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Diving the Whale Coast of South Africa
The Whale Coast is a scenic stretch of coast around Walker Bay in the Atlantic
Ocean. It is dotted with picturesque villages that have become famous for shark
diving and whale watching.
· Gansbaai: Once a sleepy fishing village, now booming since
becoming the country's premier base for shark cage diving to see the Great
White Shark at Dyer Island and Geyser Rock
· Kleinbaai: Just outside Gansbaai, this village
offers easy access to Dyer Island
· Struisbaai: This charming coastal town is an alternate
base for shark diving expeditions
· Hermanus: The capital of the Whale Coast is situated
only one-and-a-half hours from Cape Town and offers one of the best places
for land-based whale watching in the world
Dyer Island and Geyser
Rock: Premier destinations for shark
cage diving
The Perfect Spot: During winter, the warm Agulhas Current
sweeps down from the Indian Ocean, meeting the cold Benguela
Current, creating a temperate zone just off the South African
coast - providing ideal conditions for the Great White Shark
in particular.
Dyer Island: Is situated 12 kilometres off the coast
of Gansbaai. It is a protected nature conservation area and
an ornithological reserve for up to 7 000 Jackass Penguins.
It is an important breeding ground for cormorants, African Black
Oystercatchers and other seabirds. Great White Sharks in these
waters often display very unusual, but highly spectacular breaching
when chasing their prey (usually seals) - making for spectacular
photography.
Geyser Rock: Just south of Dyer island, lies Geyser
Rock: a tiny islet favoured by Cape Fur Seals. The Great Whites
are often seen cruising the alley between the two islands, which
is why it has become known as "Shark Alley." Other
predatory fish that can be seen here are Catsharks, Shysharks,
Sandtigers, Bronze Whalers and Butterfly Rays.
• False
Bay - Western Cape, South Africa
• Aliwal
- KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• St Lucia
- KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• Bazaruto
Archipelago - Mozambique |
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