Shark Feature
Sink your teeth into...
Carcharodon carcharias. Latin for a big creature packing a fearsome set of gnashers. Otherwise know more commonly as the great white shark. Often portrayed as a relentless killer by Hollywood, the truth is these powerful predators play a vital role in the food chain. South Africa is fortunate to have one of the world’s biggest breeding grounds of the great white off the Overberg coast. Mostly they live solitary lives but it is here that they gather, which makes it ideal to view them.
A few miles off the village of Gansbaai, and very close to Hermanus, is Dyer Island, a bird sanctuary. Next to it is a second, smaller rocky island called Geyser rock which supports a large seal population. Separating Geyser and Dyer is a channel aptly named “Shark Alley”, regarded as the best spot in the world for encountering the great white shark. Here the sharks patrol, hunting for the Cape fur seal, their main prey. Great whites can be seen throughout the whole year but it’s mostly in the winter months (May to October) when they are more prevalent and conditions are better. Four to five sharks are usually seen in a typical day at sea but as many as 18 sharks have been encountered on some outings.
Several companies operate in the area taking tourists out on boats. To qualify for a shark dive permit, which is issued by the Department of Nature Conservation, an operator has to comply with a strict set of rules and a code of ethics. The permit is renewed on an annual basis. Sea worthiness of the boat, qualifications of the crew, standard of facilities, equipment and cages are all qualifying factors. Vessels and safety equipment are subject to an annual inspection by government officials. When the boat is in position, a specially designed cage that floats just under the surface is lowered into the ocean. Divers enter the cage where they hold on to its inside ring waiting for the sharks to approach closer. This part of the cage is still out of the water. Only on the dive master ‘s command do they descend. Divers are never more than one metre below the surface. Although some sharks may bump the cage as they pass it is very safe. Visibility is between 4m to 6m on average, but may exceed 15m on a good day, giving a perfect sighting of the sharks.
You don’t need any scuba diving qualifications, or equipment, to view the sharks. Just some snorkelling experience. All equipment, such as wetsuits are provided. You can even choose not to get into the water but watch high and dry from the boat as they circle.
All in all it is an unforgettable experience.
Cage diving with great white sharks means getting up close and personal with the feared predator of the seas in a safe, secure environment
By Confetti Studio
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