Daily Blog: 17 April 2024 | Shark Cage Diving...
Our trips today were cold but the water visibility was very clear!!
- Sightings: Great White sharks, Bronze whalers, Short-tail stingray and Cape Fur seals
- Location: Joubertsdam
- Water Temperature: Moderate
- Visibility: Moderate
It was an early start for Slashfin's first groups of guests this morning as we tried to make the best of the nice weather gap with a launch onto a calm bay as the swell, wind and rain stayed away for the morning before coming through later in the day. The first boat went into the Shallows and we were on anchor for only moments when a Bronze whaler was spotted before another individual also joined us, however it wasn't long before they disappeared and whilst we wondered briefly why they had left so quickly it was soon clear as the outline of a larger, broader shark came gliding into view. This was Shaun the shark, a male Great White approximately 3.3 m in length and one that has been treating us to his presence on and off for the last month. He made some beautifully close and slow passes by the cage allowing our guests to enjoy views of this stunning animal. Before our last cage entered the water we, unfortunately, lost Shaun the shark but with a quick anchor change, the rest of the divers were able to experience the awe-inspiring moment that is coming eye to eye with a Great White shark. With time to spare and conditions still nice out on the bay we used the rest of the morning to head to the Islands and have a closer look at the Cape Fur seal colony of Geyser Rock.
The second trip of the day launched into the rain but this did nothing to dampen the shark activity as Shaun the shark reappeared quickly for this trip and throughout the trip, giving us more great views for the day. The Bronze whalers were also present throughout the trip, taking advantage of some of the quieter times when the Great White shark had gone deep or into the distance for a while. The Short-tailed stingray appeared again this afternoon, also taking the quiet times from shark activity to glide from the depths before disappearing back to where it came from.
