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GREAT WHITE SHARK DIVING. There are two options for you to consider, the most well known option is to head through to Gansbaai for the diving, however in winter there is a great option much closer to Cape Town which launches from Simon's Town. The team in Simon's Town are extremely conservation minded as such were used by the Discovery Channel to film the sharks breaching to eat the seals around Seal Island. Note that winter is the best time to view the great white sharks - so brace yourselves against the cold and get out there! OPTION 1: Simon's Town based Great White Shark Boat trip: Note only available during peak shark period of April to mid-September Our area is famous for the unique breaching (Great white shark hunting behavior) that takes place on cape fur seals. This can be seen nowhere else in the world on such a frequent basis. We do also offer cage diving on the same trip so it is a great opportunity to see all types of great white shark behavior in one trip. We cater for a maximum of 12 guests per trip with 3 to 4 crew. We have chosen to work with small groups so that we can give an intimate and educational encounter with the great white shark. The smaller groups also allow for better viewing and photographic opportunities and longer cage dives. The high season is mid April to the middle of September. We do see the different behavior throughout the season but as a general rule we see higher numbers of sharks around the boat earlier in the season and more intense natural predation (hunting) from early July onwards. The price is the same for diving and surface viewing. The cage is fixed to the boat and guests are allowed to snorkel in the cage. So, a diving certification is not necessary. For those with a scuba qualification we do offer cage diving on scuba (hooker system). Guests will also have close views of the 60 000 strong Cape fur seal colony on Seal Island as well as various sea birds (Cape Cormorant, bank cormorant, penguins, black backed kelp gull on a regular basis) OPERATIONAL INFO Chris & Monique Fallows have been running expeditions in the Simon's Town area since 1996. They continue to pride themselves on providing what they believe to be the best shark diving and viewing trips on offer in We have been the first choice for the world’s most famous documentary crews including BBC’s Planet Earth, Discovery Channels Air Jaws 1 & 2 and many other well known documentaries but most importantly we enjoy a high rate of repeat and loyal clients. We continue to employ only crew who have a passion for the sea and at the same time convey this passion to guests. We are one of only a select few operations where on most trips we as the owners are actually at sea on our vessel hosting the trips. We do not feed the sharks nor do we use shark livers or any other environmentally incorrect way of attracting them. Our emphasis is on operating as naturally as possible. Our vessel, White Pointer 2 is the most recently launched vessel in the white shark Industry. Complying with all safety requirements, WP2 is 36ft long, with a fully enclosed wrap around cabin with curved windscreens offering superb visibility from inside the cabin. There are cushioned seats, a flush toilet and ample dry storage lockers. WP2 has an upper viewing deck comfortably supporting 6 passengers and access to the shark cage is through specially designed Marlin doors making getting into the cage as simple as stepping off the boat. Powered by 2 x225 4 stroke engines the boat is not only quiet with low fuel emissions but it is also fast. Very few guests have suffered from sea sickness on our new vessel. The cage is a specifically constructed steel cage with viewing ports and has passed all shark cage diving permit conditions. It is a large two man cage that floats on the surface right next to the boat so we are able to communicate with you whilst in the cage. To make cage diving as easy as possible access to the shark cage is through specially designed Marlin doors. This makes getting into the cage as simple as stepping off the boat. All shark cage diving is done under the auspices of experienced crew who have first aid & oxygen management, scuba & commercial skippers’ qualifications and have expert knowledge of the behaviour of sharks around the cage. note: All diving is on snorkel so you do not need a scuba qualification to shark cage dive. Scuba is available to those who do have a qualification. We only market high season viewing when it genuinely is high season and we know the chance of seeing sharks is exceptional. Although the high season for shark viewing in Being only 2 minutes drive from the Boulders and only 15 minutes from Cape Point, Simonstown is the ideal location for any guest with time constraints who would like to see as much as is possible. 2010 TRIPS AND RATES. April to mid September (except for World Cup dates below) The price is the same for diving and surface viewing. All trips depart from Simons Town. The morning trip departs at 7am and returns at 12.30pm weather permitting. This is the trip we recommend for all round behavior. The focus is to see natural predation, breaching as well as being able to cage dive. The afternoon trip departs at 1pm and returns at 5pm weather permitting. Please note that it is unlikely to see the breaching and predation activity in the afternoon so this trip is for cage diving only. RATES FOR WINTER 2010: The morning trip is R1,950.00 p/person. The afternoon trip is R1500.00 p/person.
Cancellation Policy -30 days or more before the time of start date: no cancellation fee -less than 30 days before start date: 50% of the fee -(exclusive hire only)- less than 15 days:100% of the fee -less than 7 days before start date: 75% of the fee - 48 hours before the start date : 100% of the fee - No show or late arrival: 100% of the fee
OPTION 2: GANSBAAI WHITE SHARK CAGE DIVING (note Gansbaai is 2.5hours drive from Cape Town) Note that you need to advise us whether you will make your own way to Gansbaai or whether you will need a transfer to get there. If you are staying in Cape Town, be prepared for a very very early start. Note also that the trips are weather dependant. Information on the Ganbaai Tour: Every trip is preceded by a brief introductory talk about the route and what to look out for. Passengers are fitted with comfortable inflatable life-jackets. Safety is of the utmost importance. We have extensive public liability insurance. We usually launch around 8:30 am in the morning (note that launching times may vary due to tide and weather conditions), arriving at the anchoring spot in 20 to 25 minutes. The anchor is lowered, the cage goes into the water, a scent trial is made, and we settle down. Final preparations for the diving are made, and the rest of the day is spent watching, diving and enjoying TIMES: 7:30 – 8:30 (Times subject to tide conditions) BREAKFAST – Please meet us at the Great White House in Gaansbaai by 7:30 for breakfast PLEASE DON’T BE LATE as you will then miss a most informative presentation specially prepared for you by our onboard marine biologist!! LAUNCH – 08:30
RATES: R1250.00 per person. R300.00 extra per person for return transfer from Cape Town Rate from 1 November 2009 to 31 October 2010: R1350.00 per person. R300.00 extra per person for return transfer from Cape Town. (Note that the operator has not indicated whether they will be increasing their prices over world cup - please be advised that there may be a slight increase if your enquiry is during this period) What is included in the price? . Snacks and soft drinks . Required diving equipment such as wetsuits, weight belts & masks. . Waterproof/windproof jackets. . Towels What should you bring? . Warm clothing as it is cooler at sea than on land. . Sunscreen & cap/hat. . Please use anti-seasick medication well in advance if you are prone to motion sickness. Note: Scuba gear is seldom used as Sharks are extremely sensitive to this. Can sharks be viewed throughout the year? Great white shark viewing is better at certain times of the year. When dealing with wild animals every day is different and even in low season it is possible to have amazing shark sightings. Boat trips are dependent on weather conditions and it is advisable to have more than one day set aside for shark viewing. We recommend serious shark enthusiasts and photographers/videographers book for a few boat trips. Best sightings are May to September. The chances of seeing sharks are 90% or more. During winter stormy weather is a fact of life, and this can prevent us from going out to sea. December to March is considered the “low” season. Sightings can vary daily from very good to below average. With wildlife there are no guarantees. Although we cannot guarantee wildlife we have had excellent sightings every day up to now!!
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