Shark Cage Diving Cape Town

Activity Description

We operate a fun half-day tour in Cape Town to see a variety of shark species throughout the year according to the seasons, weather, water temperature, and other factors.

All the species we focus on are large, powerful, and active predators sure to give you an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The shark species you dive with can include the bronze whaler shark (growing to 3.5 meters) and/or seven-gill shark. Guest feedback on this dive has been outstanding – read what our guests have to say on Google or TripAdvisor.

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.

The departure point, Simon’s Town, is only 45-55 minutes from Cape Town city center, 15 minutes from the Cape of Good Hope, and only 2 minutes from Boulders Beach Penguin Colony.

Reasons to Choose Apex as your shark cage diving operator
- We are an officially licensed Shark Cage diving Operator with a crew certified specifically for this industry
- We offer half-day trips
- We provide SCUBA on request, and no experience is required for breath-hold
- We offer the smallest group size of any shark diving operation (12 guests only) worldwide.
- We have achieved five-star excellence certificates from TripAdvisor 10 years in a row

Location
Our area is near Seal Island, False Bay, Cape Town, and is famous, having been featured on many documentaries including Air Jaws on the Discovery Channel. Should conditions allow, you will also have close views of the 65 000 strong Cape Fur seal colony on Seal Island (this is the largest island-based seal colony in Africa) as well as various sea birds (Cape cormorant, Bank cormorant, African penguins & Black Backed kelp gull).

Trip Information
Trips include dive gear (sizes S to 6XL), tea/coffee/biscuits upon arrival, light meal, snacks, and refreshments on board.

The 1st trip departs anytime from 06:45 – 10:00 am. The trip is approx 3 hours long (shark activity and weather dependent).
The 2nd trip departs anytime from 10:30 to 1:00 pm. The trip is approx 3 hours long (shark activity and weather dependent).

Exact times will be communicated VIA EMAIL the day before and are subject to change. Please allow flexibility in your itinerary to accommodate this. As all our trips are weather-dependent, we suggest booking a day during the first part of your stay. This allows for rescheduling (where we have availability) when weather/sea conditions prevent us from going to sea.
Please note: Sharks are wild animals and sightings and behavior cannot be guaranteed.

Child Policy
Children need to be 6 years old to board the boat and 7 years to cage dive. It is a long day out at sea and children are prone to seasickness. If a child has experience at sea, we will reconsider our policy.

Our Boat and Cage
Our vessel is a 36-foot catamaran, specifically built for cage diving and the viewing of sharks from the surface. A dry cabin, soft cushioned seats, and a flush toilet ensure your comfort at sea. She complies with all safety requirements and Great White shark permit conditions.

Should you have any questions about your dive, please visit our FAQs section on our website. This can be found under the Contact Us header.

Prices – Surface viewers and cage divers pay the same rate

Itinerary
The crew welcomes you to the Apex Shark Expeditions Centre in Simon’s Town. Tea/coffee/biscuits will be served upon arrival. Guests will receive a safety and sightings briefing aboard White Pointer II before departure.
Depart into False Bay for the anchor site which is a 25 to 35-minute boat ride based on sea and weather conditions.
Arrive at the anchor destination
Based on the weather, we will decide on the best spot to weigh the anchor and begin attracting sharks to the vessel. The shark cage is then deployed, where it floats tied next to our vessel. The cage dive is not a submersible experience, and therefore anyone can do this without any experience..
The crew will brief the guests on shark cage safety and shark behavior around the 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.
We practice modern non-invasive methods of monitoring, documenting, and observing local shark populations, inter species dynamics (social cooperatives), and interactions with pinnipeds (seals), cetaceans (dolphin and whales), fish, and sea birds in a way that can be shared with scientists for the future conservation of sharks and marine wildlife.
Safety precautions and operational procedures are then explained to any guest wishing to enter the shark cage.
It is important to know the sharks come very close to the boat so it is not necessary to cage dive in order to see the sharks. Those not wishing to dive will have excellent views of the sharks from the boat’s viewing deck.
White Pointer II will arrive back in Simon’s Town harbor.

