Dive Review of Shark Explorers/Simon's Town Quayside Hotel/various in
Africa/Simonstown and eastern cape

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Shark Explorers/Simon's Town Quayside Hotel/various: "Outstanding Operator and Location", Jun, 2014, by ROBERT PECORARO, NY, US ( Contributor 15 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 7920 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	We did a whirlwind tour of both the western and eastern cape of South Africa. The trip was approximately 3 weeks long and it started in Simon's Town, which is about a 45 min drive from the Cape Town airport. Simon's Town is located on False Bay, famous for breaching Great White Sharks. Shark Explorers offers a trip that allows you to witness this unique behavior and then get in cages for in water viewing of the sharks. Additionally we dove in the kelp forests of Miller's Point with prehistoric Seven Gill Sharks and numerous species of Cat Sharks. We also dove with a small seal colony close to shore. One day we took an off shore trip and dove with Mako Sharks and Blue Sharks, in amazing visibility. The visibility in the bay is variable. We had good days and bad days, depending on weather conditions. The Quayside Hotel in Simon's Town was great! It was located on the bay, overlooking the water. The boat picks you up right on the dock behind the hotel. Following a week in Simon's Town, we drove to East London on the eastern cape for the sardine run. There we saw migrating Humpback Whales and thousands of Common Dolphins and Bottlenose Dolphins, as well as Bryde's Whales, Sailfish, Tuna and diving Cape Gannets. Although we did not get an opportunity to get in with a bait ball, due to visibility issues. We then relocated to Port St. Johns to continue with the Sardine Run. We saw a lot more whales and dolphins and lots of Bronze Whaler or Copper Sharks. We did get an opportunity to jump in on an amazing bait ball and it was probably the most exciting event that we have done in the water. Loads of Bronze Whalers, Common Dolphins, Tuna and Cape Gannets working the bait fish into a ball and whittling it down to nothing. Shark Explorers set the whole thing up and they were with us every step of the way. I cannot emphasize enough what a professional operation it is. They knew the areas very well and we were able to see all the things we set out to see. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the operation was safe and professional. They made every effort to satisfy our group. I will definitely be diving with them again.
Websites	Shark Explorers Simon's Town Quayside Hotel/various
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Extensively in the Indo Pacific, South Pacific, Hawaii, Africa, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, Alaska, Antarctica
Closest Airport	Capetown/East London/Durban	Getting There	Capetown Airport and transfer by car/taxi. Very easy...Long drive (11 hours) to the Eastern Cape and then on to Durban airport at the end
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy, cloudy	Seas	calm, choppy, surge
Water Temp	55-70°F / 13-21°C	Wetsuit Thickness	0
Water Visibility	30-80 Ft/ 9-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	The diving was pretty relaxed. You could dive your own profile. We were on a group trip with experienced divers.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	> 2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	We had our own subject matter expert who organized the group. There was not one provided by the dive company, although there were photographers working for Shark Explorers who were sensitive to the needs of photographers. There were no rinse facilities but water hoses were available on the dock upon our return.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Shark Explorers/Simon's Town Quayside Hotel/various in Africa/Simonstown and eastern cape

Shark Explorers/Simon's Town Quayside Hotel/various: "Outstanding Operator and Location", Jun, 2014,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Shark Explorers/Simon's Town Quayside Hotel/various in
Africa/Simonstown and eastern cape