Shark Diving Australia

The Coral Sea is renowned for its remote reefs with walls plunging thousands of metres, attracting exciting pelagic fish life.  We make the most of this natural abundance by offering opportunities to observe sharks up close.  You will get near enough to admire these amazing creatures, from the glint of their silver sandpaper skin to the ampullae on their snouts, and be able to look right into their eyes as they swim past.

There are three unique experiences on offer:

Shark Attraction
Shark Attraction
Cruise mode
Approx 10 sharks
Photo Value
No additional cost
Shark Feed
Shark Feed
Excited / actively feeding
30-40 sharks
Photo Value
No additional cost
Private Shark Shoot
Private Shark Shoot
Cruise mode
Approx 20 sharks
Photo Value
*$75pp (up to 8)
Only on the below selected Coral Sea expeditions.
Coral Sea Exploratory
Far North Coral Sea Exploratory

*Private Shark Shoot conditions: Divers must have minimum 50 logged ocean dives, including two shark dives (can be shark observation and shark feed dive on this expedition). Additional consideration is given to the total number of dives; recency of dives and photographic experience.  Divers require a DSLR camera or a large compact camera rig (ie. GoPro shark shield as shark barrier – loaned free of charge).  Divers must wear all black including hood and gloves.
Only available on the following selected Coral Sea expeditions: Coral Sea Exploratory; Far North Coral Sea Exploratory.

 

 

Adam Barnett Bio

Adam has worked in a number of jobs associated with the marine environment including scientific research, education, and as a member of production teams on underwater documentaries. Adam’s research interest includes the ecology and conservation of chondrichthyans (sharks, batoids & chimaeras), teleosts and sea turtles. This includes studying the roles of predators in structuring ecosystems, with a focus on predator-prey relationships, and spatial ecology (i.e. migration, movement behaviour and habitat use). Other interests include assessing the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas for sharks, identifying essential fish habitats, and evaluating the effects of tourism on animal behaviour and health (e.g. shark provisioning and recreational fishing). Presently, Adam is involved in a range of research projects along the east coast of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Mozambique and South Africa.

Adam has a research position at James Cook University and is the Principal Scientist at the Biopixel Ocean Foundation, which aims to facilitate and undertake research, exploration and education related to the ocean.

Safety

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions takes safety very seriously.  Guests will be fully briefed prior to shark diving – a total of five safety briefs and a presentation – to ensure guests understand the risks involved, shark behaviour and how to respond in various situations to ensure a safe dive. Divers should be at the appropriate skill level and well prepared to dive with sharks.

All shark dives are closely monitored and controlled by our highly trained dive crew.  Since 1989, in excess of 15,000 guests have safely participated in our shark attraction dives.  See Private_Shark_ Shoot_Brief for an example of a pre-dive safety briefing.

Global Shark Diving

Mike Ball was one of the founding members of Global Shark Diving, an alliance of independent dive operators that provide some of the world’s finest shark diving experiences. All operators are committed to providing world class shark diving and operate within a code of conduct that is determined by their unique business, marine and safety requirements.

See www.globalsharkdiving.org for more information.

More Info

Download a detailed Shark Awareness presentation guide covering additional information such as the species we see, basic shark biology, photography tips and dive safety procedures.