After years of patiently waiting for the stars to align, Adrian Stacey was finally on his way to the Neptune Islands in South Australia. His aim was to go diving with arguably the most-feared and misunderstood creature on the planet -the great white shark
Photographs by Adrian Stacey
Although humans are not on the menu for great white sharks, who prefer foods rich in fat like sea lions, it is not wise to tempt fate with these large apex predators, so any interaction with the sharks is conducted from the safety of a sturdy aluminium cage.
Cage diving for filming, observation, and tourism purposes was first pioneered by a man named Rodney Fox. After a visit to the Zoo, Rodney had the idea of putting people in a cage instead of the animals, allowing the creatures to roam free in their natural environment.
Did you know?
Great white sharks can be found throughout the world’s oceans, mostly in cool waters close to the coast. On average, they grow to around fourand-a-half metres long, but some great whites have been measured at six metres – that’s half the length of a bus!
Rodney is himself a shark attack survivor, so he understood only too well the perils of diving in the shark’s natural hunting ground without adequate protection. Rodney barely escaped with his life, and after initially wanting to exact revenge on the sharks for his injuries, he realized that this keystone predator was essential for the health of the oceans.
Rodney has since dedicated his life to the conservation and observation of great white sharks, along with his son Andrew, who is equally passionate about these amazing creatures.
Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions run regular trips to the Neptune Islands, allowing scientists, film crews and tourists to get a close-up look at a great white shark. Cage diving with sharks can, however, be a divisive subject.
Opponents of cage diving argue that it can alter the shark’s behaviour, harm the sharks, make them dependent on humans for food and condition them to think of us as a food source, meaning an increase in shark attacks.
While these are valid concerns, there are strict government regulations that tourist charters must adhere to. Andrew is an advisor to the government and has helped develop and implement policies that ensure as little impact on sharks as possible.
Mainly through tagging, researchers have found that the charter boats and their chumming activity do not impact the shark’s residency in the area.
Great whites are inquisitive creatures, so they sometimes approach the cages with minimal encouragement. However, chum and bait are sometimes required; this is usually a tuna head tied to a piece of rope.
The idea is not to let the shark take the bait or collide with the cage; if either occurs, there is a 15-minute review period where no further baiting activity can take place. This time allows the crew to discuss what happened and to try and avoid a reoccurrence; this time also gives the shark an opportunity to calm down.
Charters are only allowed to use a maximum of 1,000kg of bait/chum in a two-week period, and there must also be two days of non-activity in this time.
This amount of bait is nowhere near enough to sustain a great white shark, so they do not come to rely on humans for food. Furthermore, it is widely believed in the scientific community that there is no direct correlation between chumming and shark attacks on humans.
Offering tourists the opportunity to see great whites in their natural habitat generates income and ensures that sharks are more valuable alive than dead. Most divers have a healthy appreciation of sharks and understand that they are not mindless killing machines.
These cage diving experiences also expose nondivers to sharks; changing their perception is invaluable. The cages allow scientists to learn more about these fantastic creatures, so we can better understand how to protect them.
I think that the pros outweigh the cons, and it is clear that Andrew and the rest of the Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions crew are passionate about the sharks and always have their best interests at heart.
Male great whites can reach lengths of up to five metres and are year-round residents at Neptune Island, which is home to a huge colony of fur seals. In the winter months, the seal pups start to enter the water for the first time, heralding the arrival of the enormous female sharks.
The females can grow up to six metres in length, and I was amazed to find out that this extra metre almost doubles their body weight.
I was keen to see one of the big mummas, so we booked a three-day itinerary in May onboard the MV Rodney Fox. This was a great boat to explore the ocean wildness from; formerly a sturdy prawn fishing boat, it had been refitted to suit its new life as a cage diving liveaboard
The vessel retained much of its original charm, including the anklecrippling steel hatches, and gave me the feeling that I was going on a real adventure.
The forecast for our trip was excellent, flat seas and blue skies, and while there are never any guarantees, I was eager to get down to the Neptune’s and hopefully see a great white or two in their natural environment. I was particularly excited about the ocean floor experience, which takes cage diving to a whole new level!
Did you know?
Great white sharks bear live young and females give birth to between two and 10 pups per litter, and perhaps as many as 14. Researchers think the gestation period is around 12-22 months which would only allow for breeding to occur approximately every other year.
