to October – 80% to 99%
November to January – 70% to 90%
February to March – 50% to 60%

As well as cage diving, scuba diving is also possible: the kelp forests are home to a wide variety of cold-water marine creatures, including seals.

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