Everything you need to know about shark cage diving in Gansbaai

Shark Lady's skipper Lance Coetzee turns our fear into a new found respect for sharks

Like most South Africans Lance Coetzee was thrown into the ocean at an early age and came to the sleepy fishing village of Gansbaai in search of waves. He'd heard the negative rumours about Gansbaai's 'man eating' shark population but when he came face-to-face with the great white during a shark cage dive he describes the experience as life changing. The more time Lance spent with sharks the more he understood them as a vital function in the marine eco-system.  Before embarking on a shark cage dive with Shark Lady I caught up with Lance to find out everything I needed to know.

CTMag: Tell us about your background.
I have a Skippers Ticket [a boat driver's licence], PADI Dive Master, fire fighting and first aid qualifications and a radio operator's licence.

CTMag: Shark cage diving is a controversial topic. How is the practice beneficial?
Lance: Chumming the water [attracting the shark's attention with bait or a decoy] is controversial only because the public don't understand the process. I would like to highlight that sharks are attracted by smell and are never fed. This means that people can come face-to-face with the shark and experience it in its natural environment which I am certain will create awareness and change negative opinions.

CTMag: How do you gauge whether or not conditions are safe enough for a cage dive to go ahead?
Lance: This decision is at the skipper or dive master's discretion and will usually be based on the weather, sea conditions and the safety of the boat, crew and passengers. The skipper has to be knowledgeable of the local area and surroundings and keep up to date with online weather forecasts. Safety comes first.

CTMag: How do you know exactly where the sharks are and when is the best time of year to shark cage dive?
Lance:  During winter you'll find sharks around seal colonies and in summer they swim closer to the shore. Shark Lady has a demarked area in which we are permitted to attract sharks. The best time to cage dive is during winter because of stable water temperatures, clearer visibility and increased shark activity.

CTMag: What types of people go on shark cage dives and what do they learn from it?
Lance: People from all walks of life share one common goal: to come face-to-face with the Great White. My dive briefing is thorough and our patient and friendly crew ensure that the experience is safe and enjoyable.  We've had positive feedback and our clients leave with a new found respect for sharks.

CTMag: How do you prepare for a shark cage dive?
Lance: Shark diving is as safe as the instructions that you follow. We start with an educational talk regarding safety aboard the boat, a dive briefing and the biology and behaviour of the shark. All divers receive a wetsuit, booties, dive mask and scuba equipment is available for qualified divers. The dive briefing is thorough and friendly and experienced crew members ensure that getting in and out of the cage is easy.

CTMag: How are sharks attracted and how do you ensure that the natural habitat remains undisturbed?
Lance: We use bait and decoys to attract the shark to the boat although we do not intend to feed the shark and it swims freely in the ocean. As sharks are nomadic we encounter different individuals all the time and the majority have never encountered a boat, cage or diver before. As a consequence some may be uncomfortable with the boat and swim away whilst others will hang around and can get really close. This is a natural habitat, as opposed to an aquarium, so there is no guarantee that you will see a shark.

CTMag: How close does the shark get to the boat and how does it behave?
Lance: Some sharks look upon the divers with curiosity and may bite the cage but this investigation should not be confused with an attack. If you're lucky you might see the great white breaching seals. Sharks don't like company so when two sharks collide they normally give a wide berth. They also have a hierarchy so when you see two sharks fighting it's usually over dominance rather than bait.

CTMag: Can you get the same experience from surface viewing?
Lance: Surface viewing is spectacular and can sometimes be better than diving. You can witness the shark in all its glory without even getting your feet wet and it's fantastic for surface photography.

CTMag: Have you ever had a close encounter with a shark?
Lance: I've had the opportunity to dive freely with great white sharks and believe that the location and temperament of sharks are important. The shark is unpredictable so I have developed an understanding of its behaviour, how to move underwater and how to watch my buddy's back. Because of our experience and attention to safety nobody has been harmed by a shark during our cage dives.

By Lisa Nevitt

Read more about our shark cage diving experience with Shark Lady, our Shark ABC, our overview of Gansbaai and shark conservation in Gansbaai. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and find us on Facebook and Twitter.