First, however, we made an early morning stop at Grindal Island to visit and play with a colony of endangered Australian sea lions.
While I had my reservations about getting in the water with the preferred food of the great white shark, I was assured that the shallow topography of the bay meant sharks did not venture into the area. After diving with the acrobatic and friendly sealions, it was time to head off for the main event.
Upon arriving at the barren and isolated South Neptune Islands, we dropped anchor and prepared to get in the cages for the first time.
The surface cage is attached to the stern of the boat and has surface-supplied air. A maximum of four people can be in the cage at any one time. The cage is open at the top, so we could come and go as we pleased.
The ocean floor cage also only holds four occupants, but one diver must be a staff member for safety reasons. This cage is for certified divers only, as scuba gear and tanks are required. The crew drew up a schedule for this cage so everyone would have a fair go.
While waiting for my turn, I tried the surface cage. The water was freezing, and I was glad of the numerous thermal protection layers I wore. I did see a curious kingfish but no sharks on this first dip.
Did you know?
Great white sharks are opportunistic predators, feeding from the ocean’s surface to the seafloor. As great white sharks grow in size, so does the range of their prey. Smaller great whites prey on fish, rays, and crustaceans and when they are larger also eat seals, sea lions, dolphins, seabirds, marine turtles, rays, and other sharks.
Then came my turn for the ocean floor dive. The cage was slowly lowered into the water and down to the ocean floor at around 16m. The composition of the seabed was sand and rolling plains of seagrass. Cow nose rays grazed on the grass, and some trevallies ventured past the cage but still no sharks.
The following day began in much the same way. The kingfish joined me for the early morning session in the surface cage but no sharks, and no sharks visited our first ocean-floor dive of the day.
A couple of dolphins did swim past; usually, such an encounter would have elicited a joyous repose, but on this occasion, I was feeling a little disappointed as the cage started its assent to the surface.
I was starting to think this would be one of those rare trips where the sharks are a no-show. On the second dive to the depths, I caught a fleeting glance of a shark named Ghost, but that was it.
After lunch, I plopped into the surface cage, a little despondent but still hopeful, and it was not long before things really began to hot up, not the water that was still freezing, but most certainly the shark action.
First, a three-metre-plus shark named Mickey appeared out of nowhere and cruised past the cage. Suddenly, I stopped noticing how cold the water was and just stared in awe at this incredible prehistoric creature. From that point on, the shark interactions were non-stop and absolutely spellbinding.
Mickey stayed around for the rest of the day, and a nearly three-metre shark named Arrow joined him.
Our last ocean floor dive of the day did not disappoint either. The dolphins returned, but they brought the sharks with them this time. Mickey, Arrow and a huge, as yet unnamed, beast of about four metres came to check out the cage at different times in the dive.
While the action in the surface cage can sometimes be a little more fast-paced as the sharks go for the bait, the ocean floor cage is a much more sedate, almost serine experience.
The sharks glide under, above, and around the cage; they then vanish into the gloom before reappearing out of nowhere. For such big creatures, they are exceptionally good at creeping up on you!
Once back at the surface, I wasted no time and went directly into the surface cage. The light was starting to fade, but the sharks did not seem to mind, and the twilight offered some great photo opportunities.
On the final day at the Neptune’s, the boat planned to depart for the long journey home just after lunch. Fortunately, there was time for one last ocean-floor dive. Mickey again joined the fun and, this time, was joined by a two-and-a-half-metre female named Elle.
After the dive, there were still a few hours before the boat was due to up anchor and head back to Port Douglas. I spent the entire time in the surface cage; Ghost, Mickey, Seahorse and the big four-metre female all paid a visit.
The dolphins also returned and seemed to enjoy teasing the sharks. Each time there was a lull in the activity and the sharks disappeared for a while; I would consider getting out of the cage, then just as I was about to leave, a shark would reappear! I was well and truly addicted!
I have dived with numerous sharks, including tigers, bulls, oceanic whitetips, plus many more, but none of these previous encounters prepared me for my first great white shark; they are simply magnificent, an evolutionary masterpiece, and it was a privilege to be in the water with them.
This article was originally published in Scuba Diver UK #79
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