Shark Diving FAQ:

WHERE IS DYER ISLAND?
Dyer island is near a small fishing village called Gansbaai (Goose Bay) , situated 170 km from Cape Town on the way to the most Southern tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas. Gansbaai is one the fastest developing villages along our coastline.

WHEN IS THE LOW SEASON FOR SHARK VIEWING?
The low season start approximately the beginning of October and lasts approximately until the end of January. During this time the probability of not seeing sharks on certain days is much higher than in the high season, the most probable cause being the short supply of game fish around the island during this period.

WHEN IS THE HIGH SEASON?
The high season starts approximately beginning of February and lasts until the end of September. During this time it's possible to see a number of individual sharks approach the boat and almost 100% sighting is possible. The white shark becomes more active as the winter months approach and particularly high white shark activity is often experienced after a storm has passed. The only real problems we encounter however during this period , is the unpredictable weather that plays a mayor role from July to October. During this time it is advisable to plan your stay so you have around 14 days available in case of extremely bad weather. When a storm has passed it will be found that it was well worth the wait since the white shark activity should not disappoint you.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR WEATHER AND SHARKS?
The best month for good weather will be April to June and the sharks activity will also be good around this time.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE DO WE HAVE TO BOOK?
You may book as soon as you know you are coming to South Africa, even though you are not sure of your exact date or time of arrival. Make sure that you have a placed booked on the boat and let us have your final dates as soon as it's available. We have to be flexible as far as the weather is concerned and will move your booking date to suit the weather. Keep us informed of your address or contact numbers for final arrangements after arrival.

WHAT KIND OF BOAT DO YOU HAVE?
"White Pointer" is a 55 foot LeeCat equipped with two bathrooms and change rooms. It has been specially designed and built for white shark diving. The boat is driven by twin 450 HP Detroit Diesel engines and is capable of 25knots. The boat is fully fitted with all safety equipment plus a 45 man inflatable life raft.

WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CREW?
The crew holds qualifications such as a registered tourist guide in marine ecology, a Diving instructor, first aid trauma, CPR, accident management, oxygen provision and a commercial skipper on board with restricted marine communication license, proficiency in life rafts and fire fighting.IS THE CAGE SAFE?
The approved six man cage is strong enough to withstand the impact of even a large shark. Cages are inspected by Department of labour every year before a new license is issued. The approved cage is made of a frame of 20 mm stainless steel covered by 200X200X 4 mm welded stainless mesh.

DO I NEED QUALIFICATION TO DIVE?
No, non divers can also enjoy the snorkeling experience from the cage. With the new boat a fixed cage will be provided for snorkel divers without diving qualifications. Sometimes white sharks are scared off by the noise of the bubbles from the scuba and so snorkeling is by far the better option. By government regulation all cages must float on the surface and have a free board of 300 mm..

IF I DO NOT WANT TO DIVE, WILL I ENJOY THE TRIP?
Yes, watching from the boat is even more spectacular and exciting than being in the cage. Our upper viewing deck has a birds-eye view and you may even be the first one to see the shark below the surface

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS SHOULD THE OPERATOR HAVE?
The operator is a registered tourist guide in Marine Ecology, a Dive Master, and a first aid officer, and has two commercial skippers on board with radio communications license. Our operation has qualified personnel on board at all times and you are entitled to check the qualifications prior to boarding the boat. If you find that we do lack in a single qualification you are entitled to a free trip or your money back.

ARE YOU PREPARED IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT?
Yes, the operator is a qualified first aid officer trained in CPR and we have an emergency rescue plan with mobile phone contact to shore. In the unlikely event of an accident the plan can be put into operation by anyone on the boat and be guided by step by step instructions.
* You are covered by passenger liability insurance while on the boat to a maximum value of R4500 000.00

DO I HAVE TO BRING MY OWN DIVING EQUIPMENT?
No, we supply everything that is required including wet-suites.

FOR HOW LONG ARE WE OUT AT SEA?
The trip lasts for 5 hours or more and the traveling time is about 45 minutes.

