Join this adventurous dive with the sharks of the open ocean. Blue and Mako sharks are arguably two of the most beautiful shark species with colours of blue and silver that stretch beyond your imagination. Schools of yellow and longfin tuna together with sightings of pelagic birds, like albatross, round off this amazing experience. This is another world which every ocean enthusiast should experience at least once in their lifetime.
Price
R2200 per person (Minimum 2 people required to run the trip)
R380 per person for Rental of full dive gear per day
Dive Summary
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Season: March – November
The dive: Free-diving or SCUBA. Boat leaves at sunrise and returns about 4pm
Minimum experience required: This dive is for experienced and confident divers only.
These sharks do not like to be touched in any way whether it’s intentional or accidental and are usually frightened away when touched. The best way to safely dive with these sharks is to always be aware of your position in the water and where you are kicking. Being in complete control of your buoyancy will help you achieve this. Make sure that you keep eye contact with sharks that are approaching you. Make sure that you do not put yourself in a position where the shark feels threatened or cornered. Blue and mako sharks are attracted to shiny and bright objects and colours and it’s ideal to have one colour (preferably dark colour) wetsuit, fins and gloves. Diving in the open ocean has its own risks and although we are experienced it’s also important to make sure you stay in contact with the boat at all times.
Filming and photography
Due to the clear, warm water and beautiful colours of the sharks there are fantastic filming and photographic opportunities.
Habitat
These sharks inhabit deep oceanic waters and can only be found 20 - 30 miles out to sea with no land in sight. Over warm waters that are hundreds of meters deep you just never know what to expect out there like seeing pilot or sperm whales or even turtles and whale sharks.
Shark behaviour and diver interaction
Blue sharks are curious sharks that don’t mind investigating divers, but they can be a little skittish and usually are most interested in the bits of chum on offer. Typically smaller blue sharks about 1.5 – 2 meters are around the boats with up to 30 sharks on one dive. Mako sharks seem to be more difficult to find, but when they are around they are very bold and inquisitive. Typical size seen is about 2 meters, but larger ones are around. Both species have the ability of great bursts of speed and divers are kept on their toes on this dive. Makos have even been recorded leaping up to 5 meters out of the water.
COMBO PACKAGE!
Make it an all round day out and combine the 7 Gill Cow Shark dive with the Blue & Mako Shark dive! Book this ultimate shark combination for only R2900 per person!
Itinerary of the Day
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 enjoy the stunning views of Cape Point from the sea and you will have an opportunity to view and photograph this spectacle.
Approx 9h30 to 13h00
In order to find the optimum area for the Mako and Blue sharks the crew will look for the warm Agulhas Current. It is this warm current and multitude of fish species that attract the Blue & Mako Sharks. This area changes each day due to currents and weather patterns but we normally work anywhere between 15 and 30 nautical miles from Cape Point. Once reaching the area the crew will start chumming the water and the wait could take from 2 minutes to 2 hours. This is like a watery desert and vast so some times it may take a while to attract the sharks with the chum line.
During the wait the crew will discuss the behaviour of the sharks and how to interact with them. A full safety briefing will be given and the dive is treated with great caution. Once the first sharks arrive the divers will kit up and slip into the water. There is an opportunity for clients to snorkel and free-dive on the surface (weather permitting) but with the scuba dive the group will keep together at all times. The target species are the magnificent Mako and Blue sharks as well as the massive Yellowfin Tuna that they occasionally hunt and the freedom of scuba allows divers the ultimate flexibility to move around and photograph these beautiful sharks.
The water out in the blue can be up to 1000m deep and without reference points so the group must be focussed and follow instructions. There are safety divers in the water watching the group and safety is a priority at all times during the dive. This is truly an awe inspiring dive and as wild as it gets in the deep open ocean. In the past dives clients have also seen pilot, sperm whales and even turtles and whale sharks.
15h00 to 16h00
Return back into Simons Town Harbour depending on the weather conditions and shark activity.
Includes
Guided dive (No Cage)
Snacks & cool drinks on boat
Dive briefing and full shark presentation
Visit to the Save Our Seas Shark Centre (optional)
Excludes
Transfers from Cape Town (Return R250 per person - Minimum R500)
Post Holiday feedback Form
REVIEWS
I was recently lucky enough to attend the Shark Explorers Blue & Mako Shark dive arranged through Shark Bookings. The dive itself was one of the most amazing I have ever experienced, with blue and mako sharks encountered within minutes of arriving at the dive site. The dive was probably more thrilling than I had imagined it could be, the visibility was excellent, and the sharks themselves were spellbinding. Both companies involved could not have done more; my dive gear hire was organised without fuss, everything was smoothly executed and exactly as advertised. The whole experience was seamlessly arranged from start to finish, leaving us all able to concentrate simply on the diving. Money cannot buy experiences like this, so I felt the package was great value. To get up close and personal with these remarkable animals is something you will never forget. There were six divers on the boat, and two members of Shark Explorers, so I felt well looked after and fully attended to at all times. They are great guys, and Stephen's sandwiches are definitely worthy of a special mention! We were provided with a comprehensive safety briefing before entering the water, enabling everyone to feel confident and fully enjoy the dive. The trip could not have been more enjoyable, with helpful and knowledgeable guides, and of course the amazing sharks themselves taking top billing. It truly was an experience I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life, and I cannot wait to do it again. A huge thank you to Shark Explorers and Shark Bookings!
Harry Stone
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NAVIGATION
7 Gill Cow Sharks
Blue & Mako Shark Cage Diving
Great White Shark Cage Diving Cape Town
White Shark Breaching
Great White Shark Hunting & Breaching trip - Cape Town
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