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Dive or Swim with Great White Sharks: Experiences You Should Have Podcast Show Notes
Sarah’s trip was incredible. They saw over 20 different Great White Sharks over the course of 3 days. At one time, they had 6 circling their cages at one time. Sarah was very lucky because when I went at the same time 8 years ago, we saw about 4 Great Whites.
Sarah led her dive trip through Jack’s Diving Locker and she booked this trip really early and went with a group of friends and coworkers. Their boat had about 30 guests, and 13 of them were part of Sarah’s group. Now wouldn’t that be a fantastic trip to go on with your friends and family?
Where is the Best Place to go to Dive or Swim with Great White Sharks?
Not many people know this, but the best place to go for fantastic visibility and a great encounter is Guadalupe, Mexico. It’s a tiny island west of Baja Mexico, and it takes about 24 hours via boat to get there, which is why you would go on a small liveaboard boat for this kind of expedition.
The worst place to go swimming with Great Whites is the Farallon Islands. You can’t chum there and the visibility is low. Many people go to South Africa, however, the visibility isn’t very clear and the sharks are hit or miss.
The most reliable place to see Great White Sharks is Guadalupe.
How Do You Get to Guadalupe, Mexico to Swim with Great Whites?
You first fly to San Diego, California, then a bus will pick you up at your hotel. Sarah’s bus had a big life-sized Great White Shark on the side of it. They drive you across the border to Ensenada, and you have to walk across the border and get your passport stamped. Then you head to the port, and get on your boat!
Then it’s about a good 24-hour boat ride to get to Guadalupe. You sleep, eat, dive, and swim right off the boat, the boat becomes your home, hence why it’s called a liveaboard.
How Long is the Expedition to Swim with Great Whites in Guadalupe?
The average time needed for this trip is at least 7 days. It will take up a day to get from San Diego to Ensenada, then 24-hour boat ride to Guadalupe, 3 days with the Great Whites, a 24-hour boat trip back to Ensenada, then your bus ride back to San Diego, and you also need to allow time to get to San Diego from where you live. Budget at least a week if not more for this incredible experience.
What is Your Average Day Like at Guadalupe?
They opened the cages at 6:30 in the morning, and yes, everyone must use a cage (even though I personally would feel safe without the cage). There was no sun out and the water was cold, about 67-68 degrees. You might be tired, haven’t had your coffee yet, but who needs coffee when you’re jumping into cold water surrounded by Great Whites. The boat started chumming at 6:30, and the small fish showed up, then the Amberjacks came.
About 20 minutes into sitting around underwater in the cage, waiting for the sunrise show up, Sarah, saw a figure and was the biggest one they saw on their trip about 16-18 feet. Her name was Lucy and she has a deformed fin. She’s scraped up and ragged because many sharks are. Many Great Whites actually have scars from where Cookie Cutter sharks have bitten them, pretty interesting to see. You spend the entire day in the cage or up on the boat eating and warming up.
Sleep, Great Whites, Eat, Great Whites, Eat, Great Whites, Eat Great Whites, Story Telling, then Sleep… not bad at all.
The first day they saw 15 Great White Sharks and the second day they saw 10 Great White Sharks.
What was Sarah’s Favorite Part About the Trip?
Sarah’s not a photographer and loves watching animal movement. Her favorite part was putting her head closest to the cage as possible, then she would stare down into the open blue. Sun rays were shining down and she’s staring down at the blue (in her happy place) then all of the sudden she would see a tiny little face, growing and growing and materializing and you can see the happy face of the shark the sharks are swimming so slow, but with a direction. Then you watch this beautiful shark swim past the cage and towards the bait. The sharks were materializing just under them. Simply magical!
Sarah’s favorite thing about Great White Sharks is how they have a super silly smile on their face. Even with all of those teeth, they have a big, huge, emoticon smile and if you get a good profile of a Great White, you can see it’s big grin. They are so graceful, powerful, and calculated. She knew they weren’t interested in people and they didn’t even want the tuna out there. She knew they would be safe to swim with
Do Great Whites Breach in Guadalupe?
