CAGE DIVING WITH MAKO & BLUE SHARKS

For those visiting Cape Town and have a penchant for adventure, a passion for sharks and a quest to do something few others have the chance to - why not try cage diving with Mako and Blue sharks, in the oceans south of Cape Town.

CAGE DIVE WITH THE MAKO SHARK,Cape Town

The Mako Shark is not only the fastest shark in the sea but it is also the king shark of the open ocean, a realm that few of us divers ever experience. Warm currents and inky blue waters off the tip of the Cape of Good Hope 50kms from Cape Town greet the diver as you cage dive into an ocean that descends for a further 1000m or more.The Mako Shark is the apex predator of the open seas while it's bigger cousin, the Great White Shark rules the waters closer to land. Out there in the Big Blue cage diving without scuba with Mako Sharks is phenomenal. This is an opportunity to take a glimpse into the life of these wonderful sharks. The success rate is around 85% of cage diving with Mako Sharks as well as good chances of diving with huge Yellowfin Tuna who often accompany the sharks.

CAGE DIVE WITH THE BLUE SHARK,Cape Town

Blue Sharks are the nomads of the sea and can be seen in virtually all the oceans of the world often swimming thousands of kilometers in search of favourable areas to feed and mate. Here just off Cape Town where two mighty ocean currents collide it's a shark haven for predators like the Blue Shark as the waters are rich in sea life thus making Cape Town one of the best places to view these sharks.Blue Sharks can grow up to 3.8 m in length and shark dissection has shown they can give birth to 135 young.Anyone who wishes to cage dive with or photograph sharks for the first time in an open water environment, do so with a Blue Shark. Their inquisitive nature, beautiful colour and sleek movement will get you truly hooked on sharks.
Please note that the expedition dives are Cage Dives with snorkel only. The bubbles of SCUBA dives keep the sharks away.?

ITINERARY:

06H15:
Meet crew at Simons Town Pier.
Guests are welcomed aboard and a full safety and weather briefing is given before departure.

06H30:
Depart for Cape Point and the open ocean!
(1.5 to 2.5 hour boat ride)

07h15:
The famous Cape Point is reached and guests will have an opportunity to view and photograph the Point from this unique angle.

Approx 09h30 to 13h00:
In order to find the optimum area for the pelagic sharks we need to find the Agulhas Current. This area changes each day but we normally work between 15 and 30 nautical miles from Cape Point.
Once we reach the area we will spend some time fishing for tuna for fresh bait and guests are welcome to try their hand at this.
After a detailed safety briefing guests may dive when the first shark arrives.
All diving is on snorkel and with cages.

Our target species are the magnificent Mako and Blue sharks as well as the massive Yellowfin Tuna that they occasionally hunt. Whilst not as big and bulky as the Great White, the Mako certainly does not stand back as it is the fastest shark in the sea and coupled with its beautiful blue and silver coloring is a truly magnificent creature, aptly described by Peter Goadby as "Blue dynamite". These trips take place during our summer and autumn months (November-May) and a variety of shark species are seen as well as being one of the best areas in the world to see pelagic birds. To find these animals we head out into the warm Agulhas current off Cape Point and it is this warm current and multitude of fish species that attract the great predators of the deep. Here the emphasis is on free diving but if you prefer, a great time can still be had viewing these beautiful sharks from the boat as they are very curious and often swim up alongside the boat.

For naturalist wanting a bit of everything this is a must. From the moment we get out of False Bay we start to see wildlife that land lubbers will never see, a multitude of pelagic birds can been seen including Skuas, Terns, Shearwaters, petrels, penguins as well as the possibility of seeing up to six different species of Albatross. Whales and dolphins of many species are also regular visitors on our run out into the deep.

Lunch which usually consists of rolls with cold meats as well as a vegetarian option, accompanied by soft drinks, fruit juice, bottled water and a variety of snacks are available throughout the course of the day.

15h00 to 16h00:
Boat will arrive back in Simons Town Harbour depending on the weather conditions and shark activity.

Rates: R1750/person

C