Port Lincoln now shark diving capital as Guadalupe Island, Cape Town’s fortunes sink

Government regulation and hungry orcas have scuttled two major shark diving sites, leaving Port Lincoln as the cage capital of the world.

Cage divers come face-to-face with a great white shark at Neptune Islands off the coast of Port Lincoln. Pictures: Andrew Fox

Port Lincoln is now the undisputed shark diving capital of the world after the Mexican government and hungry killer whales shut down its two main rivals.

Guadalupe Island, 250km off the coast of Baja California, had a reputation for huge sharks and crystal-clear water and in recent years it had become a go-to destination for US divers.

However it’s all come to a grinding halt, with the Mexican government shutting down live-aboard tours that operated in the area. In a statement released on January 9, the government said: “White shark observation may not be carried out in the Reserve for tourist purposes, to avoid altering their habitat, behaviour and feeding sites, and thereby preserve and conserve the species”.

Operators – based in California – countered by pointing out that their continuous presence in the remote area acted as a deterrent to poachers and helped protect the sharks.

The news comes as another popular great white diving site – off Cape Town in South Africa – has been effectively shut down by two rogue orcas who have been killing great whites and scaring them from the area.

Great white sharks at Neptune Islands off the coast of Port Lincoln. Pictures: Andrew Fox

According to South African shark scientists the two male killer whales – called Port and Starboard due to the way their dorsal fins fold – have had a “devastating effect” on the industry.

The closure and the orca activity has left Port Lincoln as the world’s pre-eminent location for great white diving, and Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions operator Andrew Fox said he had already noticed an increase in interest and bookings from the US.

“We might have to wait until the airfares come down again for it to really ramp up, but certainly the interest has increased,” Mr Fox said.

“And particularly with groups, because the Gaudalupe trips were five or six-day trips similar to the ones that we do.”

Mr Fox said it was big news for Port Lincoln, where shark-loving tourists from around the world stayed before embarking on a trip aboard the Rodney Fox or with daytrip operator Calypso Star Charters.

Cage divers come face-to-face with a great white shark at Neptune Islands off the coast of Port Lincoln. Pictures: Andrew Fox

“All of a sudden two of the three biggest white shark meccas of the world have dried up, so the world’s focus is very much on South Australia,” he said.

“Traditionally our customers were 90 per cent-plus from America but we saw that fall over the years due to Guadalupe and South Africa.”

Mr Fox said the success of shark diving operations at Neptune Islands was a testament to co-operation between all sectors.

“We’ve managed to have a very professional industry for many years now that is highly regulated and closely monitored,” he said.

“There is such a good relationship between the industry, government and science and everything is run very professionally.”

And for anyone thinking of heading west in the hope of having their own cage experience, Mr Fox said the summer season had been excellent.

“We had a good summer last year and this summer is even better,” he said.

“The best in eight years.”