It is only in South Australia that Rodney and Andrew Fox provide the special live aboard tours that incomparably maximize your "face to face" opportunities with Great White Sharks. Our special adventures depart from both Adelaide and Port Lincoln, and head out into the clear blue waters of the Southern Ocean. At the Neptune Islands we find an array of wildlife, including many bird species, dolphins, thousands of fur seals, and the beautiful and rare Australian Sea Lion. Here is the natural feeding ground of the Great White Shark. We can also organize tours for exclusive bookings, smaller groups and film crews.
Soon after his shark attack in 1963, Rodney organised the first ever "Great White Shark Diving Expedition". He designed and built the original shark proof cage, to make the very first ever films of live Great White Sharks, "Great White Death" and "Attack by a Killer Shark". This first film later inspired and helped raise the financial backing for Peter Gimbel in 1969 to use Rodney's expertise in "Blue Water White Death". Producing Great Whites was again required of Rodney in 1973 for the live shark sequences in Spielberg and Peter Benchley's blockbuster, "Jaws".
Just one year after the release of "Jaws" into the cinemas, Rodney lead the very first Cage Diving Expedition for non professional divers to experience the thrill of the Great White Shark "first hand"! Carl Roessler, with "Sea and See Dive Travel", bought out this first group of divers from the USA in 1976. This launched the ultimate diving adventure and is still generally regarded as the pinnacle in any diver's career. This event continues in the very same tradition and spirit today where we strive to make each and every expedition an unforgettable adventure of a lifetime.
Fox Expeditions are proud to continue providing a vital research platform for field studies. Such long-term productivity by the Fox's has contributed to the public education, imagery and resulting admiration that finally lead to the protection that Great Whites now enjoy worldwide.
The Trip
We operate out in the clear offshore waters of the Neptune Islands, which are only accessible through the use of large live-aboard boats like our expedition vessel "The Princess II". The shortest 4-day length tour allows us the time to first get to our viewing locations and back, while also catering for the chance of sitting out any spells of poor operating conditions or slow shark activity. We then give ourselves the best chance of enjoying that extraordinary and magical day when the sharks and their environment are at their best, and we can utilize all of our special facilities, partake in all the activities to maximize the entire experience.
After each expedition many passengers comment that they would love to return with us for even longer next time. So to see everything and have the most fun we highly recommend you spending as long at this as your time and budget can allow. Chances are you will probably want to come back again anyway!
Evening Prior departure: Most passengers arrive in Adelaide the day before departure. A complimentary welcome gathering is held at the Rodney Fox Shark Museum the evening before departure at 6pm. Here passengers get to meet the dive team, each other and here is an ideal opportunity to consider any last minute supplies or hire needs before we depart in the morning.
Day 1 (Departure Day): Expedition members are transferred to the vessel in Port Adelaide, and we depart by 12 noon. Once underway we have lunch, and that afternoon passengers have time to settle into their cabins and familiarize themselves with the ship. We serve meals, present talks, and prepare for the days ahead. After Dinner there is an opportunity to review of some of the classic shark videos in our collection. We aim to be on our first shark location before breakfast.
On location: Once on location we start chumming and watch out for sharks. We start cage diving and when conditions allow we also offer island excursions. After a test dive to orientate new divers with the shark cage divers are free to enter and exit the cages at their leisure. There is plenty of time just to relax or get involved in our research collection, or just enjoy the shark action topside. Activities revolve around the current shark activity, the shore parties, meals and special talks. After talks the nights are free to stargaze tell stories. The Ship is big enough to get away from people and find some privacy. We generally stay on location during the day, usually moving location only during the night to give us maximum productivity.
