Shark in the Water

Meeting and Events at 20 West Executive Apartments & Hotels

2012-01-05T01:27:00.000-08:00

A modern conference centre offering a conference room seating 294 and a boardroom seating a maximum of 59, as well as 5 break away meeting rooms, all with state-of-the-art technology, including i-pad docking stations and with nataurl light access to the terrace.

Contact Illana at 20 West Executive Apartments & Hotel to arrange a site inspection, or for availability and more information.

Tel: + 27 (0)11 290 9600

Fax: + 27 (0)11 290 9601

E-mail: reservations@20west.co.za

Cape Town Adventure Tours | Shark Cage Diving

2011-12-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

Based in Cape Town, South Africa, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, our adventure tours provide made to order adrenaline pumping activities to suite every taste. Whether you are looking for an authentic African adventure tour or just an adrenaline overdose, Extreme Scene offers a wide range of Cape Town based adventure tours including such thrills as Skydiving, Paragliding and Shark Cage Diving! Our extensive Cape Town adventure tours will take you to the very edge of nature, from going face to face with the infamous Great White while shark cage diving, to Bush dinners with only the Lions as guests! Whether you are an individual, tour group, bachelor party group or looking for the ultimate corporate incentive/team building in South Africa, let Extreme Scene give you the best adventure tour and shark cage diving experience South Africa has to offer!

One of Extreme Scene's most popular Cape Town adventure tours:

Cape Town Shark Cage Diving

Come and join us on one of South Africa’s most popular adventures where we take you to meet one of nature’s most feared predators in the Great White Shark capital of the world! The Great White Shark must be experienced and let us assist you in booking one of the most awesome experiences of a life time.

This is no aquarium!! Your shark cage diving expedition begins with a light breakfast in Gansbaai followed by a brief orientation on the day's activities ahead where you will experience one of the most exhilarating days of your life! You do not need certification for the shark cage diving at Shark Alley. You will be given a full body wetsuit, weight belt, booties and face mask, and the dive master will run through all the procedures of where to hold on inside the cage etc. If you are not up to jumping in the cage you can get a brilliant view of these spectacular predators from the upper deck of the boat. The Skipper will begin "chumming" (the technique used to attract the sharks) and you will have the opportunity to view from the deck or to participate in a shark cage dive as the sharks make their appearance. Time permitting, the boat will visit Geyser Island en route, to view the Seal Colony. All equipment will be supplied. A light lunch and snacks and drinks will be served on the boat.

Approximately 2 hours drive from Cape Town city centre

You can either drive there yourself or we can arrange transfer for you. Transfer options available:

Shuttle Bus collection and drop off

You will be collected by the Great White Shark Shuttle from your accommodation and transferred with other guests to Gansbaai. On completion of you day in Gansbaai you will be shuttled back to your accommodation.

Private vehicle collection and drop off

You will be personally collected from your accommodation and transferred by vehicle to Gansbaai. On completion of you day in Gansbaai shark diving with other guests you will be personally transferred back to your accommodation by vehicle. No waiting around for others during vehicle transfer as can often be experienced during shuttle bus transfer.

People who enjoy Shark Cage Diving might also like to try these activities:

Shark Breaching
Scuba Diving
Bungy Jumping

To find out about these, and other Cape Town adventure tours visit the Extreme Scene website.

Extreme Scene

The Roundhouse B&B | Dive & Stay Package

2011-12-06T03:24:00.000-08:00

The Roundhouse B&B is part of a total tourist experience in Gansbaai. We offer Gansbaai accommodation and bed & breakfast facilities in the undisputed best place in the world for Land Based Whale watching. This the perfect spot for a stay over when embarking on one of the famous shark cage diving excursions in the area.

Accommodation and Shark Trip from only R1700-00 per person

Our Dive and Stay Package offers you the opportunity to book your Great White Shark dive with a night stay at our 4* guesthouse all in one easy step. You can enjoy the Roundhouse the night before or after the dive to make your experience much more pleasant on the day. The mistake people make is to think that Gansbaai is an easy drive away. The drive is not difficult but when combining this with a shark dive this becomes a 4-5 hour return drive from Cape Town on the day combined with 4 hours on sea. Many people feel totally exhausted after the trip and regret not booking accommodation to break up the day. If you are here in the morning then you only have a 5 minute drive to the shark diving crew house easing much of the stress with finding your way here and also getting up at 4:30 in Cape Town.

