From UWPMag # 35 March / April 2007

Port Lincoln is a city of over 14,000 and not only the biggest fishing port of the state in South Australia, but the one of the biggest fishing port in all of Australia. In particular, it is known for Tuna and where there’s Tuna, there’s bigger fish that eat Tuna, and that’s why I went to Port Lincoln, to dive with the Great White Shark.There are two licensed operators conducting cage diving in the area, most frequently at the Neptune Islands, approx 2.5 hours south of Port Lincoln. I have just returned from a memorable 4 days trip with one of the operators, Calypso Star Charters.

MV Calypso Star, at over 17 metre’s (55ft) comfortably accommodates eight passengers and two crew, a good number appreciating that you are looking for maximum time in the 3 man (2 with camera’s) cage. Food is plentiful and the rooms comfortable, this is a typical Australian live aboard, relaxed yet experienced and professional.

In 2003, I had also gone in search of the Great White, that time it was a day trip from Gansbaii in South Africa. It wasn’t fruitful so naturally a no show by White’s was a concern of mine this time. Fortunately, while January is off peak in Gansbaii, that’s not the case in South Australia and as a bonus or possible consolation, I’d also have the opportunity to dive with Australian Sea Lions and a shore dive with potential to see Leafy Sea Dragons.

Getting to and from Port Lincoln

By road, Port Lincoln is 645km from Adelaide (7 hours driving), or 45 minute’s by air. Adelaide Airport has several international connections, fortunately for me, it was a quick hop from Sydney.

REX Regional airlines, operates several flights a day to Port Lincoln from Adelaide. However flights fill quickly and with full Saab 340 aircraft, excess luggage charges generally do apply and occasionally, excess luggage can be held over for a following flight.

Calypso Star Charters provide limousine (Yes…a limo in Outback Australia!) transfer from and to Port Lincoln airport. Their rates also include accommodation for the nights before and after the trip in a lovely house located within walking distance of the departure Jetty.

Seals and Sea Lion’s

The weather was favourable for diving with the Australian Sea Lions (Neophoca cinerea) on the outbound leg to the Neptune Islands. For the Great White virgins onboard, this sounded more palatable than a dive on the return leg.

Hopkins Island is half an hour from Port Lincoln and the only time I would require a BCD and tank as air to the Shark cage is surface fed to 3 reg’s.

My camera rig for the 4 days was a Canon EOS 350D, EF-S 10-22mm lens, Ikelite housing and 8″ dome.

Maximum dive depth was 6 metres (20 ft) and I planned to shoot totally manually. In hindsight, with the excitement of the dive and the Sea Lions on my level, mid water and on the surface, starting in shutter priority, setting a shutter speed about 1/200th and letting the camera handle the aperture, would have been a better option. First new photo technique of trip learnt!

The primary visual difference between Sea Lions and Seals is that Sea Lions have ears. The Australia Sea Lions are Endemic to Australia with the most common sea in this area being the New Zealand Fur Seal.

Great White Sharks

Of the many encounters we had over the 4 days, approximately half were shorter than 3 to 5 minutes, not nearly enough time to get into a wetsuit, don a weights harness, get in the cage and ready to shoot.

I say you have to be in it to win it. My solution was to do some “Guard” duty in the cage and fortunately, it paid off, despite a nippy 16c water. All gear can be hired but standing in the cage for extended periods does call for a good fitting wetsuit, hood, boats and gloves and I found it worthwhile bringing my own.

That time in the cage let me work out my “wedge position’s”, because with the top of the cage sitting on the surface, the cage is rolling with the swell. Some form of tie to attach your camera to yourself would be recommended…you don’t want to drop that rig outside the cage!

The openings on the cage will comfortably allow an 8 inch dome through and in our cage we had a lower opening as well to provide alternate shooting angle.

This is wide angle shooting, strobes have minimal effect and are a nuisance in the rolling cage, pieces from the bait may also be in the water and you probably don’t want to light these.

Sun glare and small air bubbles coming off the boat can hinder photo opportunities, but fortunately Calypso Star throws a good shadow and the crew are keen to get instructions on best side to bait.

First dive in the cage, maybe 4 hours after arriving and we meet a 3.5 metre shark we go to know as Scarback. We had a 10 minute photo session where I realised our interest in him was being reciprocated (Gulp).

It was good to go shutter priority, but being only a metre below the surface and having a cloudless sky, dropping the Ev to -1 was a photo saver not just for me and my EOS 350D but also for the Nikon D200 and Olympus E330 that were also on board.

We had two other White sharks over the following days but alas the Mako’s that had visited a couple of weeks prior, didn’t show…now that would have been a bonus!

Leafy Sea Dragon’s

North of Port Lincoln is Tumby Bay, and its jetty presents an opportunity to dive with the Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus eques), Seahorses and if you have your corrective lens in, you may also spot some Sea Moths.

Of course, as with the Great White diving, no guarantee that you will see a Leafy but the probability is quite high. Calypso Star Charters can assist and organise diving at Tumby Bay Jetty.

There are several more “Leafy” dives available in South Australia, as well as some excellent fresh water and cave dives. For more details on diving in South Australian why not visit www.diveoz.com.au and www.southaustralia.com