SHARK & TUNA TALES FROM PORT LINCOLN

Peering into the blue we were straining our eyes and turning our heads to get a glimpse of the shark. Splash, a scoop of chum hits the water. Splash, a tuna bait hits the water. Suddenly it appears. Rising quickly from the depths the shark zooms towards the bait and grabs it before one of the crew can reel it in. With the bait quickly swallowed, the shark silently descends back into the blue depths below. We had only seen the shark for a few seconds but were ecstatic; after all it was our first view of a great white shark.
    We were in a shark cage in the cool waters that surround the Neptune Islands , several small rocky outcrops in the Southern Ocean off Port Lincoln, South Australia. The seas off Port Lincoln has always been the best place in Australia to view great white sharks, and for one good reason, food, as offshore are large colonies of fur seals and sea lions. Until recently the only way you could see a great white was by joining an expensive liveaboard trip, with no guarantees of a sighting. But since 2006 local charter operator, Calypso Star Charters have been offering much more affordable one day charters to view this mighty predator.
    Boarding Calypso Star at 6.30am we had a two and a half hour journey south to the Neptune Islands . Skipper and owner Andrew Wright informed us that they have had an 85% success rate since they started the one day trips and on some days have had up to a dozen sharks visit the vessel and shark cage. The great whites they encounter year round at the Neptune Islands vary in size from 2.5m to 6m long, with the biggest females seen over the winter months.
    Upon reaching North Neptune Island the crew quickly had baits in the water; tuna frames, tuna chum and tuna oil. Andrew informed us that sometimes a shark will appear before they have even dropped the anchor, but other days they don’t show any interest in the baits at all. After three tense hours of watching and waiting, also spent watching shark videos and enjoying a lovely lunch, our first great white finally appeared, and then the action heated up!
    The first group of four divers entered the cage, while we watched the shark, about 4m long, from the surface. In the clear blue water we could see the shark rise from the depths to take a bait. To keep the shark interested the crew would pull the bait away from the shark, but they were not always quick enough, especially with the shark doing sneak attacks.
    After 45 minutes it was our turn to get into the cage. In the shark cage are four hookah regulators, no need for tanks, you also wear heavy weight belts and no fins, and you don’t have to be a qualified scuba diver. Slipping into the water we found the cage to be surprisingly large, comfortably fitting four divers, and with a spacious viewing panel, just big enough for a curious shark to stick its nose in.
    For the first ten minutes we peered into the blue, but no sign of the shark. Then it suddenly zoomed up from the depths to take a bait. WOW! That first underwater view of a great white shark is burned into our memory forever. The shark then disappeared for five minutes, reappearing under our feet. We kept getting glimpses of the shark for the next ten minutes, until it came after another bait, chasing the bait across the surface before diving again. For the 45 minutes we were in the cage we saw the shark eight times, but only for a few seconds each time. We were a little disappointed that the shark didn’t come closer to the cage than 4m, but still got out of the water exhilarated to have seen this majestic predator. Two more groups of divers entered the cage and a second shark made an appearance at the end of the day. We headed back to Port Lincoln on a high, with everyone having seen a great white underwater.
    We had booked two days with Calypso Star, just to increase our chances, as the last time Nigel did a great white trip in the 1990s he spent four days on a boat and saw no sharks at all! On our second trip we had only been anchored for 15 minutes when the first shark appeared. This shark was very hungry and did a series of surprise attacks on the baits, claiming several tuna chunks before a crew member could reel in the bait. This was spectacular to watch from the surface as this 3m long shark breeched several times.
    It was soon our turn in the cage, and with only seven customers today (Calypso Star takes out a maximum of 19 customers) it meant more time in the cage. We kept our eyes on the baits and only had to wait five minutes for the first attack. The shark quickly rose from the depths and nailed another bait, diving with its prize. We watched this large shark attack the baits again and again, sometimes it would slowly rise up to just have a look, other times we could see it gliding by on the edge of the 15m visibility. Even though this shark came in close to the cage today, within 3m, it wasn’t really interest in us. But Andrew informed us that all the sharks are different, some are interested in the divers, while others aren’t. After two hours in the cage we left the water with some good images and more importantly some great memories of watching these powerful, graceful and majestic sharks.
    Port Lincoln is one of the most famous fishing towns in Australia , with tuna the main catch. The local fishermen have pioneered the art of catching the tuna at sea and then holding them in pens to fatten them up, increasing their value by thousands of dollars. The bays off Port Lincoln are scattered with tuna pens and we couldn’t leave Port Lincoln without visiting one. Adventure Bay Charters  run regular trips to their tuna pen and you can even snorkel with the tuna. Matt Waller is the owner/operator of Adventure Bay Charters and took us out for a two hour tuna tour. Matt has a pen stocked with 50 yellowfin tuna, which are around 5 years old, a metre long and with very healthy appetites.
    On the way out Matt gave a talk about the history of the fishing industry in Port Lincoln and information about the tuna. While the others on the tour hand fed the tuna pilchards and watched them from an underwater viewing station, we slipped into the water for a very unique experience.
    We soon had tuna all around us, zooming passed us at high speed. As soon as a pilchard hit the water a tuna would explode into action and grab the bait. It was like watching silver bullets screaming past you. Photographing these fast fish was a challenge, even with a DSLR, as they were passed you by the time you hit the shutter. Hand feeding them was fun, as soon as you held out a pilchard a tuna would appear from nowhere and cleanly take the bait from your hand, without slowing down.
    Diving down a few metres and looking up was amazing, dozens of tuna shooting left, right, up, down and all around us. An hour snorkelling with the tuna passed all too quickly, but we exited the water impressed with these magnificent pelagic fish.
    Adventure Bay Charters also offer trips to snorkel with the Australian sea lion colony at Hopkins Island . We were hoping to finish our trip to Port Lincoln with a snorkel with the sea lions, but it was not to be as rough weather meant the trip was cancelled. However, this has given us the perfect excuse to return to Port Lincoln, and we will definitely be jumping back into a shark cage and tuna pen.

  More information contact – Calypso Star Charters and Adventure Bay Charters

Article appeared in Dive Pacific No.113 Aug/Sep 2009