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Expeditions serve as a platform for shark science and exploration, inviting guests to experience these remarkable creatures up close, while directly supporting essential research efforts.
Each expedition is more than a thrilling adventure; it’s a contribution to vital shark conservation research being conducted onboard. By joining us, you become an integral part of this research, helping to ensure the future of these magnificent creatures.
• Scientific name: Carcharodon carcharias
• Size at birth: 3.5 ft
• Maximum size: 20 ft
• Age at maturity: males: 26 years; females: 33 years
• Gestation period: more than a year
• Litter size: 2-10 pups
• Maximum age: 78 years
• Diet: Mostly seals, sea lions, elephant seals, dolphins, and fishes including other sharks and rays
• Depth surface to 4265 ft
• Speed: burst swimming speeds of up to 25 mph
• Conservation Status in Canada: Endangered
• Scientific name: Isurus oxyrinchus
• Size at birth: 2 ft
• Maximum size: 13 ft
• Age at maturity: males: 8-9 years, females: 18+
• Gestation period: 15-18 months
• Litter size: 4-25 pups
• Diet: Mostly, swordfish, tuna, sharks, and squid
• Depth surface to 1640 ft
• Speed: burst swimming speeds of up to 43 mph
• Global Threat Status: Near Threatened
• Conservation Status in Canada: Endangered
• Scientific name: Prionace glauca
• Size at birth: 1 ft
• Maximum size: 13 ft
• Age at maturity: males: 4-6 years, females: 5-7 years
• Gestation period: 9-12 months
• Litter size: usually 30 pups, but up to 80 pups
• Diet: Fishes, including herring, sardines, squid, cuttlefish pelagic octopi
• Depth surface to 1,148 ft
• Speed: burst swimming speeds of up to 43 mph
• Conservation Status in Canada: Not At Risk
Explore our Shark Shop for top-quality apparel and giftware. From shirts to Glass Meg Teeth, we’ve got every shark lover would desire (with new products added often)
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Don’t just take our word for it! Hear from fellow adventurers who have experienced the thrill of our shark expeditions firsthand.
Loved learning about sharks and getting to see them in their natural habitat. The whole team was so friendly and welcoming, making it an amazing experience from start to finish. The view from the boat was just as impressive as being in the cage. I highly recommend it and will definitely be back!
What an amazing day with Atlantic Shark Expeditions!!! The crew was super friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience both fun and exciting. We saw three female sharks, helped tag one, and got to see biopsy samples being collected for research. It was incredible to be part of real shark conservation and learn so much along the way. Everything was well organized and professional but still felt relaxed and welcoming. Definitely a bucket-list experience! 🦈🙌
My husband and I did the cage dive on the weekend and it was one of the best boat trips we’ve done! The day was beautiful, we got to swim with 4 sharks and the whole boat crew was so friendly and made sure everyone was having the best time they could! Keep up the amazing work!! If you’re on the fence about doing it, just do it you won’t regret it! As with any wild animal, sightings are not guaranteed so you have to go in to the experience knowing that but the crew does everything they can to bring the sharks in and have had great success this season.
What an amazing experience! As someone with zero experience with scuba equipment, this team made me feel comfortable and safe at all times. We had the privilege of viewing 4 great white sharks on our expedition! I was able to check off a lifelong bucket list experience and know I was contributing to shark research in the process. I cannot say enough great things about this team!
The experience was overall pretty awesome. We saw 2 great whites in total and they were hanging around the boat for a couple hour. The view from the boat and inside the cage were all very exciting. The first one showed up pretty early. The crews were also very friendly and helpful. They were very willing to providing support regarding local travel options and reschedules caused by weather.
Incredible. Absolutely incredible. I’ve said these words to myself countless times over the past few days, and I’m still in awe of what we experienced. This was our second trip with Atlantic Shark Expeditions, but our first Great White Expedition. Dr. Neil Hammerschlag and the ASE team went above and beyond. There is no amount of gratitude we can say for helping us make a dream come true. Not once, but FOUR times in a single day. Four absolutely beautiful great white sharks. An experience we will never forget. We are proud supporters of ASE and have so much respect for the work, dedication, and passion that goes into understanding these incredible animals. If you have ever dreamed of seeing great white sharks, I cannot recommend this experience enough. This is a true trip of a lifetime, and supporting organizations like ASE means supporting the research, education, and conservation that help us better understand these magnificent creatures. Still pinching ourselves. Four great whites. One day. A dream come true. Thank you ASE, we will be back!
