Great White Morning Trips at False Bay

Great White False Bay Morning Trip

Imagine a one-ton Great white shark patrolling the depths, eyeing the surface, quickening its pace to track its prey; perfectly camouflaged, rising through the waters of False Bay, at forty-five degrees then vertical, flicking its powerful caudal fin to erupt from the ocean before your very eyes; the water exploding like a depth charge, its jaws agape, body pirouetting mid-air as the chase between hunter and hunted unfolds. Believe it – it can happen! The Cape fur seal bounces clear, escaping by inches. Both gladiators crash back to the water, and, through the ocean spray, the seal scrambles to the back of the shark’s head – the position of immediate safety – fighting for its life, but the duel has only just begun; the shark twisting and turning, snapping and biting, churning the surface as the battle reaches its climax. Watching a Great white shark breach on one of our great white False Bay morning trips on a seal at Seal Island is unforgettable, and, as humans, we tend to choose sides. Who will you root for?

The Great white shark morning tours are an amazing experience, offering you a chance to not only observe breaching Great white sharks, but to also cage dive. The afternoon trips are incredible too, again with exceptional opportunities to observe these wonderful animals as their behaviour changes and they move closer toward Seal Island. We also offer Shark cage diving Gansbaai and kelp forest cape town.

• Location
  Simon’s Town, 45 minutes from Cape Town
• Meeting
  The first launch meets from 06h30 onwards
  The meeting times are subject to change based on weather and sightings. The exact time will be confirmed with you the afternoon before your trip
• Transfers
  Door to door transfers arranged upon request
• Duration
  Half day trips – 3 to 4 hours at sea
• Guest Numbers
  12 guests maximum
• Surface Cage
  4 – 5 guests
• Diving
  We use breath – hold or snorkel. No Experience needed for either method. Air for certified divers upon request
• Age Restrictions
  8 years old to board and 10 years to cage dive
• Water Temperature
  53 – 68 ºF-Don’t worry! Our wetsuit will keep you toasty warm
• Water Visibility
  7 – 65 feet
• Videographer
  No
• Includes
  Light breakfast, tea/coffee, light lunch, snacks and refreshments
  Dive gear
  Towel
  Educational book

We’ll arrive early at Seal Island as this is the optimum time to view the sharks actively hunting the Cape Fur seals. Our data indicates that half an hour before sunrise to one and a half hours after sunrise is the best time to witness this natural event. The early bird catches the worm and this most certainly applies at Seal Island.

• You’ll meet our experienced shark cage diving crew at the Apex Shark Expeditions centre. After a light breakfast of home-baked delicious croissants, you’ll board White Pointer 11 where your skipper and captain will brief you on safety and weather for the day.
• Thereafter we’ll head out to the famous Seal Island in False Bay which is a 25 to 35 minute boat ride based on sea and weather conditions. In this time, the crew will brief you on the fascinating predatory behaviour of the sharks and this will help you to identify any predations in progress as the boat arrives in the vicinity of Seal Island.
• The hunting behaviour can go on for an hour or two or much less. It depends on many factors including the light on the day, currents, wind and the animals themselves of course.
• Once the hunting quietens down and based on what the weather is doing, we will decide on the best spot to weigh anchor and begin attracting sharks to the vessel. The shark cage is then deployed, where it floats tied next to our vessel.
• Once a shark approaches our boat, bait is kept in the water to keep the shark around long enough for identification, viewing and cage diving purposes. The data that is collected is used for conservation of the Great white shark and contributes to the scientific white papers that can be found on our site.
• At no point are the sharks purposefully fed or handled and all efforts are made to prevent the sharks from coming into contact with our vessel. We operate to our own very strict code of ethics and we will in no way endanger or hurt an animal.
• Shark cage diving safety precautions and operational procedures are briefed to the cage divers. It is important to know Great white sharks come very close to the boat, and are surface feeders and therefore it is not necessary to dive in order to see them. Those not wishing to dive will still have incredible views of the Great white shark. At times the views from the shark boat far outweigh the views from the shark cage.
• A tasty light lunch of gourmet sandwiches (including a vegetarian option) and fresh fruit, accompanied by fruit juice, mineral water and a variety of indulgent snacks are available throughout the course of the morning. Relax and enjoy the day as we take care of you.
• After an unforgettable experience, White Pointer II will arrive back in Simon’s Town Harbour. The duration of the trip is between 3 – 4 hours depending on the weather conditions and shark activity.
• Tea and coffee are available at our Shark centre in Simon’s Town. Take this opportunity to browse through our unique range of shark-related merchandise. If you would like to freshen up, we can arrange cash showers offsite. Let us know when making your booking.

