Shark-baited freediving on the Umkomaas coast, near Durban

Organized by
1 hr
Everybody welcome
From 10 years-old and up
From€60

Hold your breath and descent to new depths with shark-baited freediving excursions, courtesy of Blue Ocean Dive Resort.

It's just you and the big blue - one breath to take you down as far as the sharks that swim below your feet. That's what freediving is all about.

In the company of Aliwal reef's four types of shark, learn the basics of freediving with an AIDA certified guide. Descend with circling groups of playful hunters and travel down the guide rope to see what lurks beneath on baited freediving experiences - all carefully controlled and monitored by Blue Ocean Dive Resort's experienced shark experts.

Location
A 30-minute drive from central Durban, Blue Ocean dive centre is situated in the small village of Umkomaas. Using rubber dinghies to access the Aliwal Shoal crown area, the ride out to sea is around 7km from the Mkomazi River mouth which takes about 10-15mins.

Activity
Using a bait stem and bucket suspended at about 8-10m, groups will swim amongst up to 40 oceanic blacktip, tiger, bull and dusky sharks (breeding season dependant) - up to 2.5m in length. Your AIDA freediving guide will help you with apnea breathing and show you depth diving techniques during the excursion.

Conditions
Ocean temperatures fluctuate between 17°C (June/July) and 27°C (Feb). Avg throughout the year: 23°C.
Seasonal sightings include:

-December to May – Tiger sharks
-December to February – Whale sharks
-Late May to November – Ragged tooth sharks
-All year - Oceanic blacktip sharks

Book your activity

From€60

Practical information

Baited freediving on the Kwa-Zulu Natal coast

Activity requirements

Parental consent required for unaccompanied minors

Special terms

Date, duration and dive site subject to change, depending on tides and weather conditions.

8 divers per dingy + 3 dinghies per dive.

Meeting point:
1 Reynold Street, Umkomaas, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
Spoken languages:English, French
Included
  • All necessary equipment
  • Freediving instructor
Excluded
  • Pick up (R 850.000 for 3 people - 1 hr radius of dive centre)
Do not forget to bring
  • GoPro
  • Swimsuit
  • Suncream
  • Towel

Reviews

Average rating

5/5

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Drejc K., Slovenia — 09/08/2019
5/5
We went free diving/snorkelling to see the sharks. It was an amazing experience. The dive master clearly explained the procedure and it is all very safe. When you come to the open sea and the bait with fresh sardines is thrown into the water, hundreds of sharks are immediately around. Amazing sight. First you are a bit afraid to jump into the water, but when you are in the sea and you see a 2m shark swimming by, you know that this is something you will never forget.

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