When booking our Dive and Stay package you have 3 options to choose from: Standard, Luxury or Superior.

STANDARD DIVE & STAY = Standard room + shark trip @ R1700-00
LUXURY DIVE & STAY = Luxury room + shark trip @ R1800-00
EXECUTIVE DIVE & STAY = Executive room + shark trip @ R1900-00

For more information on the shark diving packages visit The Roundhouse website.

Why book this package with us?
We own the central booking office for the white shark cage diving and know all of the operators extremely well and will guarantee a booking with one of the industry’s top operators. We are heavily involved with the operators and work hard to ensure that our clients receive quality value for money. We are flexible in the event of bad weather and are extremely proactive with giving our clients their dream day out. We also own Sharkbookings.com which is the central booking office for the white shark cage diving on the internet and book hundreds of clients every month on most of the 8 shark diving boats in Gansbaai. We are passionate about hospitality and sharks and booking the combination of both with us will give you an all round experience second to none in Gansbaai.

In the event of bad weather we will offer you a discounted price for overnight stay and we will work hard to get you on the next available boat out to the island. Whilst you are waiting for the next sea day you can still enjoy our Jacuzzi and Gansbaai’s amazing sunsets as well as many of the local wine farms and other attractions. Whale season (July – December) will blow your mind as we have over 200 Whales in the bay and you will definitely be spending most of your time watching the Whales resting next to the rocks.

If you end up staying for a second night we will also offer you a discounted rate for the inconvenience caused by the weather.

We created this dive and stay combination package several years ago and it is still as popular as ever. With 95% of our guests at The Roundhouse being Shark Diving Clients you would say we are experts in our field.

The Roundhouse B&B

Shark Cage Diving | South Africa | Cape Town | Gansbaai

2011-11-24T03:38:00.000-08:00

Divers, who are safe in the cage, listen to the dive master explaining the direction from which the shark is coming. Divers submerse themselves. Literally holding their breath next to the boat in the safety of the cage and await that once in a lifetime eye to eye contact with the Great White sharks.

Passengers can also experience excellent surface viewing of the great white sharks from the boat's upper deck, getting an all-round view of the sharks, circling and descending. It is the ideal spot to capture some fantastic shark pictures or shoot video footage - the water is no more than 9 meters deep.

Great White sharks can smell the chum slick (crushed tuna/skipjack or sardines) from a considerable distance. In addition, our crew pulls decoys or bait lines closer to the cage and boat to lure the magnificent creatures even closer. The shark, being an inquisitive creature, often comes right up to the boat, bringing it's head above the sea level far enough out of the water that you can touch it. The banks of awesome razor edged teeth are but centimetres away - the huge gaping jaws revealing the true danger of the imminent encounter. The most feared predator of all the seas has arrived.

Shark Cage Diving

Extreme Scene - Adventure Tours

2011-08-24T06:30:00.001-07:00

Experience the thrill of a lifetime with Extreme Scene’s Cape Town shark cage diving adventure tour. These Cape Town adventure tours specialists will take you on an exhilarating adventure where you will come face to face with one of the world’s most frightening predators in the great white shark capital of the world, Gansbaai. This phenomenal adventure tour includes a light breakfast and lunch, a brief orientation on the day’s activities, all the necessary equipment and of course, the underwater meeting with the notorious ‘white death’. For a detailed overview of this incredible tour navigate to the Extreme Scene website.

Scuba Mozambique

2011-08-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

With pristine beaches, tropical waters and breathtaking reefs it’s no wonder Mozambique has been ranked as one of the world’s top dive destinations. Dolphins, whale sharks, manta rays, tropical fish and sharks make up a large portion of the ocean life in the Mozambique waters, ensuring variety and ultimately an unforgettable diving experience. Navigate to the Scuba Mozambique website to explore Mozambique dive tours and Mozambique accommodation.

