| Dates (Great White Sharks) | October 20 – 30, 2024, October 22 – November 1, 2025 |
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Four decades ago, I took my first dive with the Great White Sharks in Australia. In the company of none other than the legend himself, Rodney Fox, whose awe-inspiring interactions with these magnificent creatures turned my fear into a quest for understanding and protecting these misunderstood predators. That life-changing encounter lit a spark in me, a deep emotional connection with the Great Whites that has fueled my passion for exploration and conservation over the years.
Since then, I’ve experienced the mesmerizing beauty of the Great Whites off Farallon Island, South Africa, and Guadalupe, Mexico. But now, the call of the Australian waters beckons me back. This time, with Rodney’s son, Andrew, and an innovative diving method that draws not just one, but up to four sharks around the cages. Picture it: three or four graceful Great Whites, peacefully circling your cage, allowing a unique opportunity to observe their complex hierarchy and behavior.
This encounter is as intimate as it is exhilarating. With only eight guests and two cages, I envision hours of pure immersion, oscillating between the surface cage and the lower cage nestled 60 to 80 feet below. Imagine, the cage door opens, revealing an unobstructed view of the majestic shark in its natural habitat – the true essence of this peaceful predator on display.
And then, back on deck, over a cold drink, we’ll exchange stories of our dives, each one different, each one thrilling. After dinner, we’ll review your captures of the day, delighting in the images well caught, echoing with the joyful chorus of a day well-lived. Join us in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to truly understand and appreciate the existence of these magnificent creatures. Come, dive deep into an adventure that promises to move you, just as it moved me 40 years ago.
– Amos Nachoum, Expedition Leader
Depart from your hometown to Melbourne, Australia with connection to Adelaide
Day 1: Leave your country for Australia
Day 2: Arrive in Adelaide
Day 3: Flight to Port Lincoln and transfer to the vessel in the afternoon.
Day 4 – 9: Six (6) days of cage diving with the Australian Great whites.
Day 10: Return to Port Lincoln, fly up to Adelaide and overnight.
Day 11 – Departure to your home or next destination
Temperature
15 – 17C (59 – 62F)
Visibility
15 – 20 meters (45 – 80 feet)
Amos Nachoum is a distinguished figure in wildlife and underwater photography, seamlessly combining exploration and artistry for over 45 years. His dedication to capturing the essence of marine life has garnered him prestigious accolades, including twice winning the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year in animal behavior and the Siena Photo Competition in ‘Animals in Their Environment’ category.
Amos’s photographic excellence has earned him the title of Nature Photographer of the Year 2021 by Wilderness Photography. His impact on the artistic and conservation communities has been recognized with the NOGI Award in Art, solidifying his status as a leader in his field. His works have graced prominent publications like National Geographic, Time, and The New York Times, showcasing his ability to tell compelling visual stories.
In 2019, his documentary “Picture of His Life” unveiled his relentless pursuit of excellence and his commitment to marine conservation. As the founder of Big Animals Expeditions, he leads private expeditions, ensuring safe and intimate wildlife encounters during peak seasons. These expeditions, whether on land or in the ocean, reflect his immaculate safety record and deep respect for the natural world.
By choosing to embark on an expedition with Amos, adventurers open themselves up to a transformative experience. They learn from a maestro whose life’s work resonates with the pulse of the oceans and the dance of wildlife across diverse habitats. Whether a seasoned photographer or a nature enthusiast, participants in Amos’s expeditions gain unparalleled insight and a unique opportunity to connect with the wild.
Additionally, his work in marine conservation and education has not gone unnoticed. Amos has been named Seakeepers’ Man of the Year, acknowledging his unwavering commitment to the ocean and its inhabitants. Through his expeditions, workshops, and storytelling, he continues to inspire, educate, and ignite a passion for conservation in hearts worldwide.
Aboard the Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions vessel, you’ll experience an unforgettable and thrilling adventure, with comfort and safety as top priorities. The vessel has been designed and equipped to ensure an enjoyable and secure journey as you explore the fascinating world of great white sharks.
The expedition vessel offers comfortable accommodations for guests, with a range of cabin options to suit different preferences. Most cabins are equipped with private en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning for a pleasant stay. The vessel also features cozy communal areas, including a spacious dining area where guests can enjoy delicious meals prepared by the onboard chef. Dietary requirements are taken into account to ensure everyone’s needs are met.
The boat’s spacious deck areas offer plenty of room for relaxation, socializing, and enjoying the stunning ocean views. It’s also an excellent place for photography enthusiasts to set up their equipment and capture breathtaking images of the marine life, sunsets, and surrounding landscapes.
Apart from diving with great white sharks, guests aboard the Rodney Fox vessel often have the opportunity to engage in other activities, such as snorkeling, exploring nearby islands, or learning more about the marine ecosystem through informative presentations and talks from shark experts.
In summary, life aboard the Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions vessel offers guests a compelling blend of excitement, adventure, comfort, and education. The dedicated crew, comfortable accommodations, and commitment to safety ensure an unforgettable experience while diving with the incredible great white sharks.
