Did you know for every 1 human that is killed by sharks, there are 25 million sharks that are killed by humans? Yet, the sharks are the scary ones? No offense to the shark haters out there, but you have a better chance of getting killed in a car accident or struck by lightening. But for the shark lovers, I have the tour for you!! I have loved sharks and have had a fascination with these amazing creatures for a long time now. My dream has been to shark cage dive with Great White Sharks for years now. You can ask anyone who knows me well and they will tell you this has been at the top of my bucket list. Long story short, I found my way to Australia and made my dream a reality along with the added bonus of swimming with sea lions.
Calypso Star Charters is located in Port Lincoln, Australia. It is a quaint beach town in South Australia. Calypso Star Charters offers a Shark and Sea Lion Combo tour from September to May. I highly recommend this tour as you save time and money along with getting to interact with two awesome animals that you typically only see on TV.
Where to stay:
I highly recommend the Port Lincoln YHA Hostel. This place is amazing and affordable. For one, it is spotless. One of the cleanest hostels I’ve ever stayed in. The other positives are that they work closely with Calypso and you can easily set up a shuttle service to and from the harbour and to/from the airport. The hostel also has a huge kitchen, a movie room, and a bar. The hostel is very social as most of the people staying there will also be doing the shark cage dive and will probably be on your tour. One other positive is that there is a brewery right next door!!
What to bring:
- bathing suit
- change of clothes
- towel
- sunscreen
- sunglasses (or sunnies as they call them in Australia)
- cameras and go pros (and don’t worry if you don’t have a go pro, you can rent them on the boat!)
- sea sickness tablets (I highly recommend)
- money (even though all food, tea, and coffee is provided, they also have soda and alcohol for sale)
- don’t worry about brining any gear. They provide wet suits, masks, and fins for you!
Morning-Afternoon:
Be prepared to start your day bright and early as you get on the boat at 6:30am. Don’t worry, they have coffee! You then have a long boat ride to the sharks (or the sea lions depending on which one they decide to start with that day). So sit back and relax. Enjoy the sunrise and if you get lucky you will see dolphins, seals, and maybe even a whale along the way! This is the part of the boat ride where most people get sea sick. Pro tip: sit outside on the back of the boat and look at the horizon if you aren’t feeling well. The company also has a surplus amount of puke bags on the boat if it comes to that.
Shark Cage Diving
Once arriving to Neptune Islands (this is where the sharks are) you go over safety, rules, get split up in to groups, and then you begin to wait for the sharks to arrive. One of the many great things about Calypso Star Charters is that they are the only shark cage diving operator who is allowed to use natural fish berley to attract the sharks to the boat. This allows you to have the best possible chance of seeing a shark and to have a better interaction close to the boat and cage. Once the shark(s) arrive the first group suits up and heads in to the cage. If you aren’t scuba certified, don’t worry, you are still able to go in the cage as the company will teach you how to use the regulator (what you breath with) and practice with one.
Being in the cage and watching a Great White Shark swim within a few feet of you is a feeling I can’t explain. It is surreal and I felt so lucky at that moment to be able to be in the water with these massive and powerful sharks. I almost happy cried…and I never happy cry. Was I scared? Nope. I knew the sharks weren’t there for me. Contrary to popular belief, sharks aren’t maneaters… crazy I know. Each group gets about 30-40 minutes in the cage depending on how much shark activity is going on. As much as I loved being in the cage, I also greatly enjoyed watching the sharks from the boat. You can see them breach, circle the bait, and ambush the bait. It’s incredible.
Afternoon-Evening:
Sea Lion Swimming
After the sharks you take a boat ride to another island to swim with the Australian Sea Lions. This was also an amazing experience because the sea lions interact with you. If you twist and flip in the water, they do it too. They also come very close, maybe if you’re lucky the sea lion will kiss your camera.
After the sea lions you get back to the boat and start on your journey home. Now that you are out of the water, you can enjoy an adult beverage if you wish (they sell drinks for cheap compared to a normal Aussie alcoholic beverage!).
The other best part about this tour is the staff is well organized, efficient, safe, and you get fed all day! So don’t worry about bringing food. They supply everything! Truly a wonderful company. They also care about the environment, especially the ocean. Calypso Star Charters is Advanced Eco Certified and their captains are Eco Certified Guides. This means that their operations are environmentally conscious and sustainable. The guides are also all very educated about sharks, so ask questions! I think everyone should make a trip to visit these animals. Being able to see the sharks and sea lions up close gives you an even deeper appreciation for the ocean and the magnificent animals that call the ocean home.