Magical Cape Town Beaches

2011-07-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

Cape Town offers some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet, with sunny white beaches stretching east to west. It’s no surprise that many of South Africa’s beaches have been awarded the blue flag status, given only to the most perfect beaches of the world. Part of the allure of this area is that this is where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. The Atlantic lies on the west side and is about 4 degrees cooler. Many of the most popular beaches lie on this side of the coast, with many referring to it as South Africa’s “Riviera”. These beaches are lucky to have longer days and protection for the Cape winds, making them a very pleasant experience indeed.

One of the most notable is Clifton which is comprised of 4 beaches all together, it is no doubt one of the most fashionable beaches. The wealthy all aspire to own homes fronting its snow white sands and people fly from all over to see and be seen against the backdrop of the bright blue water, decorated with gleaming white yachts.

The East coast however has the warmer water with many hidden and secluded gems, which tourists travel from far and wide to experience. These are also preferred by local families wanting to steer clear of the crowds along the west coast. Each beach has its own particular charm however, so it’s always best to go to a few and decide which is most suited to your tastes.

If you are thinking about visiting this side of the world you are sure to be left with more than just a glowing tan, but fond memories of this captivating region and the hospitable people which reside in it. There is a wide array of accommodation options you can take advantage of such as Self Catering Accommodation & Holiday Rentals or hotels. There is plenty to choose from and they line the coast, offering a wonderful way to experience the sun and surf offered by Cape Town, South Africa.

Scalloped Hammerhead Shark – Sphyrna lewini

2010-07-09T03:14:00.000-07:00

The Scalloped Hammerhead Shark is one of the 10 species of Hammerhead Sharks. The name scalloped comes from the shape of the front edge of the head. Hammerhead sharks are the most unique shark of all which their distinctive flat ‘hammer’ shaped head. Researchers have determined a few reasons for the shape and attribute this shape to an aid for hydrodynamic efficiency and increased electrical sensory skills to pick-up bottom fish such as rays. Hammerhead sharks are unfortunately still targeted throughout the world for sport fishing and commercial fishing but they are abundant in areas indicating that their existence is not endangered by man yet.

Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks have been held in aquariums but do not adapt well and normally only last a matter of months before dying. The Scalloped Hammerhead shark belongs to the large hammerhead species. They are an olive, bronze or light brown colour with a white belly. The tail fin is very long and pectoral fins are black on the tips. Scalloped Hammerhead shark’s teeth are finely serrated. The upper teeth are broader than the lower teeth and are slanted slanted toward the jaw corners to help them hold their prey.

The Scalloped Hammerhead is harmless unless threatened or cornered. They are known to be more active at night and will normally shy away from you if you are diving in their waters.

The Scalloped Hammerhead Shark is most commonly present in the coastal regions of tropical, subtropical and moderate climate zones. Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks do enter bays and estuaries but also are common around deep pinnacles. They are found in waters as deep as 275m / 902ft

The female gives birth to approximately 38 pups max and they are approximately 50cm / 20in in length and grow up to 4.2m / 13.8ft.

Source: Hammerhead Shark

Shark Diver – Isla Guadalupe

2010-06-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

Upscale Comfort - New White Shark Diving. When it comes to West coast shark diving knowing what to look for in a vessel and crew makes all the difference. After 5 years of "hands on shark diving operations" at Isla Guadalupe Shark Diver has chosen these experienced vessels and crews to take you there and beyond.

Best of all you do not need to be dive certified to cage dive at this location, and departures are from San Diego, California. Vessels are located just minutes from the International airport for ease of travel.
Diver

Introducing the latest long range vessels to the Shark Diver fleet servicing Isla Guadalupe in 2007. The MV Islander, MV Horizon, MV Ocean Odyssey and the newest vessel, the Nautilus Explorer based in Mexico.

Isla Rocks

The vessels in the Shark Diver fleet feature a range of accommodations from private air conditioned staterooms offering individual thermostats and washbasins, plus every other diving amenity you and or your groups will need. All vessels have dedicated air system for shark cage operations, service the largest shark cages available and have full time experienced Great White crews. These guys know sharks. The vessels are excellent long range dive platforms for those seeking laid back comfort and style while diving with Great Whites.

Islander

They are primarily designed to cater to privacy seeking individual divers, selected dive groups, corporate groups world wide, professional filmmakers, and larger private parties of divers. If you're looking for comfort-attention to detail, corporate incentive, and or a unique meeting/strategy space these are the vessels for you. With the acquisition of the Nautilus Explorer into the shark diving fleet, the way adventure seekers think of shark diving has just changed again, forever.

