Life under the ocean is amazing because the people who love adventures are fascinated. To have a close-up experience with these incredible sea creatures, shark cage diving has become one of the most popular things to do. But here a question arises, are these shark cages really safe? Learn the answer in this guide.
In this article, we will explore the following details:
- Design of the Shark Cage
- Regulations and Rules for Shark Cage Diving
- Staying Safe: Instructions and Training For Shark Cage Diving
- Dive Depth in Shark Cage Diving
- Why is Shark Cage Diving Easy and Safe for Everyone?
- What are the Famous Places to Experience Cage Diving?
- Real Examples: Has Anyone Been Attacked in a Shark Cage?
- Extra Tips For Cage Divers
- Final Thoughts: Making the Most of Shark Cage Diving
Design of the Shark Cage
To make strong shark cages, materials such as steel and aluminum are mostly used. The design of the shark cage provides a clear view and handles the force of the shark’s attack/hit. For the safety of sharks, the bars of the cage are designed in such a way that stops them from sticking their teeth or nose. In this way, the sharks and the divers both are safe and sound.
Regulations and Rules for Shark Cage Diving
Different countries in the world have made some rules and regulations to keep shark cage diving safe. These rules and standards include what information participants should know, how the operators should work with different things, and how the cages are made. The operators have to follow the predefined safety steps. Before each dive, the cages are checked thoroughly to make sure they are safe.
Staying Safe: Instructions and Training For Shark Cage Diving
Right before going into the shark cage dive, the participants get detailed safety talks. These detailed talks cover things like what to do in an emergency, how to get in and out of the cage, and how to act in front of the shark. Divers also have some special precautionary gear like masks and wetsuits for safety.
Dive Depth in Shark Cage Diving
Shark cage diving is known for its shallow waters, making sure a safe and thrilling experience. The cage is typically positioned just below the water surface maintaining a depth of around 10 -15 feet. The type of shark, the preferences of divers, and the location, all affect the depth of the shark cage.Â
Some of the operators do allow the diver to go deeper, like 30-40 feet. Experienced divers or those who wish to get closer to specific types of sharks should use this. It’s all about providing them with options and tailoring the journey to their preferences.
Why is Shark Cage Diving Easy and Safe for Everyone?
A shark cage dive is something that anyone can try as it does not go very deep, and no proper experience is required. It is easy for a newcomer who has never dived before to come and join in the shark cage dive. All the necessary and basic instructions are delivered by the team that is managing the dive.
To determine whether shark cage diving is safe or not, the scientists who study sharks and oceans play a very important role. Shark cage diving can support shark conservation efforts when done properly and correctly, according to several experts.
What are the Famous Places to Experience Cage Diving?
Below we have listed the few popular and most favorite places to experience shark cage diving:
1: South Africa: Dyer Island, Mossel Bay and Gansbaai are the popular places in South Africa for the best shark cage diving experience.
2: Hawaii: Oahu is a famous place in Hawaii to experience shark cage diving in the crystal-clear water.
3: Bahamas: Exuma Cays and Tiger Beach are the popular locations in the Bahamas for Shark Cage diving.
4: Mexico: The locations like Baja California and Isla Guadalupe are famous places for fantastic shark cage diving experiences.
5: Australia: Neptune Island and Farallon Island are the two best places in Australia for shark cage diving.
6: New Zealand: The Western Cape and North Shore are the best places to experience cage diving.
Real Examples: Has Anyone Been Attacked in a Shark Cage?
While diving in a shark’s cage, no human has ever died. Following are some real examples of shark cage incidents:
1: South African Incident: Sharks and Safety
Shark cage diving is one of the most famous things in South Africa. Sometimes the behavior of sharks is different, they don’t behave as expected, but these events are uncommon. The great white shark entering the cage with the diver was captured on camera in 2015. This illustrates the significance of having tight safety regulations and maintaining awareness when participating in shark cage diving.Â
2: Australia: Shark cage incident 2018
In Australia, a great white shark broke out of its cage in 2018. Luckily, there were many safety measures in the shark cage, so nobody was harmed. This occurrence made people take a closer look at how the cage is constructed and highlighted the significance of constantly improving safety measures.
Extra Tips For Cage Divers
There are some extra precautions, divers can consider while diving with sharks in a cage:
- You must consider the water temperature while choosing the destination as in cage diving you will be mostly within the cage and will be less active than regular scuba diving so there are high chances of getting colder.
- Take some extra clothes with you for your warmth.
- Follow safety measures properly to avoid injury.
- Eat well to keep yourself warm during the dive and stay hydrated.
- Sharks like Great white Sharks are ambush predators, and they approach novel objects so, avoid eye contact with the sharks.
Final Thoughts: Making the Most of Shark Cage Diving
In the end, if you choose a reliable operator who follows the rules, shark cage diving is thrilling and safe. The incident ratio is not that high as the team shark cage dive makes sure that all the operators are working accordingly and that there is no fault in the manufacturing of shark cages.
If you are an adventure lover and want to experience shark cage diving, make sure to choose a well-known operator, follow all the rules and regulations, and stay informed about the updated safety details about shark cage diving. If proper precautionary steps are taken by the divers, then shark cage diving is safe, and anyone can enjoy the live interaction with the great sea creatures on the ocean.
