Shark Diving, San Francisco
San Francisco is well known for the Golden Gate, but the ocean off the coast of
San Francisco is actually also the only place in USA, where you can swim or dive with the
Great White Sharks.
So if you are from USA or you are visiting California, this is a great way to combine
sightseeing with a shark dive. San Francisco has both sights above and under the
water.
Great White Shark Diving, San Francisco
The season for shark diving in San Francisco is September to November.
Shark Diving, Farallon Islands
Near San Francisco lies the Farallon Islands, where the Great White Sharks come to
eat the Northern Elephant Seals, which makes it perfect for cage diving. Farallon
Islands are located roughly 30 miles of the coast of California.
So it does not have to take several days to see the Great White Shark on a shark
dive. Farallon Islands are close enough to be reach on a day diving trip from San Francisco.
Farallon Islands shark diving spot near San Francisco
The islands have been a National State Wildlife Refuge since 1969 and are also an
important research spot for the Great White Sharks.
Shark diving with Great American Days
The popular adrenalin-pumping company Great American Days has a great shark diving
package from San Francisco. Shark diving with this company have received very good
recommendations. And contrary to many other shark scuba dive companies, there will be
maximum eight divers/swimmers on board of the boat.
When you are at the shark diving spot, you will be placed in a shark diving cage
together with three other divers for approximately 30 minutes. Then you can rest
at the boat for about half an hour, before you get into the water again.
During the shark diving expedition, there will be utilized decoys to attract the
Great White Sharks to the surface and the cage. This method of shark diving has
proven very successful and is generally accepted for use inside a Marine Sanctuary.
Shark Cage Diving, San Francisco with Great American Days
You have to be at least 13 years of age to dive with the sharks. But you do not
have to be a certified scuba diver, because you will be air supplied from the surface.
The price is $775 for the 12 hours shark dive trips – which is not cheap. But included
in the price is also breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages (and transport to the
shark dive site of course). And when you are inches from the mouth of a Great White
Shark, you will think it is worth all the money.
Because the season for shark cage diving in San Francisco is only about two month,
you should book your shark dive well in advance.