A New Shark Cage Diving Experience Is Coming To Canada & You Can Chill With Great Whites

Grab your bucket list, adventurers! A new shark cage diving experience is coming to Canada and you can get up close and personal with great white sharks.

Starting this summer, Canadians and tourists alike will be able to cage dive with great white sharks off the coast of Nova Scotia — an opportunity usually associated with countries like Australia and South Africa.

From August 1, Atlantic Shark Expeditions will run daily trips from Liverpool, which is around two hours from Halifax Stanfield Airport.

According to Nova Scotia's tourism website, the trip — described as "the ultimate life experience and adventure" — is a chance to search for sharks while learning from experts and contributing to research.

The company says the trip has a focus on exploration and discovery, as so much remains unknown when it comes to great white sharks in Canada.

If you're not quite ready to get face to face with these ocean predators, don't worry. Guests will have the choice of viewing the sharks from the boat or getting into the water with them — from the safety of a viewing cage, of course.

Unlike traditional animal-viewing experiences, shark cage diving puts the observer in a cage — one which has been designed to prevent any animal contact.

Naturally, guests will be required to wear a wetsuit and use a snorkel while in the underwater cage.

And if you were wondering whether you need any qualifications to get involved, don't worry — scuba-certification is not required.

In a recent interview with CBC News, Neil Hammerschlag — the marine biologist heading up the expedition — said he hopes the service will help locals and tourists alike to learn about these apex predators.

"We're really trying to solve the mysteries of white sharks off of Nova Scotia," he said.

"Globally, they're endangered and this might be like a remaining stronghold for those animals, so it's really important to figure out what makes them tick so we can make sure we can protect that to support their recovery."

Of course, it's worth keeping in mind that — due to the nature of, well, nature — shark sightings will never be guaranteed.

"Part of these expeditions is the adventure of exploration," Hammerschlag said. "It's not an aquarium. It's not a zoo. This is the wild, and the wild is completely unpredictable."

However, he noted that passengers will have the chance to spot other critters too, including seals, fish and birds.

It's not entirely in Mother Nature's hands though, as staff will use bait to lure sharks to the boat. Hammerschlag said chum will not be used, as the company is opting instead for bait such as tuna heads.

Expeditions will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with daily departures from August until November.

Passengers must be at least 10 years old and anybody under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 19 years old.

The trip costs $395 per adult plus tax, while students can get a discount at $355 plus tax.

This includes the shark experience, drinks and snacks on board, dive weights and a donation to conservation research.

It doesn't include necessary equipment (mask, fins, snorkel, wetsuit, gloves, dive hood), accommodation, full meals, transfers or tips.

Although some safety concerns have been raised by local surfers, Hammerschlag says the boats will always be at least three miles offshore — a distance which would minimize interaction with surfers.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.