SHARK CAGE DIVING TOUR FAQ
Planning your shark cage diving adventure? We’ve answered the most common questions about our Gansbaai shark cage diving tours, including trip timings, what to bring, safety, age restrictions, weather, shark sightings, air-in-cage, transport, cancellations and more. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, our friendly team is always happy to help.
Your questions answered
No. ALL shark cage diving tours depart from Van Dyks Bay, Kleinbaai.
The drive from Hermanus to our Sharklady Adventures Crew House in Kleinbaai is about 40min / 50km (traffic dependent).
Your shark cage dive trip starts in Kleinbaai, just a few minutes’ drive outside of Gansbaai.
Address: 14 Geelbek St, Van Dyks Bay, Gansbaai.
Enjoy light breakfast snacks on location whilst listening to the dive and safety briefing. Choose your wetsuit and other gear to be loaded onto the boat before walking down to the jetty to depart.
Cozzie (swimwear), sunblock, towel, hat, dry clothing, warm jacket.
Yes. No. Maybe. You fall in either of these 3 categories 😉
If you are prone to seasickness, we advise taking seasick tablets the night before your trip. You will be able to get seasick tablets from any local pharmacy.
The boat sets off on a 15-20 minute journey before anchoring near the coastline between Die Mond and Pearly beach.
The boat is at sea for roughly 2,5 to 3 hours depending on shark activity, weather and ocean conditions. Onboard you can enjoy the complimentary mineral water, snacks and drinks. No alcohol or smoking is allowed on any of the shark cage diving boats in Gansbaai.
No diving experience is needed to go for shark cage diving, as the cage is attached to the boat at all times. You only hold your breath whilst holding on to a rail, and submerge yourself for a few seconds at a time. No air devices are used – great white sharks don’t like the noise or sight of bubbles, and we want them to come as close to the cage as possible for your viewing pleasure.
Before you get into the cage you put your dive gear on – wetsuit with hoodie, booties, mask. Not all boats supply weight belts so make sure that you request this prior to your trip should you wish to use it.
No. Many guests choose not to cage dive – the viewing from the boat is exceptional and as a non-diver, you will also have an awesome experience!
As the sharks mostly circle the boat you will have more than enough dive time to view the sharks as they pass the front of the cage.
You will spend up to 20 minutes in the cage after which another set of divers will enter the cage whilst you enjoy the viewing from the boat. For those die-hard divers out there, you are welcome to enter the cage a second time (NOTE: subject to weather conditions, shark activity & behaviour).
After anchoring, the crew starts to chum for the sharks. Chum is a mixture of tuna heads, pilchards and fish oil – all mixed up and blended with seawater. This mixture is thrown overboard almost continuously throughout the day in order to create an oily chum slick. The chum slick gets carried into the current and when a great white shark swims across the current and smells the chum, it swims up to the chum slick towards the boat to investigate and scavenge on this “dead animal” that it had smelled.
It’s for this purpose that the crew now also throws a tuna head on a rope into the ocean. The shark sees this and then stays interested in the boat as otherwise, it would circle the boat once or twice and then leave. The bait is NOT fed to the sharks but it is kept in the water in order to keep the sharks’ interest in the boat and cage.
Absolutely. We are the oldest operator in the industry (RSA) with over 30 years experience. We have a 100% safety record. We are professionals, and know exactly how to operate in a safe and responsible manner.
The boat is operated by qualified and competent crew members. The crew includes a skipper, divemaster and deckhand. The crew members are also trained in skills such as firefighting and first-aid.
On the return trip to the harbour you get a chance to view the day trip DVD whilst enjoying snacks.
The day trip DVD is filmed on the day of the trip. The film is of the entire experience of the group and you have an option to purchase this as a souvenir. It is immediately available after your experience at the Sharklady Adventures Crew House.
Payment only takes place once we know the weather conditions will be suitable, so there will be no need for refunds. In the rare event that we take payment ahead of time, you will be issued a full refund.
No Shark = Free Tour On Us (voucher valid for 1 year)
Yes. Sharklady Adventures offers transport. The return shuttle transport cost an additional R950 from Cape Town and R700 from Hermanus, per person.
Available to you
From the moment you arrive, your shark cage diving Gansbaai adventure is designed to be safe, exciting and unforgettable. After a warm welcome, safety briefing and light refreshments, you’ll head out by boat into the spectacular waters off Gansbaai, where you’ll have the opportunity to encounter sharks and other incredible marine wildlife in their natural habitat. Whether you choose to enter the cage or enjoy the action from the deck, our experienced crew will guide you every step of the way, ensuring an authentic, educational and conservation-focused experience that you’ll remember for a lifetime.
