Scuba Diving at Guadalupe Island | Great White Shark Warning
Shark diving, or cage diving, also known as hookah diving at Guadalupe Island enjoys two distinct seasons between June and the end of November each year. The earlier part has the most sharks and later in the season these medium sized males 12-16 feet, give way to the GIANT female great white sharks in late October. We call this the Time of the Titans. The visibility when diving Guadalupe often is between 120 – 150 feet and its a great way to see these incredible predators. During the early season sexually mature and immature white shark males jostle for position often resorting to violence in the form of bites to the face and gills. By late October their female counterparts at up to 20 feet long arrive. In 2015 we were the first to spot and name Deep Blue the largest pacific great white shark ever recorded at 4000lbs and just shy of 20 feet long! There have been 219 great whites counted at Guadalupe since we first discovered this island in 2000.
Guadalupe Island shark cage diving sees generally colder temperatures from 19C- 22C and is best experienced for cage diving in August to October for weather conditions. It is likely you will be choosing a more substantial 5mm – 7mm full suit in these temperatures in comparison to nearby sites in Mexico, and these are included on America’s Shark Boat at no extra charge.
Discover Amazing Marine Life at Guadalupe Island
Cage diving Guadalupe Island is all about seeing Great White Sharks. They are the number one reason to dive in these waters, seeing these majestic predators at the top of the food chain hunting for food or playfully swimming in groups. Great White Sharks are the largest predatory fish in the world. Their method for catching prey is successful due to their camouflage underwater: the top of their bodies looking as dark as the sea bed when looking down on them and the underside of their bodies as light as the surface from underneath. Divers can observe this when diving with them in Guadalupe. Along with the big attraction of the Great White Sharks on your dive trip, when scuba diving Guadalupe you will also have the opportunity to see their prey. The dive sites in Guadalupe Island have this prey and are the reason for these great whites to be here. These waters are filled with elephant seals, sea lions and fur seals. All of these great food for the great whites to enjoy. If a great white shark eats a juvenile elephant seal they can survive for more than a month without having to hunt again! The 50 % body fat of the seal can sustain a great white for a long time.
Dive sites at Guadalupe Island
The best dive sites of this area are located around the island of Guadalupe used by divers as their best opportunity to see great white sharks in their predatory habitat. Dived in cages for safety this site is for any ability including untrained scuba divers. Spend one dive safe in the knowledge that there will be a feast for the eyes ahead. The type of diving in cages requires no previous experience of scuba diving. It can be enjoyed by all hoping to get a glimpse of this incredible fish or even photographers wishing to make that perfect shot. It is worth noting that you may need to ensure your insurance covers you for shark diving as this can be a specialist dive insurance need.
Getting to Guadalupe Island – Bus or No Bus?
America’s Shark Boat boards all shark divers in San Diego. Located just minutes from the San Diego airport. We are the natural choice for ease of travel to Guadalupe island as other vessels require divers to arrive in Mexico internationally through both Cancun Airport and Mexico City or take long bus trips to Ensenada.
Join us in San Diego and discover the lowest priced shark cage diving, best value, and vessel boarding in the USA. Let’s dive!
