The wind was expected today, but the reports were wrong—it never picked up in the afternoon, leaving us with beautiful conditions. The howling southeaster had caused upwelling along the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape coast, turning the water a sparkling blue with incredible visibility.
We headed across the bay to explore Chapman's Peak. No Heaviside’s dolphins were spotted, but we did see a large number of penguins still hanging around in the bay. Just inside the harbour, we came across a single seal and a white-breasted cormorant feeding on a bait ball of mullet—an unusual and interesting sight. Plenty of Cape fur seals were resting on the pontoons, and I counted three African oystercatchers taking shelter under the shadow of a fish-cleaning table, looking rather hot. It was an absolute scorcher in Cape Town today, so being out on the water was a real relief.
We traveled to a remote section of the coastline, where we were able to climb up the cliffs and jump into the cold ocean—a real thrill! It’s always special to access these parts of the coast that few people ever get to experience. On days with no swell, it feels even more adventurous. Even I pushed my limits—I’m not particularly fond of heights, but I found an exciting ledge to jump off.
From there, we crossed the bay to an island covered in Cape fur seals—at least 5,000 of them! The pups were swimming in the rock pools and cracks around the edge of the island, an amazing sight. So much young life about to take to the ocean. The interior of the island was mostly empty due to the heat, with only a few seagulls standing on the granite. Around the island, seals were swimming, and we noticed some manta skeletons drifting in the water—evidence of recent feeding activity.
Next, we traveled to the BOS 400 shipwreck and had an incredible snorkel session. We explored the kelp forest and wreckage, spotting big West Coast rock lobsters crawling over the exposed metal. The visibility was exceptional—probably close to 20 meters—with lots of natural light filtering through. The water was cold, but the conditions made for an unforgettable dive.
Out near Maori Bay, there was a lot of seagull and tern feeding activity, but we couldn’t pinpoint the exact source. The prey must have been very dispersed, with nothing forming into a concentrated feeding event—just scattered birds and a few cormorants.
We ended the trip with another snorkel behind the island in the Dungeons area, exploring the kelp forest. It was cool to see loads of juvenile red crabs scuttling around like little aliens. They’re almost transparent, with electric blues and greens, large eyes, and when they tuck their legs back, they look like tiny flying saucers. A few even latched onto our wetsuits before revealing themselves as crabs.
Finally, we headed back into the harbour, where we noticed a strong chemical smell—possibly oil, diesel, or paint stripper—floating in larger patches around the slipway and southern side of the harbour. Unfortunately, pollution remains an issue in this area, with thick sludge accumulating along the slipway. A number of penguins have been rescued this week, and I’m sure some wildlife will be affected by the contamination.
Overall, it was a wonderful trip with stunning conditions and some amazing wildlife encounters. Got some great photos—can’t wait for the next Ocean Safari!
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