TIGER SHARK AND BLACK TIP EXPEDTION
Dive with tiger sharks, bull sharks and blacktip sharks in the country of the sharks: South africa.
Place: Protea Banks and Aliwal shoal, South Africa
Time: Protea Banks: every year march to june (8 days, see day 1 to 8)
Aliwal Shoal: every year march to june (8 days, see day 8 to 14)
Protea Banks and Aliwal Shoal: every year march to june (15 days)
Prices: Protea Banks: 1.149,- € (double room, single room: 210,- € extra, custom tours and exclusive travel on request)
Aliwal Shoal: 1.549.- € (double room, single room: 250,- € extra, custom tours and exclusive travel on request)
Protea Banks und Aliwal Shoal: 2.749,- € (two more dive included, custom tours and exclusive travel on request, double room, single room: 210,- € extra)
Minimum participants: 4 guests (also bookable as custom tours or exclusive travel)
Qualification: Advanced Open Water Diver or similar with at least 50 dives.
Inklusive: Protea Bank OR Aliwal Shoal: Accomodation for 7 nights, Shower and toilet as well as fully endowed kitchen for self-catering, Aliwal Shoal: Breakfast as well as bacon and eggs after the dives, 12 dives (6 reef dives, 6 shark dives), Photo course for beginners (6x in Protea Banks or 5x in Aliwal Shoal).*
Protea Banks AND Aliwal Shoal: Accomodation for 14 nights, shower and toilet as well as fully endowed kitchen for self-catering, Aliwal Shoal: Breakfast as well as bacon and eggs after the dives, 26 dives (13 reef dives, 13 shark dives), Photo course for beginners (6x in Protea Banks or 5x in Aliwal Shoal).*
Exklusiv: flights, transfers (a rental car is in South Africa the best choice), lunch an dinner, camera, underwater housing ans laptop with Adobe Photoshop.
Combination possibilitys: Oribi George National Park (just at Protea banks) with bungee jumping, overhangig rock, Oribi slide etc., Crocodile pharms etc. We can arrange it locally.
Intinerary:
DAY 1: Arrival at Durban airport and transfer to the accomodation in Shelly Beach or Margate.
DAY 2: The first reef dive starts at 7 a.m., cause the sea could be too rough in the afternoon. After that it becomes returned to the habour typically to take the surface interval. It is followed by an shark dive on which we expect tiger sharks, bull sharks, black tip shark and different other species. The skipper and guide is one of the top guides worldwide for tiger sharks, Roland. He and his wife Beulah are coordinating our expedition. The afternoon and evening is reserved for relaxing. For participants in the photo course it starts with an introduction about cameras and how do they work.*
DAY 3-7: The same as DAY 2. The spot for the reef dives will be varied and decided on site. For participants in the photo course the topics are: Shark photography, underwater photography, pictorial design, Processing with Adobe Photoshop and publication mainly in social medias.*
DAY 8: If Protea Banks AND Aliwal Shoal are booked: Two dives: One on a nice reef site and one with sharks. Around 4 p.m. transfer to Umkomaas. The photo course will not take place.*
If just Protea Banks is booked: Cause of the typically late flight back, you can join the dives while snorkeling. After that transfer to Durban airport. The photo course will not take place.
If just Aliwal Shoal is booked: Arrival at Durban airport and transfer to Umkomaas. The photo course will not take place. *
DAY 9: After breakfast at 7 a.m. we´re going sowly towards the boat, which is directly in front of the front door. That is the accomodation of the tiger shark pioneer, Walter Bernardis. Just the ride from the beach to sea is an incredible experience. The day is starting with a reef dive, which is followed by a tiger dive. We expect tiger sharks and a lot of black tips at that dive. After the dive beacon and eggs will served. The afternoon and evening is at free disposal. For participants in the photo course it starts with an introduction about cameras and how they do work, as well as an overview about shark photography (The course is not mandatory, but included in the price on five days).*
DAY 10-14: The same as DAY 9. The spot of the reef dive will be varied from day to day. For participants in the photo course it will be followed by: pictorial design, working your pictures out with photoshop, publication of your images primary in social networks.*
DAY 15:Typically the airplain is going to leave in the early evening. So you can going for a snorkeling "dive" with the sharks. After that, your transfer to the airport will start.
Itinary:
Protea Banks is a rarely frequented and very nice reef in South Africa. It´s not too easy to dive there, but also not too hard. The shark dives here aren´t compareable with anyone else. Defenetly one of the most experienced shark diver will be your guide: Roland Mauz. Supermarkets and 52 keen restaurants are around Margate and Shelly Beach, which can be reached easily by car.
Aliwal Shoal is one of the most known reefs around the world to dive with tiger sharks. You stay in Umkomaas in the mansion of the first man, who dove with tiger sharks without a cage: Walter Bernardis. He´s doing a great job and is known as pioneer of tiger shark diving. All transfers to restaurants or supermarkets can be arranged on site.
The boat ride is a bit more wavy than known from the Bahamas or similiar calm regions, but it´s an experience.
Hints:
*The photo course is just available on group travels.
Tiger sharks and the other sharks around (mainly bull and black tip sharks) can be potentially dangerous for humans. To increas the chance of seeing the crocodile they become typically baited with sardins, tunas etc. . Safety is the priority (min. one guide in the water and one spotter on the boat). The number of guests in the water is variable. As with all interactions with wild animals, we can not garantee an encounter. At all activities inside the water Sea More Expedtions works as a travel agency, not as an operator. The photo course is not mendatory. For all participants we recommend a laptop with Photoshop, a camera (preferred DSLR, compact is for sure also okay) and an underwater housing for the camera, because otherwise we can just convey theory.
