The verdict
Best places to dive with bronze whalers
Carcharhinus brachyurus
Your best chance with bronze whalers is Gansbaai, from All year, though no site we score is a certainty.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 2 of 4 at peak | February: 2 of 4 at peak | March: 1 of 4 at peak | April: 1 of 4 at peak | May: 0 of 4 at peak | June: 0 of 4 at peak | July: 1 of 4 at peak | August: 0 of 4 at peak | September: 0 of 4 at peak | October: 0 of 4 at peak | November: 0 of 4 at peak | December: 2 of 4 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 319 OBIS records of bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus) within 60 km of 4 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with bronze whalers
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gansbaai | South Africa | All year | Likely | 19 of 32 years | Cage |
| 2 | Poor Knights | New Zealand | Jan–Feb | Likely | 11 of 31 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Cape Town / False Bay | South Africa | Dec–Feb, Apr | Hit-or-miss | 9 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat, Shore |
| 4 | Protea Banks | South Africa | Mar, Jul, Dec | Hit-or-miss | 2 of 26 yearsfew records | Day boat |
When to dive with bronze whalers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gansbaai | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Poor Knights | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Cape Town / False Bay | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Possible | Apr: Peak season | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Peak season |
| Protea Banks | Jan: Not common | Feb: Possible | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Peak season |
Peak season Possible Not common
Bronze whaler month by month
- January
- Season starts at Poor Knights. Also good at Cape Town / False Bay.
- February
- Last peak month at Poor Knights. Also good at Cape Town / False Bay.
- March
- The one peak month at Protea Banks.
- April
- The one peak month at Cape Town / False Bay.
- May
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Gansbaai.
- June
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Gansbaai.
- July
- The one peak month at Protea Banks.
- August
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Gansbaai.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Gansbaai.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Gansbaai.
- November
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Gansbaai.
- December
- Season starts at Cape Town / False Bay. Also good at Protea Banks.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months bronze whalers are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gansbaai | All year | 15–20 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Poor Knights | Jan–Feb | 21–22 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Cape Town / False Bay | Dec–Feb, Apr | 16–19 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Protea Banks | Mar, Jul, Dec | 22–27 °C | 5 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with bronze whalers
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with bronze whalers: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with bronze whalers?
- Your best chance with bronze whalers is Gansbaai, from All year, though no site we score is a certainty.
- When is the best time to dive with bronze whalers?
- December to February, when 2 of the 4 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Gansbaai peaks All year; Poor Knights peaks January to February; Cape Town / False Bay peaks December to February, April.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with bronze whalers?
- At Gansbaai from All year, the water is 15 °C to 20 °C, so bring a 7 mm semi-dry.
- How many places can you dive with bronze whalers?
- besttimetodive.com has bronze whalers on record at 4 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.