While South Africa is known for land-based wildlife safaris, there are also plenty of exciting things to do in the Western Cape that involve getting into the water. Whether it’s diving with sharks, seal watching, or dolphin spotting that you’re after, you’ll get all this and more in the Western Cape.
Shark Cage Diving
There are not many people who wouldn’t tremor at the idea of diving with sharks, but no one can say it’s not exciting. The brave few can enjoy free diving with pelagic sharks off Cape Point with Shark Explorers and Shark Dive Africa. However, if you’re not feeling quite brave enough for this, you can switch the open water for the safety of a shark cage in Gansbaai. You can also dive with sharks in a tank at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. All dive levels are welcome.
Penguin Spotting
Penguins have an odd charm about them and they are especially popular with kids. The Western Cape is a wonderful spot for enjoying the humour of waddling penguin colonies, whether at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town or at Stony Point in Betty’s Bay.
Free Diving with Sevengill Sharks
Sevengill Sharks are found in the shallow kelp forests of False Bay. These sharks are confident and curious, and known to come quite close to divers without any baiting. They reach around 3m in length and are not usually aggressive to divers. Shark Explorers, Animal Ocean, and Oceans Discovery all offer diving with Sevengill Sharks.
Whale watching
The Cape Whale Coast is a stretch of coastline that runs from Rooiels in the west to Quoin Point in the east, offering one of the best whale watching routes in the world between June and November each year. Whales, including Southern Right, Humpback, and Bryde’s whales are frequently sighted from Stony Point near Betty’s Bay, along the cliff paths of Hermanus, Kleinmond, and Onrus, as well as in Witsand, known as the whale nursery of South Africa. Oceans Africa offers full day boat based whale watching trips from Cape Town to Hermanus, and Cape Town Day Tours offers trips from Cape Town to Betty’s Bay.
Deep sea fishing
If you have a love for the open ocean and all that lies within it, consider signing up with a deep sea fishing charter service for a day. Popular companies include South Sea Safaris , Sportfishing Charters, and Hooked on Africa. Although catch and release is the preferred method of game fishing in South African waters due to the depletion of ocean life in recent years, exceptions may be made if you’re only looking to catch your evening meal. Mossel Bay, St Francis Bay, and Plettenberg Bay are also great spots for day trips.
Dolphin tours
South Africa’s coastline is one of the most ideal spots for dolphin watching. These friendly mammals can be spotted up close jumping out of the surf of both the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Get up close and personal with Bottlenose, Haviside’s, and Humpback dolphins, as well as whales while on a boat or kayak with Ocean Safaris. Lambert’s Bay Boat Charter also offers boat trips where Haviside’s and Dusky Dolphins as well as Southern Right whales are often spotted. Alternatively, Dolphin Adventures offers sea kayaking in Plettenberg Bay where you can get an up close experience with these magnificent mammals while paddling through the seas. The False Bay coastline and Simon’s Town in particular are fantastic for shore based dolphin watching.
Cape Fur Seal Diving
Bond with playful Cape Fur Seals when you book a diving or snorkelling trip with Apex Predators. The seals love to show off and are known for their displays of underwater acrobatics. The best place for this is Partridge Point, near Simon’s Town on the Cape Peninsula. There’s a colony of over 100 seals that have become accustomed to divers. You will also get to enjoy other marine life during your dive, such as wall sponges, featherstars, nudibranches, and starfish! You will be provided with a cylinder and weight belt, and all other equipment can be hired. Animal Ocean and Pisces Divers both offer seal diving in Hout Bay.
Don’t forget to check out our accommodation in the Western Cape, plenty of which will be happy to assist with booking marine safaris on your behalf. What marine safari would you like to try in the Western Cape?
Main image by Pisces Divers