The total duration at sea is approx 3 hours depending on the weather conditions and shark activity.

Browse our unique range of shark-related merchandise and check out our wall of fame. There may be a familiar face or two.

Arrangements

DurationOpen Ended

WhenWe see a variety of shark species throughout the year according to the seasons, weather, water temperature and other factors so all year round. Trips are weather-dependent and not species-dependent. There can sometimes be variations to the departure times as a result. Please allow flexibility in your itinerary to cover slight variations to the scheduled times.

WhereGuests meet at Apex Shark Expeditions Centre at Simon's Town Boardwalk Centre, Corner of Wharf and Main (St. Georges) street, Simon’s Town for registration. Our vessel, White Pointer II departs and returns to Simon’s Town Pier.

WeatherWeather permitting. The safety of our guests will not be compromised, and the skippers decisions is final. Please allow a little flexibility in your itinerary to allow for weather changes.

What to WearWarm clothing in winter: May to September – Closed non-slip shoes, long pants, waterproof jacket and cap/ beanie, scarf. In summer: October – April – a light wind breaker, cap/hat . All year round – bathing suit. Bathing suit (donned under your clothing to facilitate changing into your wetsuit aboard)

Things to BringDress in layers, light weather jacket in summer and warm weather jacket, beanie, scarf in winter, closed, non-slip shoes, hat/cap, polarized sunglasses, towel, bathing costume (worn under clothes), sun block & camera. If you are prone to motion sickness, or not used to being anchored at sea, we recommend Sturgeron or Dramamine tablets. Take one the night before your trip and another one and a half hour before we are scheduled to meet. For your own enjoyment of the trip, we recommend that you do not overindulge in alcohol the night before as this may result in you being very seasick the next day.

Guests or SpectatorsDivers and surface viewers pay the same price. Cancellation Policy: If the trip is cancelled due to inclement weather there is NO charge. This decision is made by the skipper, is based on wind, and swell conditions. We will try to reschedule you if we have availability. Should you agree to an alternative date, this constitutes a confirmed booking, and the cancellation policy applies. 1-5 guests: 30 days or more before the time of start date: no cancellation fee Less than 30 days before the start date: 50% of the fee Less than 15 days before the start date: 100% of the fee No show or late arrival: 100% of the fee 6+ guests & Exclusive Charters: Refunded only on bad weather cancellation A refund will be considered on merit, by management, in the event of illness, hospitalization, and accident, upon receipt of proof thereof. All payment is taken in ZAR and all refunds are in ZAR. Apex Shark Expeditions has no control over the difference in the exchange rate.

Requirements

Minimum Age6 years

Minimum Height0.0 m

Maximum Height0.0 m

Fitness LevelNo Fitness Requirement

QualificationsNot Applicable

Maximum Weight0.0 kg

CertificationNone Required

Experience LevelNo Experience Requirement

Inclusions and Exclusions

Inclusions

Tea/coffee/biscuits/rusks on arrival.
Dive gear including mask, snorkel, weight belt
Wet suit (5 mm – sizes from small to 6XL)
Educational booklet
Light meal, snacks, and refreshments on board
Complimentary 750ml sustainable aluminum water bottle valued at R 250.00
A passionate and knowledgeable crew

Exclusions

Transfers. Optional conservation fee at R 35pp

Notes

CHILDREN

No children under 6 years of age. Children are prone to seasickness as are adults, however, the effect of seasickness on children is much more pronounced with dehydration being a factor. Children also have a lower threshold for pain and discomfort.
Children cage diving – this will be at the discretion of the skipper on the day of the trip.

Please note: Sharks are completely wild animals and as such sightings and behavior cannot be guaranteed. We will use our best knowledge in order to give you the most realistic expectations before making a booking.

CREDIT CARD REQUIREMENTS – ONLINE BOOKINGS
A person must possess a credit card (Amex accepted).
The credit card has to be fully authenticated (3D secure)
Enabled to make international payments (Please notify your bank)
Sufficient funds on the card
In the event of a payment failure, please contact your bank for authorization & Apex.