Shark Diver has reviewed all the vessels shark cage designs. They feature unique external flotation pods allowing for more space and comfort inside the cages. Plus two unique external observation hatches for divers and film crews who are looking for another angle to film Great White Sharks. In short, one of Shark Divers most important considerations is cage design, and safety. We have ensured you'll have the best cages available to dive with; after all it's where you will be spending most of your time with us.

The shark diving crews look forward to assisting you, the professional or semi-professional, with all your underwater photographic needs. As a prime example of stunning underwater shark shots taken from Isla Guadalupe please spend some time with renound underwater photographer Phil Colla located at www.oceanlight.com or admire Ethan Gordons (Editor of Fathom Magazine) work at www.ethangordon.com.
Light Dance

Each vessel accommodates groups of 16+ divers, all group leaders automatically come for free. We are looking forward to providing you and your groups with the holiday of a lifetime, tell the experienced shark dive crews what your needs are and Shark Diver will make it happen for you.

You will appreciate the use of surface supplied air, allowing you to be comfortable and secure during your dives. Our professional and courteous crew will make sure your adventure is a safe and rewarding experience.

Strategy planning, executive team meetings, sales offsites, incentives, and team building are just a few of the uses for the newest vessel to the Shark Diver fleet. The Shark Diver crews can assist you with all your corporate function needs. Shark Diver can produce team shirts and hats with your brand on it, film and produce corporate sales videos and make your next corporate function one that will go down in your company's history. In a world where everyone does the same thing, and companies look to Las Vegas as "a fun meeting place" let Shark Diver provide you with the ultimate tool to set you apart from the competition. Dive experience is not necessary, as always we'll work with your group to make this occasion one to remember. Why do the ordinary this year when the extraordinary is waiting for you in San Diego?
First Bite

Meals aboard the Shark Diver fleet are key to any successful dive expedition. Individual divers and group leaders will be happy to note that we take great pride in taking care of all your divers food needs. The galleys on board are fully equipped for any style of cooking providing divers with a wide range of cuisine. Chef Paul and Chef Mark can prepare anything from traditional meals to the freshest fish in the world, or meals that cater to religious observance. The crews cut no corners in efforts to present a truly memorable dining experience. Dietary restrictions are not a problem and the on board chefs look forward to accommodating your needs. Galley/salon areas are spacious with ample room for 16+ passengers at one seating. Complete with TV and VCR/DVD, and internet access, the salons are an excellent place to wind down after a day of incredible shark diving or while en route to Isla Guadalupe. All beverages-including beer and wine-are available at no extra cost.

Dive travel specialists with Cape Town Shark Diving and are the main booking office for White Shark Cage Diving in South Africa and offereing shark diver Guadalupe

We are based in Gansbaai and have successfully fulfilled the dreams of thousands of shark lovers over the last 9 years!

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/shark-diver-isla-guadalupe-2051840.html

Guest House Accommodation in Gansbaai

2010-03-08T06:04:00.000-08:00

The Roundhouse Guest house is our own 4* rated Guesthouse situated in De Kelders, facing and overlooking Gansbaai, approximately 2km away from thetown. Gansbaai is still an active fishing village and these waters are some of the best along the southern African coastline for commercial fishing. The harbour is full of life with its population of commercial fishing boats and hoards of visitors to the area fishing the rich waters. The town boasts a large fish factory which processes fish oil, fish flower (for cattle feed) and canned pilchards, on occasion when in full production, the factory produces a rather ripe odour but as the locals say "It's the smell of money!"

De Kelders has recently become known worldwide for its excellent land based whale watching. The town boasts a large population of Southern Right and Humpback whales along the coastline between De Kelders and Hermanus. Hermanus is known worldwide for its beauty and its whales, but as many are realising, De Kelders is quite a unique natural gem. Although for night life and entertainment, the town can't compete with Hermanus (it is a small district with only a bakery and pub), for for those wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle and to enjoy the quiet and inspiring coastline it is ideal.

