The seven gill cow shark dive takes place at Pyramid Rock in
The Seven Gill Cow shark, or Spotted Cow shark, is a prehistoric apex predator and the king of the kelp forest. This dive site is one of the few places in the world where you have a great chance of diving with this rarely seen shark (an 85% success rate). Thick kelp forest fringes the channel making this ideal habitat. A variety of small endemic cat shark species (brown shy shark, puff adder shy shark, striped cat shark and leopard cat shark) and spotted gulley sharks may also be encountered.
The Cow shark is a social feeder and can be observed in large groups of up to 18 individuals. The size of the sharks range from 1 meter to 3 meters with the females generally being larger than the males. Distinctive features include their seven gill slits and the absence of the front dorsal fin.
The dive boat is positioned in a channel approximately 12m deep. Divers descend to the sandy bottom and wait for the Cow sharks to approach. The sharks swim slowly up and down the channel, which runs roughly north/south and as the sharks are very confident they can pass at arms length from the divers. It’s a great opportunity for underwater photographers and by the end of the dive, you may recognize the individual cow sharks by distinctive bites, scrapes or coloration.
Minimum dive certification required: Open Water One
- Dive Depth: 6 to 12 meters (20 – 40 feet)
- Water temperature: 10 to 20 C
- Water visibility: 3 to 20 meters
- Dive time: 30 to 60 minutes.
- There is no chumming or baiting on this dive.
Cylinder and weight belt is included in dive price. All other dive gear can be hired at an additional cost.
All dives are weather permitting and subject to good sea conditions.
