Shark Cage Diving in Cape Town part I

Shark Cage Diving in Cape Town, not only "Been there, done that and got the T-shirt too", but also "did the right one"...

The CapeTownMagazine.com editor and web manager set out early in the morning to Gansbaai quite nervously to go and meet the so called predator of the sea. Mr. Great White Shark I presume..

Although we knew that it was 100% safe to do a shark cage dive tour and that we would be in very capable hands for the day, we couldn’t help but be a little nervous. Especially the chain-smoking editor.

The (scenic) drive to Gansbaai from Cape Town took approximately 2 hours, over the Sir Lowry’s pass and through beautiful valleys of the Overberg, till we reached the turn-off for Hermanus, and driving to our final destination; Kleinbaai, in Gansbaai.

Once we reached our destination, The Sharklady Crew House situated in the Kleinbaai Harbour, we were greeted warmly and given lovely coffee and breakfast. But we were still a bit shaky, and not yet Sharky.

After breakfast we all sat outside in the shadow of this Great White Shark for an entertaining & educational lecture on the anatomy and characteristics of the Great White shark.

Feeling more (ok,slightly more) confident, knowing many more facts about the Great White, 13 potential divers set off to the boat, equipped for the Shark Cage Diving.

The boat travelled out to sea to Dyer Island, which is home to around 70 000 Cape Fur Seals.

The channel that runs between Dyer Island and Geyser rock is called Shark Alley, and the boat stopped in this vicinity.

Shark Alley is famous for being the Great White Shark capital or the world.

Once the boat stopped, everyone who wanted to do the shark cage dive got geared up in wetsuits and snorkels.

At first there was a hype on the boat and then silence as people began to realise the enormity of what they were lucky enough to experience.

Before the experienced shark handlers started the chumming process, they informed us that they use only bait rope that forms part of the food chain of the Great White.

These shark handlers do not actually feed the sharks because there is plenty of natural food available to the sharks on the coastline.

Divers are rotated, giving everyone ample time in the cage. The first group of cage divers got into the cage, after being briefed on what and what not to do.

This is the best way to describe our experience: We braced ourselves going into water and, for a moment, completely forgot the fact that these waters were shark infested.

Once in the cage you could hear the excitement of everyone on the boat as they spotted the first shark approaching. Waiting for the instruction from the shark handler we went under water where everything went quiet and all you could hear was the beating of your own heart.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, so still and sleek, the star of the show came out of the shadows and we saw one of the ocean's most powerful predators in it’s natural environment.

Here’s looking at you kid…Words could never do this justice.

You actually don’t have to cage dive if you don’t feel confident enough – it is just as amazing to watch the sharks from the boat, as sharks are surface feeders.

On return to the harbour, we were chaperoned back to the crew house to enjoy coffee and refreshments. Should you want to, you could buy one of those "been there, done that" tee-shirts to show off to all your friends.

Molo says: "Our team has selected the best shark cage diving operators so you don’t need to research further for an eco-friendly Shark dive operator."

Read all about Shark Cage Dive Tour from Cape Town and our introductory article on the Great White Shark…

To book the shark cage diving tour in Cape Town, Phone +27(0)78 686 7505 to make your reservation, or download the shark cage dive booking form .