South Australia Great White Shark Trip Recap
June 2025 | Rodney Fox Liveaboard | Trip Leader: Tim Yeo
Underwater Camera Equipment Used: Sony a6700, Sony a6700 Ikelite Housing, Sony 10-18mm lens, dual Kraken KS-160 strobes
Overview
This one-of-a-kind adventure brought us face-to-face with South Australia’s most iconic and elusive marine wildlife. From thrilling cage dives with great white sharks to snorkeling with playful sea lions and diving with the majestic leafy sea dragon and giant cuttlefish, this South Australian expedition delivered unforgettable moments both above and below the surface. Our home for the week, the Rodney Fox, may be an older vessel, but she’s rich in history and is perfectly outfitted for shark encounters as the only operator in the world with a cage on the sea floor.
Check out this amazing video from the trip!
June 9, 2025 – Arrival in Port Lincoln
Guests arrived in Port Lincoln via short flights from Adelaide. We recommend pre-booking a taxi or shuttle, as there are limited transport options at this small regional airport. Australia enforces strict biosecurity laws, so travelers are advised not to bring any food or organic materials into the country.
Most guests checked into the conveniently located Marina Hotel, where the Rodney Fox crew would pick us up the following evening.
June 10, 2025 – Town Day & Embarkation
With a full day before embarkation, guests explored Port Lincoln at their leisure. Some relaxed at the hotel, others went mountain biking on the sand dunes, and a few joined 4x4 wildlife tours in the local conservation park.
The crew picked us up at 7:45 PM and welcomed us warmly aboard the Rodney Fox. After a round of briefings, paperwork, and cabin assignments, we settled in for our first night onboard.
June 11, 2025 – First Shark Dives
Rough seas at Grindal Island altered our plans to visit Australian sea lion colonies, so we made our way to the Neptune Islands for cage diving.
The vessel is equipped with two types of shark cages: a surface cage and a seafloor cage. The surface cage uses a hookah system and accommodates up to four guests at a time, with unlimited access available to both divers and non-divers throughout the day. Unique to the Rodney Fox experience, the seafloor cage is the only one of its kind in the world, designed specifically for certified scuba divers. It offers two dives per day, for a group of three divers and one cage master, and is lowered to depths between 60 and 80 feet. Dives typically last 20 to 25 minutes, providing an extraordinary opportunity to observe great white sharks in their natural environment.
On our first afternoon, groups 2 and 3 were lucky to encounter a great white on the seafloor cage. It was a slow start to the trip, but we have many more days to look forward to.
June 12, 2025 – A Quiet Day
Despite 11 cage drops throughout the day, no sharks showed up until all gear was packed up and a lone female shark cruised past the boat! Nature keeps her own schedule. We ended the evening with a fascinating presentation on great white shark behavior and the legacy of Rodney Fox.
June 13, 2025 – Meet “Izzo”
Right on cue after breakfast, a large 9ft female shark known as Izzo showed up and made several passes throughout the day, including at depth with the scuba cage. She stayed active for most dives, thrilling our divers with close passes and elegant circles. While shark numbers were lower than previous weeks, the quality of encounters more than made up for it. One guest even commented that the shark encounters are better than Guadalupe Island in Mexico!
June 14, 2025 – Leafy Sea Dragon Dive
With deteriorating weather at the Neptune Islands expected to continue, we made the call to steam north to Tumby Bay for a jetty dive in search of the elusive leafy sea dragon. The water was a chilly 57°F, but our patience was rewarded when we spotted one gracefully camouflaged among the seaweed, swaying in perfect harmony with the kelp. Only four of us saw her on the first dive, so we returned for a second, and this time, everyone caught a glimpse of this truly magical creature. That evening, we continued onward toward Whyalla for the next leg of our adventure.
June 15, 2025 – Giant Cuttlefish Aggregation
In chilly 56°F waters, we descended into the shallow seagrass beds of Whyalla, site of the world’s largest and only known aggregation of Australian giant cuttlefish. Each winter, tens of thousands of these remarkable creatures gather along this stretch of coastline to mate, making it a globally significant marine event. We watched in awe as cuttlefish flashed vibrant colors, postured for dominance, and paired off to lay eggs among the rocks and seaweed. The density and activity were unlike anything most of us had ever seen underwater. While the morning dive was enough for most, a few hardy souls braved the cold again for a second dive before we headed back out to sea.
June 16, 2025 – Shore Excursion
With poor weather offshore, we anchored in a quiet bay and took advantage of calmer conditions to explore the coastline by zodiac and foot. A welcome land-based break and a chance to stretch our legs.
June 17, 2025 – Sea Lions & Shark Showdown
This morning we snorkeled and dived with endangered Australian sea lions at Hopkins Island, one of the highlights of the trip. These playful pinnipeds are found only in southern and western Australia, and with fewer than 12,000 individuals left in the wild, they are one of the rarest sea lion species in the world. Curious pups darted around us in the shallows, performing loops and somersaults, engaging enthusiastically with both snorkelers and divers.
Fortunately, the weather had started to improve by the time we returned to the Neptune Islands, where we anchored near Crystal’s Crack. Within minutes, a massive 12-foot female great white appeared, making dramatic passes by both the surface and underwater cages. She was later joined by a feisty 6-foot female, adding even more energy to the scene. It was a day filled with exhilarating encounters with two of the ocean’s most iconic and endangered predators.
June 19, 2025 – All-Day Shark Action
We were treated to nearly non-stop shark activity with our 12-foot female showing up right on the first drop and staying until the last at 4PM. The smaller female popped in occasionally, but the large female dominated the scene with her curious circling of both the surface and underwater cages.
That night, we celebrated with fun “Jaws Night” costumes, trivia, and laughs all around.
June 20, 2025 – Final Dives & Farewell
Our final morning delivered one last gift: exceptional cage dives with two great whites circling the cages during each session. Spirits were high as everyone surfaced from their last dives absolutely beaming.
We returned to Port Lincoln by evening, where a shuttle took us back to our hotel for one final night before departure.
Final Thoughts
This trip had it all: great white sharks, leafy sea dragons, sea lions, and giant cuttlefish all combined into one unforgettable South Australian itinerary. It’s rare to find a single expedition that offers the opportunity to see so many of the region’s most iconic and elusive marine species, and we were incredibly fortunate to experience them all. From adrenaline-filled cage dives with great whites to the quiet magic of finding a leafy sea dragon swaying among the kelp, every day brought something special. The combination of unforgettable wildlife encounters and a passionate, knowledgeable crew made this a truly one-of-a-kind adventure.
Many thanks to the team aboard the Rodney Fox: Skipper Slavko, Trip Director and Master Baiter Maddi, Dive Crew and Cage Masters Emma, Ashley, Iris, and Hex, and our chefs Maddie and Chris.
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