Dyer Island diving
Dyer Island is named after Samson Dyer who emigrated from the USA to the Cape Colony in 1806. Ilha da Fera (Island of wild creatures) is what the Portuguese seafarers used to call it in the 15th century. The Island is located about five miles offshore from Gansbaai. It is considered a nature reserve and can't be entered by public boats, but daily trips are made for shark diving and to watch whales, seals, dolphins and other marine life. It is one of the recommended places to see both, whales and Great white sharks during the same boat trip. Diving Dyer Island is suitable for both experienced and beginner divers.
Always dive according to your level of training.
Never enter the water without checking with the local dive center for safety, additional information, level required for each dive site and without being accompanied by a professional.
All the information provided is purely informative for our readers and shouldn't be used as is to plan your immersion.
Average Water surface temperature: From 10°C to 15°C (50° F to 59°F).
Visibility often averaging: From 10 feet to 36 feet (3 to 8 meters).
Best time to visit is from July to December
Possible to dive all year round.
Great white Shark diving is a fabulous diving experience. Being in the shark cage face to face with the Great white is so thrilling, sharks may occasionally brush their tail against the cage as they are very curious to see the diver, but they don't attack the cage. Cage diving always depends on weather/water conditions, shark activity and eagerness. Sharks at some seasons may be sensitive to the slightest movement or the sound of scuba breathing equipment; therefore it might be recommended to start with snorkeling (in the safety of the cage) and after the sharks get used to divers to start diving. As sharks are surface feeders it is as well possible to watch them from observation boats and take spectacular shots.
Whale watching season is from July to December. You can do both, whale watching and shark cage diving at the same time. Permit holders are allowed to approach the whales up to a distance of 50 meters (164 feet) to watch them. Large baleen whales are spotted at Dyer Island dive sites; the average size of an adult is approximately 15 meters (49 feet) and it can grow larger. These large creatures migrate to Dyer Island shores in winter to have their calves.
Dyer Island is home to thousands of African Penguins; also known as the Black-footed Penguin. It's said that their largest colony is located on this Island. The African penguins breeding season is March to May, they can grow to 68–70 cm tall and weigh between 2 and 5 kg. Cape Fur Seals are also resident in this area. There are around 10,000 pups of this great divers born during the months of November and December every year.
