This morning, we set off on a beautifully windless morning, with a slight chill in the air, but the promise of hot sunshine throughout. There was no more seabird feeding activity inside Hout Bay harbor as on past trip. Cape fur seals were resting on the barriers near the yacht club, and we spotted a large cluster of crowned cormorants on their usual roosting spot.
The swell was up, creating quite a bit of movement in the bay. After some searching and sightseeing along the cliffs of Chapman’s Peak, we found a small group of Heaviside’s dolphins playing in the waves in front of Tintswalo Atlantic. These dolphins were right in the shallows near the beach, occasionally jumping out of the water, giving the guests of Tintswalo Atlantic a stunning view. They swam under our boat before continuing on their way.
Next, we headed to Duiker Island, where Buffel, the southern elephant seal, was in his usual spot. He was accompanied by a Cape Fur seal carcass he had just killed, resting his head on top of it. The seal colony was a bit subdued, with only a few seals swimming in the water, as the large swell and surf broke around the island. The Bank cormorants were still actively building nests on the only seal-proof rock on at the island.
We took a moment to look at some interesting specimens I had brought along, showing our guests the tooth structure of a Cape Fur seal. We also brought some ocean creatures onto the boat momentarily to show the non-divers some citizens of the kelp forest. This is what I want to make the Ocean Safari, a full experience trip with learning and observations of our oceans.
We continued to Maouri Bay, navigating through the swell and marveling at the power of the ocean. Passing the Bos400 shipwreck, we noted Cape and White-breasted cormorants nesting on it. Our journey took us past Sandy Bay to Cosy Bay, where we entered the water for a cold kelp forest snorkel. Visibility was around 3 to 4 meters. The guests enjoyed spotting spiny starfish, urchins, rock crabs, and the beautiful underwater forest, despite the cold water.
The day was stunning, with the sun shining and temperatures around 30°C. A mirage danced on the horizon, caused by the contrasting temperatures of the cold offshore breeze and the hot air near the land. It was an amazing day, and we were fortunate to catch a glimpse of an adult African penguin. Watching Heavisides dolphin jumping was certainly a highlight, as well as the breathtaking views of the spectacular coastline around Cape Town. We can’t wait for tomorrow’s adventure!
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