DO YOU HAVE ACCOMMODATION?
Yes we can provide accommodation at one of the many guest houses.

DO THE SHARKS EVER ATTACK THE CAGE?
No, it is not in the nature of the shark to attack the cage as much as it is not in the nature of a lion to attack a motorcar.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING ON THE BOAT?
Bring a warm windbreaker, polarized sunglasses, sun block , towel and a hat or cap. Seasick pills may be taken the night before and in the morning since some people do get seasick. Having a good party the night before is a sure recipe for seasickness

WHAT SIZE ARE THE SHARKS?
The sharks are between 2m and 6m in length and the average size being about 3.5 metersCAN

WE RENT CAMERA AND VIDEO EQUIPMENT?
Yes, renting is possible and we do stock disposable underwater cameras which are for sale as well as a videographer who can be hired for a video of the day.

DO YOU SUPPORT RESEARCH?
Yes, we are members of WHISPRA (White Shark Preservation and Research Association) and support various research programmes.

HOW MANY SHARKS ARE THERE AT THE ISLAND?
During the time we have been operating at Dyer Island we have observed that in general sharks come to the area only for a few days then leave only to return a month or two later. So the shark is only a visitor to the island, possibly only to take a seal which forms a small percentage of it's natural diet. For most of it's life it will feed on fish, squid, turtles and other marine life. It is not possible to even estimate how many White sharks are on our coast since we work in a very small area of the ocean

IS CAGE DIVING ALWAYS POSSIBLE?
Cage diving is not always possible and it is difficult to know until we arrive at the island. The factors determining a dive are the strength of the current and visibility. These two factors can change from day to day . On average visibility is around 5 to 6 m at Dyer Island in the winter and down to 0.5 to 2 m in the summer. Only divers with openwater or higher and who can present proof of qualifications will be allowed to use scuba equipment to dive.

WILL I SEE THE SHARK FROM THE BOAT?
When sharks approach the boat visitors will be able to see them even if they are still some distance away and then will follow the bait up to the boat, and sometimes lie right next to the boat chewing on the bait. The spectator can then take some incredible shots or good video footage. Sharks sometimes circle the boat for a long time and since they are near the surface they are clearly visible.

DO I GET A REFUND IF I SEE NO SHARKS?
No there is no guarantee and no refund, since we are dealing with nature and wild animals, but we are not unreasonable and we offer a second free trip if no sharks were sighted from the boat. This would only happen for an average of about 4% of the time over an average of 320 days per year.

WHAT ELSE CAN WE SEE AT DYER ISLAND?
Dyer island has a large marine bird population including Jackass Penguins, Bank Cormorants, Kelp gulls, rare African Black Oyster catchers and various other marine birds. Geyser island has about 60,000 seals and this is the main attraction for the Great White shark during the winter when no other food is available. The fish in the channel are of the following species: White Steenbras, Red Stumpnose, Hottentot, Blue Hottentot, Caranteens and Mullet. Other shark species are only the reef sharks like the pajama shark that stay on the bottom.

WHAT IS THE COST OF A TRIP?
The price of the package to Dyer island is ZAR1200

WHAT DO I GET FOR THE R1200?
Early morning 7h30 breakfast at the office thereafter we leave for the harbour where we will board the 'White Pointer' for the trip via Danger Point to Dyer island area. The boat will anchor in a suitable position to attract the shark. Bait will be attached to bait lines and chum will be run into the ocean. The chum is a mixture of minced tuna and sea water which will be taken by the current to the open ocean from where the shark will be attracted. Once we have a sharks around the boat the cage will be lowered and divers can then enter the water to have a closer encounter (if the shark will allow, remember they are wild animals and are sometimes scared of the bubbles) Refreshments are served on the boat and at 13h00 the boat will leave the area to return to the harbour. At 14h00 a Lunch will be served in our farmhouse kitchen A DVD and a certificate will be presented. During the whale season (June to December) whales can be seen from the shore.

ARE THESE TRIPS EDUCATIONAL?
We are seriously involved with conservation in general. The tourist guide or swill be most happy to answer all your questions.