Shark cage dives

You'll find that if you don't have your PADI cert you'll only be allowed to snorkel - ie. you'll be in the cage with your head above water, and just put your head under as you feel like it. Shark diving is now coming under more scrutiny from tourists, as the sharks are baited to come to you - therefore they equate people with food, and that's not much fun for those who choose to surf!!

Go to Gaansbai and do it with Brian McFarlanes company in Dyer Island. They´ll pick you up from Cape Town and drop you back to your accomodation. It was pretty cheap and very well run trip, although it´s bit of a long day since Gaansbai is 150 km or something from Cape Town. Ecologically the Gaansbai is far more better than Seal Island off the Simon´s Town, since there´s only fishing industry located in Gaansbai and not much swimmers or surfers. Brians operation also keeps the conservation side in mind and they don´t do any reckless stuff. We paid 950 rands per person when we booked the tour from Inn Long Street. I think prices vary a lot and there are lots of different operators out there. Other operators in Gaansbai(they´re pretty packed in the harbor) looked very good too and propably are well run also. Their website is : http://www.sharkcagediving.net/index.html

We were going with Brian's company but the weather was bad so we had to transfer to another company the next day. They are all pretty much like minded companies. A good boat will have a Marine Biologist on board. I would have to dispute #1's post that the sharks equate humans with food, that's just not the case, the shark only stays in the area for 3 weeks, not long enough to be "trained" to come to the boat. We saw 6 sharks, it was completely random, they don't see the same ones each day. I would be the first one to complain if I thought it was interfering with their natural lives in a permanent way.

The worst boats are the ones out on whale watching trips as they will come and try and steal some of your action and get in the way rather annoyingly.

By the way, if you do go make sure you have your sea legs!! The swell is rather large and you will have half your boat throwing up!!

ps surfers deserve to get eaten...!!! ;o)

Thanks everyone!