Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello joins Explore SA each Wednesday to share his holiday inspirations and latest tips on exploring South Australia with friends and family.
Each week Cosi will suggest a selection of beautiful landscapes to visit, events to get involved in and fantastic activities to enjoy.
There are only two places in the world where you can dive with the Great White shark, South Africa and a place, a little closer to home, called Port Lincoln. People head to the Eyre Peninsula from across the world for this exact reason and we are lucky enough to have it on our doorstep. It is a bucket list item like no other, coming face to face with a six metre shark that if you wanted to (and I do not recommend) you could reach out and touch.
I was lucky enough to be invited to experience all of this with Calypso Star Charters. This company knows how to impress tourists, they do it every day.
My experience was typical of most Calypso Star Charters: We board the boat after sunrise and head out of the Port Lincoln marina. What surprised me was the fact it is a long way out to the diving spot, around two and a half hours by boat. But, the trip goes pretty quick as the great staff serve ham and cheese croissants for breakfast. I go back for thirds as there is so much food. Despite my life long battle with my weight, I figure if a great white shark is going to eat me, I may as well taste like ham for his enjoyment.
When we arrive at Neptune Island everyone is super pumped about seeing these amazing creatures of the deep. We are given the safety chat from the crew about what to do when you are in the cage, then everyone heads off for a nervous toilet stop before the first group is called to put on their wetsuits. As if she is on the payroll the first shark clocks in and makes a spectacular appearance. Everyone rushes to the side of the boat she is on and takes a million photos. The funny thing is, after an hour seeing sharks glide past the boat, sharks become the norm.
When my mates and I are called for our turn we throw on the wet suits and hop into the water. It is a very weird feeling to willingly submerge yourself into shark infested waters, and to think we are paying for this. Our trip is instantly worth every cent as we see a five metre female shark , with her mouth open, cruise by so close that you can see something green stuck between her teeth. That has got to drive her nuts, I think to myself, you may be an apex predator but you cannot use tooth floss.
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As you get used to the breathing apparatus and your heart rate calms down a little, you start to appreciate the amazing sharks that are so close to us. The fact that you are in the water with your friends, making life long memories, is very cool too.
Shark diving is just one of the year round reasons to head to Eyre Peninsula. Things are happening all year round and we are only months away from the famous Tunarama.
I got as much out of diving with the sharks as I did out of sky diving, white water rafting or bullriding. It is just as memorable and suitable for most ages. Getting out of your comfort zone is the key to a fulfilled life and shark cage diving certainly does that!
For more South Australian holiday ideas see southaustralia.com
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