Face-to-fin with the Shark Lady of Shark Alley

Shark cage diving with the queen of the Atlantic in shark capital Gansbaai

 A 160km scenic drive through Sir Lowry's pass, Overberg and Hermanus leads to the sleepy fishing village of Gansbaai where Cape fur seals, African penguins and sea birds frolic in the ocean. But in the open stretch of water between Dyer Island and Geyser Island there is talk of a slightly bigger fish. Aptly named 'Shark Alley' this channel is one of two unique areas on the continent where one stands an exceptionally good chance of encountering the great white shark.

The great white shark may be one of the oceans primary predators but unlike the 'ferocious man eater' myth captured in Peter Benchley's novel 'Jaws' I'm assured that they think humans taste like awful sprouts. Far from being offended as I embark on my shark cage diving tour, picturing myself as a sprout that has craftily been fed to the dog under the table is reassuring.

I decide I am a shark fan and choose to tour with the pioneer of shark cage diving in South Africa - Shark Lady. This tour operator is involved in shark conservation, holds a permit from Marine and Coastal management and employs a professional and qualified crew. The tour groups that they take out are small, making it an exclusive experience.

“Bacon and eggs don’t go well with the sea”

At the Birkenhead Lodge Shark Embassy we are given a safety briefing and a fascinating lecture on the anatomy, characteristics and behaviour of the great white over continental breakfast and coffee. Our party of 13 is joined by skippers Lance and Jan and a videographer as we make our exhilarating voyage from Kleinbaai Harbour to Shark Alley.

Our 12m catamaran is designed specifically for shark cage diving and is stocked with the latest safety and dive equipment. As we attempt a shaky walk from one end of the upper viewing deck to the other, Lance tells us that those prone to sea sickness (my ears prick up) should feel free to hurl their continental breakfast over the side of the boat as and when needed, which explains why we weren’t served bacon and eggs.

As the boat begins to slow and I regain my balance I make out a gray shadow beneath the glittering surface of the sea. We are in the territory of the great white and Lance is busy setting our anchor and preparing hang baits and wooden decoys, known as chumming the water, to attract a 3.5m female shark.

“I feel like a cross between a misshapen seal and Goldfinger’s James Bond infiltrating a drugs production plant somewhere in South America”

I eagerly pull on my wet suit, boots and mask  - not the most flattering of outfits but I’m told it will keep me warm in the icy Atlantic ocean. Our floating cage accommodates four guests and the 300mm freeboard will allow us to hover above the surface while we wait. I will push myself under the water, hook my feet onto the bottom rung and hold onto the top rung to view the shark. This sounds exciting. How will I get into the cage? Will I parachute down from a commando helicopter, perhaps?

I flop my rubbery self ungraciously over the side of the boat whilst Jan holds onto my arms and I place my feet on a convenient flotation device on the other side of the cage before sliding into the sea using the bars of the cage. The wetsuit is doing its job and I don’t feel too cold as my fellow sea astronauts assume their positions.

“Shark coming up on the left. Shark in front. Get down!”

With a sharp intake of breath we plunge beneath the surface as the shark glides right up to the cage with her incredible black eyes upon us. During my second cage dive we feel the full force of her tail collide with the side of our cage and watch as she opens her gaping jaws. Lance has told us that male sharks have two fin-like claspers close to their dorsal fin whereas females don’t have this. Females sit at the top of the sharky hierarchy and I am in awe of the queen of the Atlantic Ocean.

“Wow!” I exclaim (though my mask pinches my nose and makes me sound like a flight attendant who fell down a well), “That was amazing!”

Shark Lady offers a unique opportunity to experience this magnificent predator in its natural environment and help to dispel some of the myths and fear which surround the great white. The informative and exciting tours depart twice daily and include breakfast and light lunch from Ma Bessie's Kitchen, all diving equipment, towels and a shuttle service.

By Lisa Nevitt

Be sure to read what to expect when shark cage diving, our shark ABC, our overview of Gansbaai and shark conservation.

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