We have had incredibly clear water at Seal Island recently and I was very lucky to be given the opportunity to cage dive on one such day. The water visibility was approximately 12m and I had been admiring the reef below all day whilst I was looking after our guests and spotting for sharks. It was a mosaic of blues and sandy yellow patches below the surface and no sooner had Chris asked if I would like to dive than I rushed down to don a wetsuit. I don’t need to be asked twice to get into the cage….it is one of my favourite places to be!
I put on my weight belt and mask as quickly as possible and I was so eager to see the difference clear water made to my time with the sharks. I slipped effortlessly into the calm water and tucked myself into the cage next to my partner Nick and one of our guests. It was magical from the first moment I looked underwater and saw how much life there is on the reef surrounding Seal Island. I have always wanted to see what the reef is like and words don’t do it justice. There were at least six pyjama sharks wriggling their way across the sand and rocks and I watched as their striped markings blurred with their movement. They wrapped themselves amongst one another at times and curled around rocks and kelp in their path as they fed on fish scraps that had fallen from our bait. I was smitten with one particularly small pyjama shark that had many stripes and just couldn’t keep still for a moment. I nearly squealed through my snorkel as I also caught sight of a smoothhound shark on the reef. It is rare to see these sharks and it was very sleek, with shiny grey skin that reflected the sunlight from above. With all of this small shark action I had almost forgotten to look around me for the large sharks; the majestic great whites.
Nick shook my arm and I looked up to see a beautiful great white shark calmly passing the cage. The water clarity was amazing and I was able to see every marking upon the passing shark. The blue of its eyes showed clearly as the shark passed by, I admired its freckled gills and then it dived down at the back of the boat. Seeing a great white shark underwater is mesmerising and during the next fifteen minutes we were visited by a number of them. I found myself trying to identify which shark was which from my observations above water and was soon able to recognise their individual markings and scars. It took my breath away when one of the larger sharks passed below the cage and I saw just how wide the shark was. It is an entirely different perspective seeing a shark underwater and that moment reminded me of their awesome power and grace. I find that many guests are apprehensive about diving with these animals but the moment they enter the water their fear leaves them as they realise just how magnificent the sharks are and how calmly they pass by. It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and one not to be missed. The crew are always on hand with encouragement for nervous divers and dry towels for afterwards. If you’re lucky I will also be close by with some chocolate to provide the perfect post-diving treat.
Learn more about cage diving with sharks at: http://www.apexpredators.com
