Cape Town Shark Diving
Itinerary / Highlights
DAY 1, Cape TownThis first day is an arrival day in Cape Town. Your accommodation is in a lively part of the city, near to some of its attractions. After checking in, the remainder of the day is at your own leisure and you can explore this vibrant, cosmopolitan city. The reception can suggest things you might like to do, depending on time. 'Must sees' in Cape Town include stunning beaches, the Cape of Good Hope and the Cape Peninsular Nature Reserve, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and of course Table Mountain, which dominates the skyline with its regular tablecloth of cloud. In the evening, why not try one of the many city restaurants
offering a wide range of seafood, African and European Cuisine. Cape Town has a buzzing nightlife with a host of trendy bars and clubs and many relaxing waterfront cafes.
DAY 2, Shark Dive
Leaving Cape Town early we travel down to the southern coast at Gansbaai, a mere stone's throw from the most southern tip of the African Continent. Along the way you we have time to eat our packed breakfast. On arrival in Gansbaai we board our boat and are given our briefing on what to expect when we are out on the open water.
Approximately 12km offshore is Dyer Island, which, due to a number of geographical reasons, offers a great shark habitat and regular sightings. In addition to this, a colony of approximately 40,000 Cape Fur Seals inhabit a neighbouring island and other species such as Cape Gannets, Cape Cormorants, Jackass Penguins, whales and dolphins are also frequently sighted. Together, this creates a rich feeding ground for Great Whites and on a scale that supports these mammals in large numbers.
Our journey towards these islands takes approximately 20 minutes. Once anchored in the channel we have a safety briefing before making use of a securely designed 6-man steel cage, which floats on the surface, with divers no more than 1m below the surface. Experienced divers are able to dive on scuba while un-licensed divers can enjoy the same experience on a snorkel.
If you do not wish to get in the water once you are out there, this is not a problem. White sharks are surface feeders, providing brilliant surface viewing from the safety of the boat's deck. Our shark handlers are trained to bring the sharks close to the side of the boat, where you'll get great views of their heads, jaws and immense size.
Note. Each crew member is highly qualified in his/her specific field and together have more than 15 years experience working with Great White Sharks. Crew qualifications consist of; A1(1) commercially licensed skippers, level 3 Medics; Satour Registered specialised tour guides; Dive Masters and qualified shark handlers. All our crew have done SAMSA compliant Fire-Fighters and Life-Raft Courses and our skippers are licensed with ICASA (independent Commission Authority of SA), as well as SAMSA (SA Maritime and Safety Authority). A step-bystep emergency flow chart is available inside the cabin of our vessel, at all times. Each boat goes out with a professional underwater videographer who films the encounter on a high quality DVD (above and underwater).
This is available for purchase at minimal cost at the end of the tour, to show friends and family back home.
Lunch is supplied on the boat and then we return to Gansbaai in the afternoon, full of stories of what we have experienced. Our shuttle bus returns to Cape Town in the late afternoon, early evening and the evening is at your leisure to enjoy Cape Town's nightlife.
DAY 3, Cape Town
The tour finishes after breakfast today. Airport transfers can be arranged. Please speak to Acacia or your local agent.
