The Ultimate Adventure: Diving in A Shark Cage

I’ve gone on some wild adventures in my life and I must say diving in a shark cage in waters filled with Great White Sharks was probably one of the most intense. It was not on my bucket list for sure. But when I found myself in South Africa looking for some adventure, shark diving jumped right to the top of the list. Admittedly, I must have been slightly out of my mind when I agreed. We’ve all watched Jaws. Ultimately, it turned out to be a really great experience that I would totally do again.

Diving in a shark cage is not one of those activities that you do on a whim (watch the movie ‘47 Meters Down‘ if you don’t know how that could go). I actually did a lot of research to ensure I would live to tell the story of my experience. No one needs to go on vacation and return home in a box (or even worse, never return). This is definitely an adrenaline rush that could easily go horribly wrong. Great whites are apex predators after all. So choosing the right outfit to guide you through the diving in a shark cage experience is a matter of life, serious injury or death.

Why South Africa

South Africa boasts several world-class shark diving destinations, each offering a different experience. One of the most famous is Gansbaai, a small fishing village near Cape Town known as the “Great White Shark capital of the world.” This is where I chose to do my adventure. Also because here you can do “Cage Diving”. I don’t trust my swimming skills enough to do some random freestyle dive with sharks wandering around.

For those seeking an adrenaline rush, diving in a shark cage is the perfect way to get up close and personal with sharks while feeling somewhat protected by the barrier of a cage. Even with this, there are a few options that you will need to work your way through before deciding which cage diving outfit is right for you.

Best Way to Experience Cage Diving

Option 1 – You are set up in scuba gear (oxygen tank and all), put in a securely enclosed cage that is lowered by a wench into the water. Queue the movie ‘47 Meters Below‘. With this option, sharks can come at you from all directions. And you don’t have to keep going up and down in the cage trying to catch the best view. With scuba gear, you can stay down for extended periods of time while the guide uses fake bait to attract the sharks to your cage. Try not to hyperventilate when the first shark passes by and resist the urge to reach out for a quick touch. Stay calm and you will have the opportunity to observe and photograph these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. Photographs aren’t the best as the water is somewhat murky even on clear days but that won’t stop you from trying.

Option 2 – You get a wet suit but no tank. The cage is attached to the side of the boat so there is no need for full oxygen mask or other serious dive gear. You typically only need goggles and perhaps a snorkel to enjoy this type of dive. Surprisingly the cage can accommodate anywhere from 4-6 guests comfortably. You enter the cage through a door at the top and guides attract sharks by splashing a fish carcass around to mimic prey. They do not feed the sharks (in fact, chumming is illegal). There is no need to stay fully submerged the entire time as the guides will prompt you when sharks are in the area by yelling “down, down, down”. You simply need to hold your breath long enough to stay under for a few seconds.

I chose option 2. I felt safer knowing the cage was attached and the guides were only a couple of feet away. You could also end your experience at any time by simply returning from the cage to the boat.

My Experience

The adventure started early with a briefing and the obligatory signing of waivers. You have to agree that you know what you are signing up for and you know there is risk involved. We had the opportunity to step inside a replica cage on land to better understand what was ahead of us. Important to note: The cage has about a 1 foot opening right in front. Just big enough for a shark to wedge its head right through. And while not very wide, the cage is pretty tall about 10 feet. Finally, you want to go to the bathroom before you get on the boat. It is unlikely that you will have the opportunity to go again before you return to shore.

I certainly had my reservations about jumping into the waters filled with sharks. The 20 minute boat ride out to Mossel Bay gave me the time I needed to muster up the nerve to go for it. Once we arrived, the cage was unloaded and securely attached to the boat in preparation for the experience. Let the shark diving begin!

While our boat carried less than 20 eager divers, I understand other outfits can get a bit more crowded. This gave us the opportunity to go into the water in 10-15 min increments about 3 times. You could also opt to stay on the boat and capture the action from above. Which honestly is a great view point to get some awesome photos. Completely set up in dive gear, I climbed into the cage to get up close and personal with some sharks.

What it’s really like

It’s a pretty cool experience worth bragging about. What I didn’t know was how much I would float in the dive gear. The cage is designed with a specially placed bar to tuck your feet underneath to help hold you down. With the buoyancy of the wet suit, it was really hard to go down and stay down to see the sharks as they approached. I could never quite get my feet underneath that bar. In fact, I’m pretty sure my feet were outside the cage on a few occasions as there is a decent amount of space between those bars.

Second, the water is cold. Even with all the layers and the wet suit, it was hard to stay in the cage for the full 15 minutes. I had to get out and regroup a couple of times.

Finally, the visibility in the cage is pretty limited. Even with clear skies up above we could only see a few feet in front of us. It was really hard to get a shark in focus on my camera. I managed to get a few semi good photos, mostly by accident, as the predators swam around.

I was able to go in the cage a few times and while I saw several sharks (Bronze whalers, and ragged tooth sharks), I only saw 1 great white shark. And it was awesome! After about 2 1/2 hours on the water, we pulled up the cage and headed back to dry land. Exhausted, yet excited. Mostly from the adrenaline and partially because it was just a really long day.

My Perspective

Shark diving in South Africa is an adventure that combines adrenaline and awe while providing a deep appreciation for these incredible marine creatures. From the heart-stopping encounters with great whites to the mesmerizing grace of the marine life in general, every moment underwater was a thrill. It’s also a reminder of the importance of shark conservation. So, if you’re ready to embark on a thrilling journey beneath the waves, South Africa’s shark-infested waters await.