Apex Shark Expeditions - The Company

Chris and Monique Fallows

Discovery Channel's Chris Fallows leads the best shark cage diving and white shark breaching in False Bay, Cape Town. Chris & Monique wildlife naturalists and are absolutely passionate about sharks. They are privileged to spend at least 150 days at sea every year working with a variety of shark species. Although they make their living taking people to view Great White sharks and enjoy shark diving in Cape Town, their aim is to provide the most natural encounter with sharks. To ensure that the tours are as ecologically friendly as possible they specialise in small groups so that their guests can enjoy an intimate and educational encounter. Having worked at or visited all of the well-known Great White shark diving sites in South Africa and around the world they can undoubtedly say that Seal Island is unique in what it has to offer.

In addition to being one of the leading authorities on Great White shark behaviour, Chris is a professional wildlife photographer and many of his breaching Great White Shark images have been seen worldwide in newspapers, magazines and television documentaries. Their aim is to promote the positive awareness of sharks through these captivating images. Chris has just recently completed his book ‘Great White, The Majesty of Sharks’, which chronicles Chris’ journey from his beginnings as a penniless shark enthusiast to his discovery of the "Flying White Shark Phenomenon". This book is available in leading book stores worldwide or visit amazon.com to order your copy.

Chris & Monique's extensive work in the field has helped them to understand not only the sharks but this very special environment that they return to each year. Education and awareness plays a vital role in effective shark conservation, and at Apex Shark Expeditions the aim is to shift perceptions and create a better understanding of sharks. They have facilitated many well-known shark documentaries over the years. These include the following:

• Discovery Channel: Air Jaws 1&2 and more recently Ultimate Air Jaws as seen on Shark Week 2010 – This documentary is the lead show on Discovery’s Shark Week in 2010
• The BBC: Planet Earth: Great White Shark segment
• National Geographic: JAWS 25 Year Anniversary
• 60 Minutes with Bob Simon
• Inside the Perfect Predator
• And over 40 other documentaries
• Not only do we host film crews but we very often personally feature in the documentaries as presenters or hosts due to our knowledge of the area

Most importantly, we also enjoy a very high rate of repeat and loyal clients who return to Seal Island each year, just like the sharks. Their recipe of small groups, knowledge and experience at Seal Island and passion for nature is a winning combination for an experience of a lifetime and thus attracts guests who become friends, back each year. 

The Boat - White Pointer II

The Cage

The cage is a specifically constructed steel cage with viewing ports and has passed all shark cage diving permit conditions. It is a large three man cage that floats on the surface right next to the boat so we are able to communicate with you whilst in the cage. To make cage diving as easy as possible access to the shark cage is through specially designed Marlin doors. This makes getting into the cage as simple as stepping off the boat.

How deep is the cage in the water?

The cage remains afloat and about 80 centimeters of the cage is above the water mark at all times. The cage is also solidly attached to the boat with two thick ropes that further prevent it from sinking or drifting away from the boat. The bottom of the cage is lying two meters below the surface.

Will I scuba dive in the cage or just breath hold?

In most conditions, we prefer not to use scuba equipment which produces a lot of noise and bubbles under the water. This often keeps the sharks from coming close. You will have a better chance of seeing the sharks if we can communicate the direction the sharks are coming from, especially when the water visibility is poor. However if you prefer to use scuba equipment, and if you area qualified scuba diver, we will provide you with a regulator to dive in the cage once everyone else has dived. This is done by means of the hookar system – air fed from the vessel.

Am I allowed to scuba dive in the cage with a PADI Open Water diving certification?

Yes, but we recommend that you do not use scuba equipment in the cage due to the potential negative effect that the bubbles and noise create, keeping the naturally cautious sharks at a distance. In clear underwater visibility conditions, this becomes less of an issue, but when the visibility is reduced, we discourage the use of scuba equipment in the cage, until everyone else has seen the sharks underwater by snorkeling.

Is the cage attached to the boat?

Yes. The cage is designed to float at the surface, leaving a free board of about 30cm or one foot. But the cage is always solidly attached to the side of the boat with two thick ropes that prevent the cage from drifting away.

How many people can go into the cage?

Although our cage is a three man cage, we choose to dive only two guests at any time.

Does the cage have a lid?

Yes, After you have entered the cage safely, the lid is closed.

How long can I stay in the cage?

This will mostly depend on the number of people on the boat and especially the number of guests who wish to go into the cage. Two guests enter the cage at a time. Your first cage dive will be relatively short, just long enough for you to see a White Shark. We will then alternate all the guests who wish to dive in the cage, and once everyone has had a chance to see the sharks from the cage, you then can return for a second dive, should time allow. You should get 20 to 30 minutes in the cage.

Is the cage safe?

Yes. 100% safe. The Shark cage is constructed with galvanized steel and equipped with many independent flotation devices to keep it aloft. It is attached to the boat with solid ropes and has a lid which is closed upon entering the cage.

All shark cage diving is done under the auspices of experienced crew who have first Aid & oxygen management, scuba & commercial skippers’ qualifications and have expert knowledge of the behavior of sharks around the cage.

NOTE: All diving is on snorkel so you do not need a scuba qualification to shark cage dive. Scuba is available to those who do have a qualification.