Logbook coming soon — first tagging of the season
Our crew is prepping boats and tags. Stories drop weekly from September.
Stay tuned →
derhaai.com • Ocean Shark Experience
SWIM WITH
SWIM WITH
THE SHARKS
FEEL ALIVE.
DER HAAI — Dutch for “The Shark”. We run ethical shark diving, freediving expeditions and hands-on marine research. No fear-mongering. No touching. Just you, the blue, and 400 million years of evolution gliding past.
🦈
0Safe shark dives / year
🌊
0Expedition sites worldwide
🛰️
0Sharks tagged & tracked
CAGE DIVING • FREEDIVING • NIGHT DIVES • SHARK RESEARCH • PHOTOGRAPHY • YOUTH OCEAN CAMP • CAGE DIVING • FREEDIVING • NIGHT DIVES • SHARK RESEARCH • PHOTOGRAPHY • YOUTH OCEAN CAMP •
01 — About Der Haai
Not a fear factory. A shark house.
Founded in 2016 by freedivers and marine biologists, DER HAAI started as a tiny dive shack with one boat and a crazy idea: if people meet sharks eye-to-eye, they will protect them. Today we host 4,800+ guests a year, run satellite tagging with universities and clean 12 tons of ghost nets annually.
2016 — The first cage
Two friends, one rusty boat in Gansbaai. First 14 guests, zero incidents, one life-changing tiger shark named Bella.
Two friends, one rusty boat in Gansbaai. First 14 guests, zero incidents, one life-changing tiger shark named Bella.
2019 — Science first
We hired our first full-time marine biologist, launched photo-ID database with 1,200+ individuals.
We hired our first full-time marine biologist, launched photo-ID database with 1,200+ individuals.
2023 — 100% ethical
No baited touch dives, no captivity. Only observation, chumming under permit, and strict no-touch code.
No baited touch dives, no captivity. Only observation, chumming under permit, and strict no-touch code.
2026 — The pod
3 bases, 27 expedition sites from Azores to Raja Ampat, youth scholarships for 200 kids yearly.
3 bases, 27 expedition sites from Azores to Raja Ampat, youth scholarships for 200 kids yearly.
- ✔ PADI 5★ + SSI freedive center
- ✔ Marine biologist on every trip
- ✔ Max 6 divers per guide
- ✔ 5% funds conservation
🧬
Meet Dr. Mara Visser
Head of science — 11 yrs tracking blues, makos & hammerheads. She’ll be on your boat.
Head of science — 11 yrs tracking blues, makos & hammerheads. She’ll be on your boat.
02 — Experiences
Choose your depth
From first breath-hold to 30m blue-water drifts. All gear included, all levels welcome, all encounters wild and free.
Most popular
Cage Diving Encounter
Eye-to-eye with bronze whalers & blues. No scuba license needed. 3h boat, 45 min cage, hot soup after.
€129 / person
Freedivers
Blue Water Freedive
Drift with makos and blues on one breath. SSI Level 1 required, safety scooter + 2 safeties per group.
€189 / person
Adrenaline
Night Shark Dive
Plankton lights, blacktip reef sharks hunting in beams. Advanced only, max 4 divers, bioluminescence guaranteed.
€159 / person
Creators
Photo Pro Expedition
Two days with pro shooter, dome ports, editing masterclass. Portfolio of pelagics + 1-on-1 critique.
€449 / 2 days
Families
Junior Shark Rangers
Snorkel, ID sharks by dorsal fin, beach clean + lab visit. Ages 8-14, parents free on boat.
€69 / kid
Science
Research Volunteer Week
Tag, measure, take DNA clips. Live tracking dashboard, co-author credit in annual report.
€890 / week
03 — Expeditions 2026
Three trips. Zero cages. All wild.
Azores • Sep 2026 • 7 days
Blue & Mako Madness
Princess Alice Bank. 20-30 blues per day, makos torpedoing through bait balls. Liveaboard, 12 guests max, hydrophone nights listening to sperm whales.
Reserve seat — €2,490
South Africa • Nov 2026 • 5 days
Sardine Run + Tigers
Moored in Aliwal Shoal. Tigers 3-4m, ragged-tooths, bait-ball chaos with dolphins & gannets dive-bombing. Cage + scuba combo.
Reserve seat — €1,89098%Would dive again
0Incidents since 2016
12tGhost nets removed
4.9★2,140 reviews
💚
5% of every ticket = science
Transparent ledger published yearly. Track your shark live.
Transparent ledger published yearly. Track your shark live.
04 — Impact
Tourism that protects
We don’t just show sharks — we employ them as ambassadors. Every dive funds tagging, reef restoration and free ocean school for coastal kids.
- 🛰️ 312 sharks tagged — follow Bella, Storm & Hammer-Henk live on our tracker
- 🧹 214 beach & reef cleans — 12.4 tons of plastic & nets removed
- 🎓 1,840 kids educated — free Junior Ranger program + scholarships
- 📸 Photo-ID open database — 4,200+ citizen-science IDs used in 6 papers
OUR NO-TOUCH CODE: No riding, no grabbing, no flash in eyes, 3m distance, guides can end any dive. Sharks first, selfies second.
05 — Gallery
Postcards from the blue
Shot by guests & guides. No aquariums, no filters needed.
★★★★★
“I cried under water. A 4m tiger looked straight into my mask for 20 seconds. No fear, only awe.”
— Lena K., Berlin
Tiger dive, Aliwal Shoal
★★★★★
“Safest operation I’ve dived with in 15 years. Briefing was military-precise, vibe was family.”
— James O., Cape Town
Freedive, Azores
★★★★★
“My 10-year-old now wants to be a marine biologist. Junior Rangers is pure magic.”
— Sophie M., Amsterdam
Family snorkel
06 — Journal / News
Fresh from the boat log
Science updates, encounter stories, conservation wins. Click any story to read the full article — each has its own page.
How we run zero-incident shark dives
Briefings, positions, exit signals — inside our safety playbook.
Our method →Why photo-ID beats tagging alone
Dorsal fins are fingerprints. How your photos become science.
Impact →07 — FAQ
Asked on every boat
🦈 Is it safe? Really?
Yes — 4,800 dives a year, zero serious incidents since 2016. You’re briefed, supervised 1:3, and we follow strict no-touch, no-chase protocols. Sharks are curious, not aggressive, when respected.
🎒 Do I need a license or experience?
Cage dives: no license, just basic swim skills. Scuba with sharks: Open Water minimum. Freedive blue-water: Level 1 + 15m comfort. Juniors: 8+ can snorkel.
🤿 What’s included?
All gear (7mm wetsuit, mask, fins), marine biologist guide, photos of your dive, hot drinks, harbor fees and conservation contribution. Just bring swimsuit + towel.
🌊 When is best season?
May–November for blues & makos (Azores), year-round for tigers (South Africa). Night dives run April–September. Water 18-23°C — we provide thick suits.
💚 How ethical is chumming?
We use small amounts of fish oil under scientific permit, never hand-feeding, never touching. Independent audits yearly. If sharks show stress, we leave — no exceptions.
Last seats 2026
DIVE WITH DER HAAI THIS SEASON
Harbor office open daily 8:00–18:00. Answer within 2h. Groups, team-buildings & private charters welcome.
📍 Harbor 12, Gansbaai & Marina Port, Horta (Azores) • No spam, only tides.