Marine Dives 
Blue Water Diving
The Mako is the great white of the open ocean and it is out there that we cage dive with them, giving you an opportunity to glimpse briefly into the life of these beautiful cobalt blue warriors. Our success rate is around 85% in seeing sharks on these pelagic trips, either Blues or Mako’s, and on many of these shark diving trips in South Africa, we also dive with huge Yellowfin Tuna and other species.
For those who have a passion for creatures of the feather, the pelagic bird watching is amongst the best in the world with up to seven species of albatross being seen on one day, and almost certainly three to four. These birds are all seen while we wait for the sharks. These trips, like the Great White trips, also depart from Simon’s Town, however these trips head out off Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Both are spectacular and much revered nautical landmarks, as well as the ideal place for shark diving in South Africa.
Game Fishing
While we wait for the sharks we also tag and release game fish. Most of the tuna we catch are yellowfin of 100-220lb, so these trips really do have something for everyone. The high season for pelagic sharks is November-June with the better weather months being between February-June. Water temperature is around 19°-23°C and visibility averages 50ft with days of 100+ pretty common during Mako or Blue shark diving trips.
Cage Diving
If you would like to experience an all round nature adventure, then this is the trip for you. All diving is on snorkel, so a diving certification is not necessary, however guests must be comfortable in the water. We use a three man cage but for comfort reasons we only allow two divers in the cage at a time.
All trips depart from Simon’s Town at 6.30am and return at 3/4pm. This trip is particularly weather permitting as we work so far offshore. We normally get to sea two to three times per ten days for this trip. If we cannot go out due to weather conditions, and your schedule allows, we will reschedule the trip.
We take a maximum of ten guests per trip plus three crew members. A minimum of six guests is needed for the trip to go. It’s a 2.5 hour boat ride each way so guests need to be comfortable going to sea.
This includes:
- all dive gear (sizes small to XXL are available).
- light lunch, snacks and refreshments on board.
A return transfer can be organized from Cape Town.
Scheduled Trips
3,4,7,10,11,14,17,18,21,27,31 December 2011
4,7,8,11,14,15,18,21,22,25,28,29 January 2012
Mako and Blue Shark Itinerary
• 6H15: Meet crew at Simon’s Town Pier.
• Guests are welcomed aboard and a full safety and weather briefing is given before departure.
• 6H30: Depart for Cape Point and the open ocean! (1.5 to 2.5 hour boat ride)
• 7h15: The famous Cape Point is reached and guests will have an opportunity to view and photograph the Point from this unique angle.
• Approx 9h30 to 13h00: In order to find the optimum area for the Mako and Blue sharks we need to find the warm Agulhas Current. It is this warm current and multitude of fish species that attract the great predators of the deep. This area changes each day but we normally work anywhere between 15 and 30 nautical miles from Cape Point.
• Once we reach the area we will spend some time fishing for tuna for fresh bait and guests are welcome to try their hand at this.
• After a detailed safety briefing guests may dive when the first shark arrives.
• All diving is on snorkel and in the safety of a cage.
• Our target species are the magnificent Mako and Blue sharks as well as the massive Yellowfin Tuna that they occasionally hunt. Whilst not as big and bulky as the great white, the Mako certainly does not stand back as it is the fastest shark in the sea and is identified by its beautiful blue and silver colouring. This truly magnificent creature was aptly described by Peter Goadby as “Blue dynamite”. For the last nine years we have been the only operator offering Mako shark diving trips in Africa. These trips take place during our summer and autumn months, and a variety of shark species are seen. The area is also regarded as one of the best in the world for spotting pelagic birds. A great time can still be had viewing these beautiful sharks from the boat as they are very curious and often swim up and alongside the boat.
• For naturalist wanting a bit of everything while shark diving in South Africa, this is a must. From the moment we leave False Bay, we start to see wildlife that landlubbers will never see. A multitude of pelagic birds can been seen including Skuas, Terns, Shearwaters, Petrels and Penguins as well as the possibility of seeing up to six different species of Albatross. Whales and dolphins of many species are also regular visitors on our run out into the deep.
• Lunch usually consists of rolls with cold meats, as well as a vegetarian option, and is accompanied by soft drinks, fruit juice and bottled water. A variety of snacks are available throughout the course of the day.
• 15h00 to 16h00: Boat will arrive back in Simon’s Town Harbour, depending on the weather conditions and shark activity.
• 16h00 onwards: Tea and coffee available at our home base in Simon’s Town and the chance to recap on your Mako and Blue shark diving experience. You will also have an opportunity to browse through our unique range of shark related merchandise.
Expeditions
We also offer packages where we can take you Great White Shark diving in South Africa, and show you the awesome pelagic animals as well as a large variety of other species in the same week . Best months for this combination are April, May and early June. As with the great white trips, we collect data on these Mako and Blue shark diving trips help to conserve these pelagic sharks from the pressures of shark fining and long lining, and hopefully add to our understanding of them. Contact us now for more information on our Mako shark diving adventures.
