By Kiara Homan
There are a few things to consider when looking for a place to shark cage dive.
Location is a huge factor. The three main places to dive are Cape Town, Gansbaai and Mossel Bay: each with its own unique offerings. Each location is situated within a bay. The Cape Town location is in False Bay and is the closest at 45 minutes from the city center, making it a great half-day option. Gansbaai is the next location up the coastline and is a full-day activity due to the 6 hours of road travel time. Lastly, Mossel Bay is approximately 5 hours from Cape Town.
Other Factors to Consider When Trying to Choose Where to Go Shark Cage Diving
The hours of travel aren’t the only things to consider about the area in which you choose to do your shark cage diving trip; Cape Town allows for more diversity and sightseeing than the other two bays, based solely on the fact that it is in Simons town, there is whale-watching, its 15 minutes from Cape Point Nature Reserve and 5 minutes from Boulders Beach Penguin Colony. Gansbaai is a small fishing town, offering sharks, whales, and a visit to their penguin sanctuary. Mossel Bay is a little different with it being the start of the famous garden route. The town is rich in history and offers a small-town atmosphere.
The other factors to consider is the operators. Cape Town has three operators, with Apex Shark Expeditions offering the most exclusive trip, a maximum of 12 guests, and has one of the longest cage times. Apex offer combo trips, which is a great option for those wanting to plan more sightseeing in and around Cape Town and maximising time. Gansbaai has a higher maximum guest number starting at 20 guests.
Lastly, and probably the most important factor are the shark sightings in each area. Unfortunately, due to Orca activity and over-fishing, the possibility of seeing great whites is very low. Both Cape Town and Gansbaai shark cage diving operators are diving with the Bronze Whaler Shark, with great success.
Now with all that information, the question of where the best place is to shark cage dive is based on what you are looking for. If you are wanting easy access and variety, Cape Town shark cage diving is the most logical choice.