The best experience of my life. Cannot wait to go back. The crew is so amazing! The Sharks did not disappoint!
Absolutely incredible experience from beginning to end! The crew was incredibly friendly, responsive, and welcoming. I had some uncertainty about where the meetup point was, so I texted them and they replied right away. Once I arrived, they showed me where to park, provided all the gear I needed, and made the entire process easy and comfortable. Everyone was extremely knowledgeable, great to talk to, and clearly passionate about what they do. I especially appreciated their patience and guidance throughout the experience. One of the things I value most about Shark Expedition is knowing that these trips help support Canadian scientists in continuing to research and better understand these magnificent animals. Sharks are such an important part of our ecosystem, and learning more about their behaviour and populations can ultimately contribute to better conservation practices. It was a privilege to share that passion with such a talented crew. The trip itself was professional, engaging, entertaining, and incredibly memorable. I felt well taken care of from start to finish. This is without a doubt an adventure I will never forget. Thank you to the entire crew for such an amazing experience. Absolutely recommended — and I will definitely be back!
What an incredible day on and in the water! Dr. Neil Hammerschlag and his team are amazing at what they do! If I could give them 10 stars out of 5 I would! Cannot wait to go back!
This was a bucket list item and was so impressed with the operation from start to finish. The crew is so knowledgeable and helpful to make sure everyone gets the experience they went for! We had a very curious Great White join us for hours. If you are thinking about doing this, stop thinking and just book it with ASE! I will definitely find a way to make it back.
Amazing experience and an amazing team! We were lucky to see 3 great whites. Truly a fantastic day! We traveled all the way from the UK and so happy we did.
An amazing experience. Best thing I ever did in this lifetime and I got to do it twice.
Fantastic! Nr. 1 bucket list item for me and it was exceeding all expectations! The staff is friendly and so knowledgeable and courteous. We saw 3 white sharks and they just hung around for hours. Recommend!!!
UPDATE: Visited a second time in Sept 2026 and once again had a fabulous experience. I can't wait to come back! OCT 2025: Absolutely amazing time! I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The whole crew was unbelievably kind, helpful, knowledgeable and really did everything they could to make us have a great time. 100% would recommend and hope some day I can make it back. Thank you for everything you did and are doing for our shark friends! Keep playing that ABBA!
The weather was amazing, the crew were top notch, and we saw 3 Great White Sharks that were 11/13/14 feet long!! All 3 ladies put on a Fantastic show for us all day 🦈☀️ The Atlantic Shark Institute's crew were able to obtain several tissue samples and other scientific calculations to help study sharks, their population, migratory patterns, and mating habits in Nova Scotia. We were basically honorary scientists for the day and they can't wait to see all of our footage so they can study that as well. They gave us certificate at the end that says so😉🩵🦈🚤📜
A huge thanks must go to the crew; my original date was threatened by bad weather, but they allowed me to rearrange to a day with much more favourable conditions. As for the day itself, the excitement of seeing 3 great whites was combined with learning a lot about the research that the crew conducts during the expedition. Highly recommend; if you want to see great whites in their natural environment, this is probably the place now.
We had a truly perfect day with Atlantic Shark Expeditions! From start to finish, everything was flawlessly organized and incredibly exciting. We saw 6 great whites sharks up close—an awe-inspiring experience we will never forget. As a shark lover it was a dream come true. It was spectacular to view them from both the boat and the cage. What made the trip even better was the amazing crew. They were professional, welcoming, and deeply passionate about marine biology and shark conservation. They made everyone on board feel safe, comfortable, and informed throughout the entire adventure. If you are looking for a world-class, once-in-a-lifetime experience in Nova Scotia, this is it. I cannot recommend them highly enough and I can’t wait to do it again.
this was truly a amazing experience, once in a life time ! The crew and sharks were the best !
Fantastic excursion! I have been on a few shark/cage diving outings and this is one of the best. The boat is well appointed, the cage brand new with a unique design that is partly clear acrylic to allow for maximum viewing and the crew went out of their way to make sure everyone had plenty of time to see sharks. A media package was offered at a very affordable price along with fun merch at the end of the trip... but without a doubt, seeing so many sharks up close totally made my day. I also enjoyed knowing that part of the fee I paid goes toward shark research and the crew, along with a student onboard, had amazing artifacts to show us. GOOD TRIP!!!
