Diving with Great White Sharks
Great Underwater Adventures with South Africa's White Pointers
Open ocean scuba diving, with "Man-eaters" off Dyer Island South Africa is an experience not quickly forgotten.
White Pointers, or Carcharodon Carcharias, is one of the most feared yet beautiful creatures in the sea. As majestic a creature it is, seasonally it can be skittish and elusive. None the less the unrealistic fear of this animal is still a human reality. As shark attack survivor Rodney Fox says in an ABC interview with George Negus: “Sharks don't have humans on their list at all, on their menu at all, no, because if they did, they could get any along our beaches. It's a smorgasbord along there for fat little ladies or thin ones or whatever you wanted.” But the thrill of seeing these magnificent creatures up close is a life changing event. And one of the best areas in the world to do so, with some of the most experienced dive masters, is in South Africa.
The location
Great Whites exist in all major oceans on the planet except the Artic Ocean; however, different regions are known for different shark characteristics. The most famous of these are the breaching (jumping) sharks off of South Africa. Professional photographer, friend and dive buddy Chris Fallows has one of the most extensive photographic achieves of breaching sharks. The area off Dyer Island, also known as shark alley, is a great locale to get up close with these magnificent creatures.
The Equipment
It is unnecessary to be a certified diver to experience white sharks in the ocean. Most dives start out with caged snorkeling events in order to have the sharks become comfortable around the divers. In this area, pointers have been known to run off because of the bubbles and noise from scuba gear. As a result dive teams usually start the series of dives using surface cages.
The surface cage is connected to the boat and has galvanized steel cross bars across the midsection for those who snorkel to anchor themselves. The dive cage is a 4 or 6 man steel cage that is winch operated. Several lines are attached to the boat as guide cables that have created some interesting situations with sharks.
The Dive
The dive is performed once the sea and sharks have come to an agreement. When conditions are correct, divers are helped into the cage, an exhilarating experience. Depending on the number of divers a dive master may dive along with the group; however, quickly the adventure becomes a solitary heart throbbing event – buddy breathing is nearly impossible.
The surface crew will attempt to keep the sharks in the area but that is not guaranteed and occasionally the 15 minute underwater adventure will leave you tense. As Beverly Schultz wrote about her underwater photography experience: “As a final note, I was told everyone would want to know if I had seen a shark…No, I didn't see a shark.” But the knowledge a large great white is in the area can be as tantalizing as physically encountering the animal.
