Diving with Great White Sharks

Great white shark seasons are highly location-dependent. South Africa (Gansbaai/Simon's Town): best April to September when sharks come inshore for seal hunting, though sightings have declined in recent years. Guadalupe Island, Mexico: August to November, with the largest females arriving in October-November. Neptune Islands, South Australia: year-round but best April to October. Farallon Islands, California: September to November.

Great white shark encounters almost always take place from within a shark cage, which is lowered from a specialised boat. No diving certification is required - you breathe from a surface-supplied hookah system or simply hold your breath while in a surface cage. Guadalupe Island (Mexico) offers the clearest water and most predictable encounters, with both surface cages and submersible cages to 10 metres for certified divers. South Africa's Gansbaai and Simon's Town are other top destinations. Cage-free encounters are possible at Guadalupe for experienced divers, though this is controversial and not widely available.

For cage diving, the operator provides all equipment - a wetsuit (7mm in South Africa's cold waters), weight belt, mask, and either a hookah breathing system or scuba tank. You just need to bring warm clothes for the boat trip, seasickness medication, and a waterproof camera. A GoPro on a tray works well inside cages. For the submersible cage at Guadalupe, you'll use standard scuba gear and need proof of certification.