White Pointer II is the name of our 32 ft. catamaran. This boat was specifically built for the purpose of working, viewing and diving with Great white sharks in the waters of the Western Cape. She complies with all safety requirements and Great white shark permit conditions. She carries all the necessary safety equipment and is certified on an annual basis by SAMSA, the authority responsible for maritime safety in South Africa. We are committed to achieving and maintaining a high standard of health and safety both on land and at sea. We will always strive to set the standards of a safe boat-based operation, going beyond our legal obligations to manage any potential risks effectively and provide a safe environment for all involved.

Hygiene and Safety

• Our boat surfaces and frequently touched areas are sanitized before you board the vessel, as well as during and after every excursion
• Hand sanitizer is conveniently positioned aboard
• All items utilized by you on board will be appropriately sanitized and cleaned during excursions
• Handling of any necessary equipment on board will be carried out by the skipper and crew and not by our guests
• The crew are registered tour guides trained in first aid, fire – fighting and are subjected to stringent monthly safety drills
• Safety equipment includes life jackets, first aid kit, radio and cellular phone

Boat Based Viewing

If you don’t want to get wet, the boat based viewing is excellent as many of the sharks swim at the surface. Our surface viewing deck offers 360 degrees view and our enclosed cabin offers cover and protection from the elements.  As the boat based viewing is equal if not better than the cage dive viewing, divers and non-divers pay the same price for the shark trip.

Safety First

• All shark cage diving is done under the supervision of an experienced crew who have first aid & oxygen management, scuba & commercial skippers’ qualifications and have expert knowledge of the behaviour of sharks around the cage
• The cage is designed to float, leaving a free board of about 30cm (about one foot). The cage is solidly attached to the side of the boat by two thick ropes that prevent the cage from drifting away and equipped with several independent flotation devices which keep it buoyant
• Our cage has been designed to ensure there are no sharp edges on which a shark can injure itself in the event one should touch the cage accidentally
• The shark cage we use is a surface cage. It is not a submersible shark cage. Our crews are close to cage at all times and will ensure any guest in distress is quickly and safely removed from the cage.
• You may end your shark cage dive at any time as we operate surface cages only. Your head is never more than half a meter below the surface and you can decide when and how long you want to stay underwater
• Specially designed doors ensure ease of access for divers. Getting into the cage is as simple as stepping off the boat
• Our cage comfortably accommodates a GoPro camera and is equipped with steel hand and foot bars inside offering grip and stability when filming

The best time of year for Great White Sharks at Seal Island, False Bay departing Simon’s Town was traditionally mid- June to mid-August.

Historically mid- June to July was the peak season for heightened levels of predation.  As winter rolled in the seal colony blossoms, the sharks began to change their behaviour and began actively hunting Cape fur seal pups. These months were the best to view natural predation and breaching events.

Over the last 5 years the sightings in all the great white shark hotspots in South Africa have become increasingly unpredictable and sporadic. This is largely due to overfishing and increased Orca activity, leaving this species critically endangered. The good news is there were a few great white shark sightings in Cape Town recently, however we are yet to have a sighting around the boat. Currently, we and any other operator cannot confidently offer a great white shark tour.

