Blue & Mako Shark Cage Diving

Price

R1710 per person

Shark Cage Diving with Mako & Blue Sharks

Take 11 hours off and enjoy all that nature has to throw at you. Board the boat in Simons Town harbour and head off at sunrise to the depths of the warm blue waters of the Indian Ocean. On the journey out you will not be sleeping but looking at all of the scenery and wildlife along the Cape coastline all the way along to Cape Point and beyond. Where we head is approximately 20-40 miles off Cape Point in the rich Pelagic Tuna Fishing waters. Unlike with other operators in other parts of the world Apex Expeditions and African Shark Eco-Charters do not use cages when diving. This is a real treat with raw nature and with the fastest shark in the Ocean, the Mako Shark. Most of the time snorkeling with these majestic sharks is suitable as they come to feed on the surface. Yes Blue Sharks and Mako Sharks are considered dangerous but then so is crossing the road. If you are cautious in what you are doing and listen to the advice of the dive masters you will have an amazing experience with minimal risk. All diving is on snorkel in the cage so a diving certification is not necessary, however guests must be comfortable in the water. A three man cage is used but for comfort reasons only two divers with dive at a time in the cage.

All trips depart from Simon’s Town at 6.30am and return at 3/4pm. This trip is particularly weather permitting as we work so far offshore. We normally get to sea two to three times per ten days for this trip. If we cannot go out due to weather conditions, and your schedule allows, we will reschedule the trip.

The maximum number of guests per trip is 10 plus three crew members. A minimum of six guests is needed for the trip to go. It’s a 2.5 hour boat ride each way so guests need to be comfortable going to sea and especially the open sea. 

Mako and Blue Shark Cage Diving Itinerary

06:15

 Meet crew at Simon’s Town Pier where you will meet the crew have a briefing and board the boat.

 

06:30

Depart for Cape Point and the open ocean 1.5 to 2.5 hours offshore from Cape Point. On the way you will pass the famous Cape Point and you will have an opportunity to view and photograph the Point from the waterline

Approx 9h30 to 13h00

In order to find the optimum area for the Mako and Blue sharks we need to find the warm Agulhas Current. It is this warm current and multitude of fish species that attract the great predators of the deep. This area changes each day but we normally work anywhere 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 you are welcome to try their hand at this. The wait may take from 2 minutes to 2 hours and we must be patient. This is like a watery desert out here and we will have to wait for the sharks to follow the chum line to the boat.

Once the first sharks arrive the cage is dropped in and guests will receive a safety briefing on the dive and then it is kit on and in the water. The diving takes place in the cage with snorkel. The target species are the magnificent Mako and Blue sharks as well as the massive Yellowfin Tuna that they occasionally hunt.

For naturalist wanting a bit of everything while shark diving in South Africa, this is a must. At any time during the trip there are possibilities to view a multitude of pelagic birds including Skuas, Terns, Shearwaters, Petrels and Penguins as well as the possibility of seeing up to six different species of Albatross. Whales and dolphins of many species are regularly seen on the trips and there may be a chance to get in the water with the Dolphins.

There are drinks and snacks available at any time during the trip as well as a selection of rolls.

15h00 to 16h00

Return back into Simons Town Harbour depending on the weather conditions and shark activity where you can go to the shop for coffee and tea. 

Included

• all dive gear (sizes small to XXL are available). 
• light lunch, snacks and refreshments on board.

Excluded

• Return transfer from Cape Town. This can be organised at an additional cost of R350 per person. R500 for a single traveler