When it comes to the shark diving experience, Rodney Fox Expeditions provides top-notch safety gear and uses custom-built cages for underwater encounters. The knowledgeable crew, with years of experience in great white shark diving, is always on hand to provide expert guidance, ensuring guests have a safe and memorable encounter with these magnificent creatures.
The Rodney Fox organization offers two distinct cage options for diving encounters: the lower cage and the surface cage. Each cage is designed to accommodate four divers, providing ample space and comfort.
Our group of eight guests will take turns alternating between the lower cage and the surface cage, ensuring equal opportunities for thrilling shark encounters. The lower cage is carefully positioned a few feet above the seafloor at depths ranging from 40 to 80 feet, depending on the sharks’ location. Once divers in the lower cage are at ease, the dive masters will open the cage door, offering a clear and unobstructed view of the environment and the majestic sharks gliding gracefully above the seabed.
To ensure equal filming opportunities, the four divers in the lower cage will share the open-door experience, with two divers at a time capturing the breathtaking underwater world. Additionally, guests can look forward to a day spent diving with playful Australian seals and embarking on a quest to discover and photograph the elusive weedy and leafy sea dragons.
Born in Adelaide, Australia in 1940, developed a love for the sea from an early age through fishing and spearfishing. In 1963, he survived a severe attack by a Great White Shark, which inspired him to build the world’s first shark cage and begin cage diving expeditions to observe and study the creatures. He filmed the first-ever underwater footage of Great White Sharks, which gained international recognition and contributed to the industry of shark cage diving. Rodney continued to run these tours and make films until 1999, and his son, Andrew, now carries on the family legacy as a world-renowned underwater photographer and advocate of Great White Sharks. Rodney is a prominent speaker at international conservation and diving events and has authored a book about his life called “Sharks, the Sea and Me.”
Grew up surrounded by sharks, as his father Rodney was a pioneer in filming documentaries about great white sharks. Andrew inherited his father’s fascination with sharks and spent as much time as possible observing and studying them. He even identified individual sharks by name and became an expert on their behavior and ecology. Andrew also developed keen photography skills and has cataloged over 1000 individual sharks. He established the Fox Shark Research Foundation in 2001 and began running Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions, offering tourists a thrilling live-aboard experience with sharks while also conducting research. Andrew is now a globally recognized authority on great white sharks and is often approached by the media for his balanced opinion on environmental issues, shark attacks, and shark culling.
You can reserve now by either paying a 33% deposit through our online reservation system or by mailing a check.
If you’d prefer to mail a check to our office or arrange for a wire transfer, please get in touch with us via the Contact BigAnimals form below.
All trip costs are subject to change without prior notice until your reservation is confirmed. In order to join an expedition, you are required to carry trip, health, and dive (if applicable) insurance. This information as well as your passport photo will be requested after you place your deposit.
Full payment is due no later than 90 days before departure. We reserve the right to sell any space that is not paid in full by 60 days before departure.
Your deposit reserves your place on the trip. However, the full amount is due 90 days or more before the expedition date begins.
You will receive a confirmation email when your application is received. When your deposit is complete, you will receive trip confirmation. Complete trip details will be sent upon final payment.
View the Expedition Page for Total Trip Price and Cancellation Policies
| Dates (Great White Sharks) | October 20 – 30, 2024, October 22 – November 1, 2025 |
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FINAL PAYMENT, CANCELLATION AND TRIP CHANGE POLICY
We at Big Animals LLC know how upsetting it might be for our valued clients to have to postpone or cancel a trip they have been looking forward to for months. We, too, are disappointed when plans must be changed. However, we make extensive preparations in advance of each trip and we are required to make nonrefundable payments to hotels and other vendors on a regular basis. Consequently, we must rigorously enforce our cancellation and trip change policy for all guests without exception.
Purchasing travel insurance is vital and may be obtained through a variety of insurance providers. Life in the modern world has taught us that trip cancellations and interruptions happen, luggage gets lost, and people have accidents prior to trips, and people get sick, and are unable to commence or complete anticipated journeys. Insurance is expected to provide you, as our valued client, with the protection and peace of mind in the event that all things do not go according to your intended plan. As a traveler, please be aware you are personally responsible for any expenses incurred due to illness or injury that may arise before departure or while you are on expedition — and as per the details below — cancelling or altering a trip without insurance becomes very expensive for all parties involved, including for Big Animals LLC.
We encourage you to make the responsible choice — protect your investment with a reasonably-priced, comprehensive insurance policy.
Big Animals LLC requires a deposit equal to 33% of the total trip price at the time of booking, including all applicable taxes, in order to secure space.
Once we have accepted your deposit and application, we will make non-refundable payments to secure your space with overseas vendors; consequently, all deposits on expeditions are also non-refundable, without exception.
There shall be no exceptions to this “FINAL PAYMENT, CANCELLATION AND TRIP CHANGE POLICY” for any reason, including, but not limited to force majeure.
Governing Law California. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement, and all acts and transactions pursuant hereto and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall be governed, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the state of California, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law.
