{"id":3677,"date":"2015-07-08T10:00:51","date_gmt":"2015-07-08T09:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/?p=3677"},"modified":"2015-07-10T09:43:41","modified_gmt":"2015-07-10T08:43:41","slug":"celebrating-shark-week-shark-cage-diving-top-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/2015\/07\/08\/celebrating-shark-week-shark-cage-diving-top-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Shark Week – Shark Cage Diving Top Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there is one thing you really should consider adding to your bucket list, it has to be cage diving with Great White Sharks. The opportunity to get up-close and personal with these awesome creatures, with nothing but an iron cage between you and a set of razor-sharp gnashers, is both terrifying and thrilling all at the same time.<\/p>\n

Although your mother may not be inclined to agree, climbing into a steel cage to come face to face with one of the most feared inhabitants of the ocean is actually a lot safer than it sounds.\u00a0 The potential danger and so-called \u201cJaws effect\u201d have led to remarkably high safety standards with cage dive operators.<\/p>\n

So, if you are considering experiencing the ultimate adrenalin rush here are our top tips on how to earn yourself some serious bragging rights\u2026<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Choose a reputable operator.<\/b>\u00a0 This may sound obvious, but while cage diving allows you to get up-close with one of nature\u2019s most admired predators, it is important to remember this legendary creature is in its natural habitat \u2013 cage diving is not a sport.\u00a0\u00a0 Choose an operator that is fully licenced, committed to shark conservation and is operating within the boundaries of local conservation and safety legislation.\u00a0 The South African cage-diving industry is regulated by a Code of Conduct and regulations from Marine and Coastal Management (DEAT – Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism). Our favourite operator in the Gansbaai area, for example, is Marine Dynamics<\/a> – tried and very trusted!<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t be afraid!<\/b>\u00a0 Sharks have not been known to attack cages but be aware that they are naturally inquisitive so there is a high chance they will come in for a closer look, but isn\u2019t that ultimately what you want?\u00a0 Rest assured they are more interested in checking out the odd-looking steel bars than the people inside it.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Plan your trip.\u00a0 <\/b>Bear in mind also that sharks are wild, migratory and unpredictable creatures, so at different times of the year the success rate of seeing sharks will vary.\u00a0 For hard-core enthusiasts, it might be worth booking more than one trip to allow for unpredictable weather conditions, poor visibility or even a complete no-show of the star attraction!<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Take your time. <\/b>Cage-diving does not require any qualification but it does require a high degree of common sense.\u00a0 Entering the cage can feel awkward and pretty daunting, so take your time and listen to your guide.\u00a0 The water may be choppy, so if you are prone to sea-sickness it is advisable to take motion sickness tablets well in advance.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Do not touch.<\/b>\u00a0 There may come a point where you feel invincible and that beady-eyed shark starts to look kind of cute and friendly, but remember these are predatory, wild animals and a few pink fingers dangling through the cage bars could prove a quick and easy snack!<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make sure your trip includes an educational aspect.<\/b> \u00a0An ethical operator will take the time to educate you about the amazing predators you are hopefully about to encounter.\u00a0 Changing people’s mindset and attitudes towards Great White Sharks is paramount to their long-term survival in a world where they have become seriously stereotyped and sensationalised as mindless man-eating monsters.<\/p>\n

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If there is one thing you really should consider adding to your bucket list, it has to be cage diving with Great White Sharks. The opportunity to get up-close and personal with these awesome creatures, with nothing but an iron cage between you and a set of razor-sharp gnashers, is both terrifying and thrilling all […] Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-south-africa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3677"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3682,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3677\/revisions\/3682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelbutlers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}