At one point in time, it was thought that Great Whites only breached in South Africa, however, Sarah saw Great Whites breaching multiple times! They would breach all the way out of the water and land belly down. It only took 3 powerful fin strokes with their back tail then their whole body would be out of the water trying to get the bait, then they would end with a big belly flop into the water with a big splash!
When is the Best Time to Swim with Great White Sharks in Guadalupe?
Mid-late October to early November is the best time to go to see the larger Great White Sharks. Sarah went October 25-30. August is also a good month, to see juveniles, but if you want the large Great Whites, plan your trip for October or early November.
What Boat Should You Go on for a Great White Expedition in Mexico?
There are many great boats out there, but Sarah went on the Nautilus Belle Amie. This boat has luxury staterooms, suites, and feels like a 5-star floating boutique hotel (according to their website). They also had the most cages out of the boats going out for this expedition. Plus, this boat has a hot tub! If you like nice boats and big animals, then definitely check them out. If you need a wheelchair-friendly room the Nautilus Undersea has one and this boat goes to Guadalupe!
Accessible Travel: Great White Sharks
If you have limited mobility, you may still be able to go swim with Great White Sharks! The Nautilus Undersea has an ADA friendly room, and as long as you are comfortable in the water, you could see these amazing sharks up close and personal. Note that the Nautilus Undersea also goes to Socorro, so if you’re interested in Socorro Island Diving and need an ADA friendly room, they’ve got you covered (based on availability). Also, if you’re an adventurer and love experiences, but may have limited mobility, then check out these Accessible Travel Ideas from EYSH.
Let’s Talk Cages for Great White Viewing (and certifications needed)
Everyone must use a cage, and on this boat, there were 2 surface cages that were always in operation during the day that could hold 4 people each. There were 3 cycling deep cages. By deep, we’re talking about 24 feet, which is fairly shallow. They get lowered and back up ever 45 minutes. They use a hookah system. The air is on the surface and gets pushed down to the regulators. The air is unlimited from the surface.
You need to be Scuba certified to use the lower cages, but you don’t need a Scuba certification to use the surface cages. Sarah preferred the deep water cages, but her boyfriend, Jeff (who was on my Blackwater Diving episode and who took these amazing photos) preferred the surface cages where the action was going on.
What Type of Gear Do You Need for Swimming and Diving Great White Sharks?
- Mask
- Wetsuit (at least 7mm)
- Neoprene Booties
- Neoprene Gloves
Sarah brought a dry suit on the trip but found that it was more hassle than what it was worth. When I went I wore a 7mm wetsuit with an added vest underneath. Leave your fins at home, you do not need fins in the cages.
You can also rent gear on the boat, but give them a heads up.
How Much Does it Cost to Swim with Great White Sharks
On average this trip costs about $3,000 per person (based on the room you book). It’s not the cheapest liveaboard, but this is the best place to go to see Great White sharks, and the cost includes all of your food, diving, and some beverages. Also, you need to bring a tip for the crew, about 10% gratuity for the total cost of the trip. A $3,000 trip would be around $300 tip at the end of the trip.
Age Limit for this Trip?
Most boats have a minimum age of 13 but check with the boat you want to go on and ask them.
About Sarah Mayte
Sarah Mayte is an adventure and shark loving woman. She is a dive instructor with Jack’s Diving Locker in Kona, Hawaii and leads many different types of dives including, Blackwater. She led a group of divers to Guadalupe, Mexico to swim with Great Whites and her favorite shark is a Whale Shark. Sarah and her boyfriend, Jeff, will be embarking on an expedition to dive all 50 states, starting with Hawaii, called Dive and Drive America. They will be traveling in their makeshift van and they are bringing their dog. They will be the first couple to dive all 50 states!
It’s going to take them 3 months, starting May of 2019 and ending in August in Alaska. Now that will be an epic road trip!
Follow them on Instagram!