Sharkwatch SA Blog

Location: South east of Geyser Rock
Water Temperature: 16.1 Celcius
U/W visibility:4-5m

Today we had an amazing trip despite the howling cold North Westerly wind blowing. In total we observed 12 white sharks, including one satellite tagged male shark 'Andre'. One enormous female arrived towards the end of our dives, I estimated her length 4.8-5m,she made the cage look small, so we thought it appropriate to name her the 'Tank-ess'. This is not a shark I recognise, she is completely un marked and untagged, except a singular red scrape on her dorsal fin. To see a white shark of this proportion is awe inspiring, her relaxed dominant behaviour illustrated how aware of her own power she is, at this length, if she isn't sexually mature, she is almost certainly near, which raises the question as to why she was patrolling an area full of large mature male sharks?! (recent satellite tagging in California has shown female white sharks of this size preferentially segregate away from harassing male sharks for most of the year).There may be more than just seals on her agenda, although white shark mating is something still yet to be observed anywhere in the world, it could well occur during winter off SA's coastline. Fabulous bird species glided by whilst we were on anchor, including a Blackbrowed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris, a Pintado petrol Daption capense and an adult Southern giant petrol Macronectes giganteus. Another stunning winters trip and some great dives had by all who entered the cage!

If you are looking to get up close and personal with the great white shark then Great White Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai, and more specifically with Marine Dynamics, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t want to miss. Book online with us and get a free video of your encounter with the world’s apex predator.