Our Guest house boasts the following:

4* rated!
4 Luxury Suites each with own living room. (Make your room your home for your stay)
Whale Watching Deck
Spectacular panoramic views of Gansbaai town, Danger point lighthouse, Walker Bay, Hermanus, Betty's Bay, Hangklip, Cape Point (on a clear day) and of course the coastline and its population of Whales. There are not many places where all can be seen from the same viewpoint.
Thatched Entertainment area - For Guests Only
DVD - Complementary Movies by request in the Bar
Projector and large screen for conferencing
Fireplace - For those cold winter evenings
'Crows Nest' - Offering stunning views over Gansbaai & Walker Bay
TV - In Each Suite
Wireless Internet hotspot
Stereo with CD - In Each Suite
Bath & built in Shower - In each Suite
2 minute walk to the beach
1 Minute walk to the local Bakery
2 Minute walk to the most popular Pub & Grill in Gansbaai
All Suites can have a King Size Bed/Twin beds by request
Guests can have complete privacy if wished
The Roundhouse is furnished with hand made African style decor giving it a real African feel
Guaranteed quality for value

The Roundhouse wants to offer you, the guests visiting Gansbaai a unique experience where you can live for your duration's stay in complete comfort and privacy in your accommodation if wished or mix with the other guests in the bar area and entertainment deck. The Interior is based on a modern African theme with carved stone statues, stone cladding and luxury finishes. We really want you to be relaxed here and have an experience to remember. Gansbaai and De Kelders is very relaxing and away from the hustle and bustle of Hermanus so once you get here you can slow down and relax.

Source: Accommodation Gansbaai
White Shark Diving Tours

Rodney Fox Shark Experience

2010-02-22T03:47:00.000-08:00

Come with us and experience the world's most famous, most feared and most spectacular of sharks, the Great White. To see a Great White Shark in the wild is a very special and rare experience but to come face to face with one underwater is the most exciting experience available to divers today! This tour takes place around the scenic offshore islands of South Australia and has been described as the ultimate adventure that Australia has to offer.

It is only in South Australia that Rodney and Andrew Fox provide the special live aboard tours that incomparably maximize your “face to face” opportunities with Great White Sharks. Our special adventures depart from both Adelaide and Port Lincoln, and head out into the clear blue waters of the Southern Ocean. At the Neptune Islands we find an array of wildlife, including many bird species, dolphins, thousands of fur seals, and the beautiful and rare Australian Sea Lion. Here is the natural feeding ground of the Great White Shark. We can also organize tours for exclusive bookings, smaller groups and film crews.

Soon after his shark attack in 1963, Rodney organised the first ever “Great White Shark Diving Expedition”. He designed and built the original shark proof cage, to make the very first ever films of live Great White Sharks, “Great White Death” and “Attack by a Killer Shark”. This first film later inspired and helped raise the financial backing for Peter Gimbel in 1969 to use Rodney’s expertise in “Blue Water White Death”. Producing Great Whites was again required of Rodney in 1973 for the live shark sequences in Spielberg and Peter Benchley’s blockbuster, “Jaws”.

Just one year after the release of “Jaws” into the cinemas, Rodney lead the very first Cage Diving Expedition for non professional divers to experience the thrill of the Great White Shark “first hand”! Carl Roessler, with “Sea and See Dive Travel”, bought out this first group of divers from the USA in 1976. This launched the ultimate diving adventure and is still generally regarded as the pinnacle in any diver’s career. This event continues in the very same tradition and spirit today where we strive to make each and every expedition an unforgettable adventure of a lifetime.

Fox Expeditions are proud to continue providing a vital research platform for field studies. Such long-term productivity by the Fox’s has contributed to the public education, imagery and resulting admiration that finally lead to the protection that Great Whites now enjoy worldwide.

The Trip

We operate out in the clear offshore waters of the Neptune Islands, which are only accessible through the use of large live-aboard boats like our expedition vessel “The Princess II”. The shortest 4-day length tour allows us the time to first get to our viewing locations and back, while also catering for the chance of sitting out any spells of poor operating conditions or slow shark activity. We then give ourselves the best chance of enjoying that extraordinary and magical day when the sharks and their environment are at their best, and we can utilize all of our special facilities, partake in all the activities to maximize the entire experience.