Atlantic Shark Expeditions gave me an experience I will carry with me forever. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed, cared for, and completely safe. The team’s knowledge, professionalism, and genuine passion for sharks made everything incredibly special. Being able to see 3 great white shark in its natural environment was a dream come true, but what made the day truly unforgettable was the way the entire experience was handled—with respect, patience, and so much heart. I’m deeply grateful to everyone at Atlantic Shark Expeditions for giving me such a meaningful and beautiful memory. It was far more than just an excursion—it was one of those rare experiences that stays with you.
What a surreal and amazing experience! The staff were knowledgeable, kind, patient, and fun. Each diver was well prepared before the dive. The crew was informative, vigilant, and very safety conscious. It was an adventure my family will never forget. Communication with this group of professionals was effortless before, during, and after the dive. What an honor to be able to be part of their important research and to see a great white shark. Would recommend to anyone.
Words can't describe how amazing this whole trip turned out. Was a little heart broken when my original date of august 30th was cancelled due to bad weather. But the reschedule has more than compensated with the weather and seeing a great white shark in person. The crew of the Apex are extremely friendly, knowledgeable and make the whole experience worth it. This is a once in a lifetime bucket list item and will 100 percent cure your galeophobia as seeing the shark makes you think more about its grandeur, size and grace. This is something i recommend to all fellow canadians as not many places in the world offer this
Simply one of the most incredible experiences of my lifetime, the scientific research crew was absolutely outstanding, informative and shared their knowledge and expertise freely.
We booked two back-to-back days with Atlantic Shark Expeditions, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. Neil, Maggie, Magdeline, John, and Gerry were all fantastic. Neil, Maggie, Magdeline, and Gerry were incredibly knowledgeable and generous with that knowledge, answering everything from simple questions about the sharks to more in-depth questions about their ongoing research. They made a point to keep everyone engaged, regularly opening things up for questions and sharing interesting details throughout the day. John and Magdeline were phenomenal getting us comfortable in the cage. They walked each of us through the regulators, breathing underwater, the cold, and the very real mental hurdle of getting into a cage with sharks nearby. They were calm, patient, and incredibly good at reading each person’s comfort level. By the end, they had taken us from nervous and unsure to genuinely relaxed and excited. You also get a test dive or two before the sharks arrive, which makes a huge difference. We saw several sharks our first day and only a couple on the second, but the crew kept the experience fun, informative, and engaging regardless. That’s wildlife, and they never overpromised. If you can, I highly recommend booking two days back-to-back. It increases your chances of seeing sharks, but it also lets you really settle into the experience. The second day was when we felt fully comfortable in the cage and could simply enjoy it. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can’t recommend Neil and the Atlantic Shark Expeditions team enough.
What a fantastic experience! Wow! We were incredibly lucky to see a female hang around off and on for a while. And the crew! Absolutely fantastic. They were kind and extremely patient! I would love to go back. My ONLY issue was that there 12 divers but only room for 4 in the cage so when she came around, not all of us had the chance to come face to face with her. I had read previous reviews from years prior and it seems they listened and adapted so I wouldn't go off of old reviews.
An adventure of a lifetime! Cage Diving, shark science, wonderful crew. A must for every shark geek.
We had a blast! This is a 100% must-do, bucket-list level experience. Captain and crew are amazing - friendly, professional and knowledgeable. Thanks for another great day guys.
What an exciting adventure. Well supported and coached by the crew. It was a privilege to share with our children. Highly recommend even if have no diving experience. Being part of the research team was so informative.
Got questions? We’ve got answers! Browse our FAQs to find information on booking, safety measures, wildlife encounters, and more.
Yes! From July through October, we offer almost daily shark cage diving expeditions departing from Halifax Harbour. Find the information here.
Yes, we like to say that our cage protects the sharks from the people! Our cage is made of reinforced aluminum, and we have a dive safety officer on board to supervise the cage diving.
The closest major airport is Halifax Stanfield International Airport (airport code: YHZ)
Depending on expedition, end of June through October
Booked an expedition? All logistics including what to bring, where to stay, and how to get there, can be found here.
📊 Cage Diving – Halifax
📊 Great White Expeditions
Exchange rates fluctuate daily. USD amounts shown are estimates. Check with your bank or card provider for the current rate. No additional international fees are charged by Atlantic Shark Expeditions. Early Bird and promotional pricing available for limited time only, there is no guarantee promotional pricing will be available at the time of booking.