We are operating half day shark tours and cage diving with other shark species in Cape Town. All the species we focus on are large, powerful, and active predators sure to give you an incredible once in a lifetime experience.

We have been enjoying sightings of the bronze whaler shark (growing to 3.5 meters) close to Seal Island in False Bay. These large predatory sharks are generally very interactive, coming close to cages and are very inquisitive. The trips these past months and years have been equally successful and guest feedback on dives with these other species has been outstanding. 

As such you will have an excellent chance to see sharks on any dive you do with us as well as a whole host of other spectacular large marine megafauna. Whales, dolphins, and many species of sea birds are often encountered on this adventurous expedition. As we adopt an eco-system style of operating our trips, going to sea with Apex is like going on a safari game drive and we will try to take in as much marine wildlife as possible on our trips.  As trips are based on natural events every trip is different and sightings are not guaranteed.

• Guided Great White Shark Cage Diving Tour
  Our qualified shark cage diving guides are especially trained for this very experience you are about to book. They are passionate and eager to share their knowledge with you, of not only the sharks, but all the marine wildlife you will encounter on your shark tour.
• Educational Booklet
  You will receive a beautiful illustrated educational eBook (or hard copy) on the marine life you may encounter on your shark tour from the apex predators in the ocean to the sea birds above.
• Light Meals
  Lunch consists of fresh fruit, delicious home baked quiches, gourmet sandwiches including chicken with pecan nuts amongst others. We will include a vegetarian option upon request. To quench that adventurous thirst, fruit juice and mineral water are on tap with a variety of snacks that are more on the indulgent side. All food is hygienically prepared and individually packaged using natural recyclable materials that are environmentally friendly.
• Dive Gear
  We guarantee a clean dry wetsuit for every guest of Apex Shark Expeditions.
  Each guest will receive dive equipment and a wetsuit that has been thoroughly disinfected and rinsed with fresh water and dried before use. Every piece of squeaky clean dive equipment will be used by one guest only per day. They say sharing is caring but we’ll leave that to Barney.
• Towels
  We do provide clean, dry towels however it is our goal is to reduce the consumption of natural resources in laundry and therefore we ask where possible, to provide your own towel.
  
  We pride ourselves on offering sustainable eco-friendly marine tourism and adventure with conservation, research and education taking place on every shark cage diving tour we are fortunate to operate.

• Dress in layers as it can get very chilly at sea. We advise a warm weather jacket, sneakers or closed shoes, a beanie and a hat/cap.
• Polarized sunglasses – these really help to block the glare thereby increasing sightings of the sharks from the boat. They also provide protection from harmful UV rays.
• If you are prone to the cold. a rash vest will help with extra insulation
• Towel
• Water bottle
• Lip-ice and Sunscreen SPF 50 – the African sun is beautiful but harsh
• Camera of course! GoPro’s are great for stills and video and are easy to handle in the shark cage. Bring an extra SD card. You’re going to need it!
• For those with poor eyesight, we advise wearing contact lens whilst cage diving with sharks. If you own a prescription mask, please bring it with you.
• If you are prone to motion sickness, we recommend Sturgeon or Dramamine. Take one the night before your trip and another an hour before the meet time.
• For your own enjoyment of the trip, we recommend that you do not over indulge in alcohol the night before as this may result in being very sea sick the next day.

At Apex Shark Expeditions, we strive to offer the best, most professional and sustainable shark cage diving and ecotourism experience in the world from the moment you make contact with us to long after your experience with us is done. We strive to give you an unforgettable experience rather than just a trip!

40% of all Apex Shark Expeditions guests are repeat guests.

Our small group size of 12 guests only, allows us to provide a superior one on one personal service to you, our guest that is unrivalled in the shark cage diving industry.

The Best Shark Cage Diving in South Africa!

You have the power to make a difference when selecting your shark diving operator. Apex Shark Expeditions fights the fight for the Conservation of the Great White Shark.