After each expedition many passengers comment that they would love to return with us for even longer next time. So to see everything and have the most fun we highly recommend you spending as long at this as your time and budget can allow. Chances are you will probably want to come back again anyway!

Read Further: White Shark Diving

Marine Dynamics

2010-01-22T05:16:00.000-08:00

Marine Dynamics is a Shark Cage Diving company based in Kleinbaai, a small harbour town, part of Gansbaai in the Western Cape of South Africa. This area is known as the best place in the world to see Great White Sharks in their natural habitat.

Marine Dynamics is made up of a team of shark enthusiasts who constantly strive to place shark conservation and education foremost. This is done through educating clients on a daily basis, by conducting research and by maintaining structured marine education and development projects.

We collect data on the White Sharks and their environment on a daily basis. This data is for our own research and is forwarded to the Department Marine and Coastal Management. All participants will be involved in the different aspects of this work. Currently, this work involves sexing, sizing and recording markings on white sharks, recording environmental parameters, bite marks on seals and marine birds. Some of the recordings are made directly from the shark boat while other recordings involving bite marks and behaviour on seals and birds is conducted from our whale boat which often puts to sea twice per day, thus allowing us to obtain very important data.

There is much controversy surrounding shark cage diving and the effects of this industry on the sharks and their environment, is little known, thus, the data collection is of great importance.

Marine Dynamics staff will meet you in our Marine Room at the Great White House in Kleinbaai before your trip. There are bathroom facilities, as well as a restaurant and gift shop here.
Breakfast is provided at the restaurant before the boat launch. Every trip is preceded by a brief introductory talk about the route and what to look out for. Passengers are fitted with comfortable inflatable life-jackets. Safety is of the utmost importance. We have extensive public liability insurance. We usually launch around 9:00 am in the morning (note that launching times may vary due to tide and weather conditions), arriving at the anchoring spot in 20 to 25 minutes. The anchor is lowered, the cage goes into the water, a scent trial is made, and we settle down. Final preparations for the diving are made, and the rest of the day is spent watching, diving and enjoying the day. After spending time with the sharks, we make our way to Dyer Island, if possible. We do not go to the island everytime as that depends on weather and sea conditions. At Dyer Island we can approach close enough to view African penguins, Cape cormorants and many other species. We also often spot giant petrels, Cape gannets, white chinned petrels and storm petrels. Neighbouring Dyer Island is Geyser Rock, home to thousands of Cape Fur Seals. The stretch of water between the two islands is Shark Alley. We visit Shark Alley to view the seals. The colony is thriving and there is always lots of activity, especially around November time when the tiny pups are born. After about 3 to 4 hours, depending on the day, we head back to land. Should you wish to return to shore earlier, a transfer can be arranged.

Both Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Cruises are dedicated to conservation and protection of the environment and wildlife.Wilfred Chivell, owner of Dyer Island Cruises and Marine Dynamics, is certainly the most knowledgeable person about the ecosystem and varied wildlife found onand around Dyer Island. His care and dedication for thehealth of this sensitive ecosystem has lead to the launch of differentconservation projects for the area:

Faces of Need - Artificial Penguin Nest Project' which aims? to create 2000 artificial nests on Dyer Island by 2008.

His 'Bird Rescue Initiative' has made him the prime transporter of injured and oiled marine birds from the island to shore,from where they are transported to SANCOB in Cape Town for further treatment.

The 'Marine Litter Project' aims at educating the public and local communities about the devastating effects of pollution on wildlife whilst also initiating clean ups of the coast.

He has vouched his commitment to support there search field work conducted by the White Shark Trust during 2006 in allowing the population information to be gathered from Shark Fever.

At the Marine Dynamics base, The Great White House, you will find a cosy but well stocked souvenir shop. Here you can buy anything from seasickness tablets to shark t-shirts. As an alternative we recommend that you stop at The Great White Adventure Centre. This is the first building as you enter Gansbaai. At the centre you can buy underwater disposable cameras, rent an underwater digital camera and more. This shop has a huge selection of white shark souvenirs for you to remember your day by. One souvenir that is only available from Marine Dynamics though is of course your day trip DVD. The DVD can be purchased after the trip at a cost of R350-00.

Read Further: Marine Dynamics
White Shark Diving Tours