Shark Cage Diving History

History of Shark Cage Diving

Great White Shark Cage Diving has, in recent years, become one of the most popular adventure activities amongst adrenalin junkies, divers & tourists.  Shark Cage Diving has become hugely popular around the world and in particular in South Africa where it was started 20 years ago in Gansbaai near Hermanus in the Western Cape. Hermanus is just an hour and a half drive from Cape Town, the “Mother City” of South Africa.

South Africa has become known around the world as one of the best Great White Shark Cage Diving destinations in the world.  Great White Shark Cage diving is offered in many locations around the coast of South Africa, all the Shark Cage Diving operators are required to have a permit as well as licensed boats which are checked regularly to ensure their equipment is in peak working condition. All Shark Cage Diving boat crew are required to have been trained as well as many operators ensuring that their staff have received training in the Tour Guide industry.

The Great White Shark Diving industry has ensured yet another great reason for travelers to choose South Africa as a preferred destination. This thrilling and exciting adventure activity has encouraged Tourism as well as providing many with job opportunities in areas such as Gansbaai near Hermanus where job opportunities are scarce.

Shark Cage Diving has also provided many tourists with a fresh insight into the Great White Shark, it’s habits, habitat and the extinction factor facing Great White Sharks due to Finning by many Asian countries where Sharks are senselessly killed for their fins. (said to be an aphrodisiac/have medical benefits)

Magnificent video of Great White Shark feeding on a Whale – amazing footage

The Great White Shark naturally inhabits the area known as Dyer Island a short distance off the coast of Gansbaai, Hermanus where the Cape Fur Seal (the Great White Shark’s preferred meal) are plentiful. The natural food chain ensures that the more seals there are, the more Great White Sharks there will be. As the Cape Fur Seal is also a protected species due to the unnecessary and emotionally distressing seal clubbing, they are prolific in this area, ensuring that the Great White Shark species is also plentiful in these waters.

As a natural consequence of protecting the Great White Shark from extinction, the Great White Shark Cage Diving industry was started. This adventure activity of diving with Great White Sharks has highlighted their plight, educated ordinary people about Great White Sharks and that they are not actually interested in eating/biting humans and has also resulted in many people becoming more interested in Great White Sharks and their protection than was previously the case.

The Great White Shark Cage Diving industry has become so popular that it is often fully booked well in advance, our advice is, if you are visiting South Africa and have an interest in Shark Cage Diving, that it be one of the very first activities and adventures that you book when  putting together your travel itinerary.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO GO TO THE RESERVATIONS PAGE TO BOOK YOUR SHARK CAGE DIVING EXPERIENCE IN HERMANUS

MAP OF GANSBAAI (GANS BAY) – The home of Shark Cage Diving in South Africa