Join me as we enter a prehistoric world of the Sevengill shark…
Sevengill sharks are found in the shallow kelp forests of False Bay. These sharks are confident, not needing bait to draw them in, and come extremely close to divers of their own accord. These sharks can reach 3 m in length and, whilst not normally aggressive to divers, they are serious predators and feed on other sharks and carrion. This is a unique diving experience and the only of its kind in the world.
The day with us
We will meet at 8:00 am at Miller’s Point slipway were you will be presented with a full dive briefing detailing the physical environment, marine environment and the animals you will be experiencing. The boat launch is very easy. We will then take a short boat ride (2 km) to the dive site where we will kit up and enter the water on snorkel with the Cape Fur seals. We then move to the kelp forest to dive with the Sevengill sharks . We will be back at the slipway by 12:00 pm.
Dive specifics
Where : False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
When is the best time to dive? All year, with aggregations (up to 60 sharks) from January – April
Dive type : Freedive and SCUBA dive.
Experience required : Open Water 1 Certification for SCUBA diving
Depth : 8 – 12 m
Water conditions
- Winter (May to July) is dominated by strong North West winds which results in the best visibility (8-20 m) but the coolest temperatures (10C-16C)
- Summer (mid-October to mid-February) sees strong South East winds which cause the water to warm up (15C – 21C) but become dirty (2 m – 10 m visibility)
Dive time : 60 minutes, you are welcome to continue snorkeling
What does the day include
- A qualified guide (tour guide and dive Leader)
- One guided SCUBA dive
- Water and snacks on the boat
- Dive briefing
- 1 dive cylinder and dive weights
Cost: R500 per person. Additional cost for gear rental (Full kit = R350)
Frequently Asked Questions?
Is it safe to dive with Sevengill sharks?
These sharks are incredibly curious and will often find you before you see them. It is of utmost importance that you are aware of you surroundings at all time. These sharks do not like to be touched and will often turn quickly towards the responsible diver. With all sharks it is important that you maintain eye contact at all times, bearing in mind that there may be other sharks behind you. These sharks do come extremely close and may need to be gently directed away. These sharks are wonderful to encounter in the wild and make for unique photographic subjects.
Other interesting species to see?
Sharks
- Spotted gully shark (Triakis megalopterus)
- Puffadder shyshark (Haploblepharus edwardsii)
- Brown catshark (Haploblepharus pictus)
- Pyjama shark (Poroderma africanum)
- Leopard catshark (Poroderma pantherium)
Endemic fish
- Red roman (Chrysoblephus laticeps)
- Red steenbras (Petrus rupestris)
- Galjoen (Dichistius capensis, South Africa’s national fish)
Where to find us at Millers Point slipway
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