Cage Diving by Cape Town
 

I have seen some posts about cage diving but I was hoping to hear if anyone has any suggestions about which group to use. Any recommendations or bewares?

And please tell me again if you thought it was worth it....

Thanks!

Not to scare you or anything, but read in the paper yesterday that one of the shark cage boats got hit by a rogue wave, capsized and 3 people drowned. Rare occurance I'm sure.

I think that qualifies as a "beware"! Thanks for the heads up.

I am also nervous because we are going to be there in Winter (high season for sharks) and it seems like a lot of these trips can be canceled due to weather. I am wondering if there are any groups that will give money back....

All the shark Cage outfitters will give you your money back if the tour is cancelled due to weather, so don't worry about that.

The accident on the weekend really was just a freak accident.

My favourite operator is White Shark Cage Diving Company, They have the biggest boat. Tel nr is +27 83 300 2138

Hi poo,

do think twice before you take part in this type of activity.

there are fears that interacting with sharks like this encourages them to attack swimmers who are not protected by cages.

regards, ann

annhig
completely agrea with your sentiments regarding cage dive.
it's the blood they use to attrac the sharks. these activities are higly questioned by conservationists.

Wow, you know I never thought about it that way. I will pass that message along to the rest of my travel party and see what their thoughts are.

poosaysmeh

i am honestly appreciating your willingness to reconsider your wishes!

if you are really keen on encountering a great white:
travel to south australia/adelaide and get a dive trip there on a live-aboard and dive with rodney fox. in the 60ies he survived an attac by a great white and since became a conservationists and fights for their survival and protection. he does shark diving! great experience!!!
they don't bait!
http://www.rodneyfox.com.au/index.ph...e&Itemid=1


tiger shark encounter
you might be lucky and do this also in australia's west coast - rowley shoals:
http://www.northstarcruises.com.au/cac.asp

Hmmm, I wonder if Lion Diving would ever catch on? You put a tourist in a steel cage, and then hang bloody meat around the cage in an area with lots of lion. Of course, you'd have to leave the tourist out there until the lions finished eating before you could extract them (or, whatever is left).

I'm being facetious, btw.

lifelist

a big lough - but i would not bet that's not going to be an option sometime............

Sharks attack people who aren't in cages because... they aren't in cages! Science is showing that the sharks seen off Gansbaai will move thousands of miles and be seen a few weeks later in Australia. There is no statistical evidence supporting the argument that chumming (not feeding) causes sharks to eat humans.

From my experience I can only encourage you to do the shark trip, it is a thrill and if the water is clear you should have exceptional viewing.

As for money back, I don't think so, many of the operators will however give you a certificate to return and enjoy the dive when the conditions clear.

Lastly on Sundays tragedy, which it was: Nobody was wearing a life preserver, which implies that possibly the operator managing that boat was negligent. If you go out ensure that the crew you use pay good attention to standard safety procedures. Ask them what they do and how many life preservers they have on board, also find out how many crew they have do the math and make a decision.

My final comment on the safety of the activity is born out by the fact that a boat of close to twenty people flipped dumping all into the water, which had been recently chummed to attract sharks and not a soul was even sniffed by a shark. The three that perished drowned, one only pronounced dead once he had reached shore.

mkhonzo

"There is no statistical evidence supporting the argument that chumming (not feeding) causes sharks to eat humans. "

and sharks don't attack humans because they are humans!!!!!

humans are simply not on the shark's (any shark's!) menue but by accident they just nibble as they mix "us" up with seals mostly.

and the accident last week opens room for many questions: the boat was extremly small so it might have been overcrowded which also enhanced the mess....

For those interested in reading a little bit of truth about the recent accident near Gansbaai here is link
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s080414.html

The boat was neither small nor overcrowded.

And lest we forget, by contrast, to put things into perspective...

Over 100 MILLION sharks are killed annually, by humans, for nothing more than their fins, which are made into the ever-so-stupid shark fin soup. The rest of the shark is then thrown back into the water to endure a horrible death due to drowning.

It's no wonder that most shark species are on the verge of extinction.

Divewop

Thank you for reminding the doomsayers on this forum of this.