The verdict
Best places to dive with shortfin makos
Isurus oxyrinchus
The most reliable place to dive with shortfin makos is Poor Knights, from February to April.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 0 of 6 at peak | February: 2 of 6 at peak | March: 1 of 6 at peak | April: 2 of 6 at peak | May: 0 of 6 at peak | June: 1 of 6 at peak | July: 2 of 6 at peak | August: 1 of 6 at peak | September: 1 of 6 at peak | October: 0 of 6 at peak | November: 0 of 6 at peak | December: 0 of 6 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 1,040 OBIS records of shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) within 60 km of 6 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with shortfin makos
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poor Knights | New Zealand | Feb–Apr | Near-guaranteed | 21 of 31 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Catalina Island | USA | Jun–Jul | Likely | 13 of 32 years | Shore, Day boat |
| 3 | Cape Town / False Bay | South Africa | All year | Likely | 11 of 32 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 4 | Outer Banks | USA | Feb | Hit-or-miss | 3 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 5 | La Jolla / San Diego | USA | Jul–Aug | Hit-or-miss | 9 of 32 yearsfew records | Shore, Day boat |
| 6 | Gansbaai | South Africa | Apr, Sep | Hit-or-miss | 4 of 32 yearsfew records | Cage |
When to dive with shortfin makos
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor Knights | Jan: Possible | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Catalina Island | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Possible | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Cape Town / False Bay | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Outer Banks | Jan: Not common | 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: Not common |
| La Jolla / San Diego | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
| Gansbaai | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Peak season | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common
Shortfin mako month by month
- January
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Poor Knights.
- February
- Season starts at Poor Knights. Also good at Outer Banks.
- March
- Best at Poor Knights.
- April
- The one peak month at Gansbaai. Also good at Poor Knights.
- May
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Catalina Island.
- June
- Season starts at Catalina Island.
- July
- Season starts at La Jolla / San Diego. Also good at Catalina Island.
- August
- Last peak month at La Jolla / San Diego.
- September
- The one peak month at Gansbaai.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cape Town / False Bay.
- November
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cape Town / False Bay.
- December
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cape Town / False Bay.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months shortfin makos are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poor Knights | Feb–Apr | 21–22 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Catalina Island | Jun–Jul | 19–20 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
| Cape Town / False Bay | All year | 15–19 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Outer Banks | Feb | 18 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| La Jolla / San Diego | Jul–Aug | 22 °C | 5 mm with hood and gloves |
What else you'll see with shortfin makos
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with shortfin makos: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with shortfin makos?
- The most reliable place to dive with shortfin makos is Poor Knights, from February to April.
- When is the best time to dive with shortfin makos?
- February, April, July, when 2 of the 6 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Poor Knights peaks February to April; Catalina Island peaks June to July; Cape Town / False Bay peaks All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with shortfin makos?
- At Poor Knights from February to April, the water is 21 °C to 22 °C, so bring a 5 mm with hood and gloves.
- How many places can you dive with shortfin makos?
- besttimetodive.com has shortfin makos on record at 6 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.