Shark Experiences

Price range: R850.00 through R3,500.00

If you’ve always wanted to get up close and personal with these predators of the deep, why not go about it the way god intended, naturally, by diving or snorkeling among these majestic, streamlined beauties; no cage required!

Description

The South African coast is home to almost a dozen unique species of shark and if you’re lucky, you could encounter about half of them just by diving different spots in The Aliwal Shoal!

Whether you’re keen to do a baited shark dive at Howard’s Castle, in the hopes of spotting some Tiger Sharks, or are hoping for a more casual, chance encounter with a Raggie or two at a site like Outside Landers, ScubaCo has the inside scoop and can help you become one of the privileged few who can say they’ve seen these creatures unobstructed and up close! Come diving with the sharks where there are no cages and no limits to what you can achieve!

Sharks on Aliwal Shoal

The Aliwal Shoal is home to a wide variety of shark species. Throughout the year our waters are home to Oceanic Blacktip Sharks, Dusky Sharks, Bull Sharks and the famous ever-present but shy Tiger Shark. The Aliwal Shoal offers up some of the most exhilarating shark diving or snorkelling opportunities in the whole world. Furthermore, ScubaCo is uniquely capable of offering such shark dives in a relaxed, safe and controlled environment. Whether you want to plan your dive around our seasonal Ragged Tooth Shark (Grey Nurse Shark) visitors' timeline, or are hoping to dive when the stage is set for a Hammerhead Shark encounter, diving The Aliwal Shoal with ScubaCo is one of the most life-changing shark diving experiences on offer the world over.

Baited Shark Dive: How it works...

The Baited Shark Dive offers a thrilling chance to swim with Black Tip Sharks in a safe, cage-free environment. With a 100% safety record and a shark specialist by your side, you're in expert hands throughout.

Sharks focus on chum scent, not divers, making for a calm and secure encounter. Divers stay 5-8 meters from the action, observing from a safe scuba position. Each dive lasts about 50 minutes, with a comprehensive safety briefing beforehand. Chum drums placed at 10m and 15m depths attract sharks without feeding them. This scent-based method keeps shark behavior natural and relaxed. It's a must-do adventure that leaves you with deep appreciation for these creatures.

Getting to know your dive companions

Depending on whether you'd prefer to stay dry on deck with one of our Shark Watch launches, snorkel, or get wet and wild on a shark dive with the ScubaCo team; you'll need to know the shark you're keeping an eye out for! When you’re diving The Aliwal Shoal, these are the usual suspects you can look forward to meeting...

Baited Shark Dives

Blacktip

Not to be confused with the Blacktip Reef Shark, the Blacktip Shark. They live in warmer waters, give birth to live young, and that are migratory. Absolutely gorgeous to behold, the Blacktip Shark is a ballerina of the deep.

Baited & Reef Dives

Bull / Zambezi

The Bull shark, also known as the Zambezi shark, is another requiem shark, and is found in warmer waters world wide. The Bull shark is known for its aggressive and predatory behaviour, and is capable of surviving and even thriving in both saltwater and freshwater!

Reef Dives

Raggie

The Ragged Tooth Shark, also known as the Sand Tiger Shark is a cousin to the Great White shark; but don't fear, although it looks fearsome, Raggies are actually very placid, docile, slow-swimming creatures. This fascinating shark, which can even gulp air to help it maintain its buoyancy.

Reef Dives

Hammerhead

They are named for the highly unusual shape in which their heads grow. There have been many proposed reasons for the shape the sharks’ heads grow into include increased maneuverability, sensory perception, and prey manipulation. Unlike most sharks, these sharks usually swim in large groups during the day, but hunt alone at night.

Baited & Reef Dives

Tiger

The Tiger shark, also of the requiem shark family, is a massive macropredator capable of growing to more than 5m in length! The shark gets its name for the dark stripes down its sides that resemble tiger stripes, but the stripes fade significantly as the shark matures. A primarily nocturnal, solitary hunter, the Tiger shark is known for its ability to, and love for, eating almost anything!

Reef Dives

Whitetip

The whitetip reef shark is a slim, medium-sized shark characterized by its white-tipped dorsal and tail fins that give this species its name. Whitetip reef sharks are known for using their slender bodies to maneuver through caves and crevices throughout their coral reef habitats on Aliwal Shoal.

Shark diving experiences

There are so many options to choose from when it comes to Shark Experiences. If you are a certified scuba diver, Open Water and above you are welcome to join the Baited Shark Dive. If you have no scuba experience you are able to partake in the Try Dive with Sharks and we will teach you everything you need to know. Alternatively you can stay on the boat and watch the sharks or if you are feeling brave you can snorkel with them...which will you choose.