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Diving with Seals
Includes: Boat Ride, Snorkel Gear & Refreshments, transfers can be arranged from certain destinations - consult us for tariffs
2-3 hour Snorkelling Tour: from ZAR 350 p.p
2-3 hour Scuba Tour: ZAR 455- p.p.
If the inquisitive, whiskery visage of a somersaulting Cape Fur Seal won’t give you a smile, then nothing will! Spend a day snorkelling and scuba diving with these playful creatures off the Atlantic Coast of Cape Town, and you’ll discover just how much fun there is to be had out of the life aquatic.
A qualified dive-master will accompany you to meet the furry, frisky residents of Seal and Duiker Island, and the other wonderful marine creatures that share their habitat.
The experience starts at the picturesque fishing village of Hout Bay. Twenty minutes boat ride ahead lies Duiker Island, where a colony of 6000 seals live all year long. Here you can either scuba dive or snorkel your way into the enchanting company of the seals. The water of the Atlantic is cold; however, you will be equipped with a thick wetsuit with excellent insulation properties. You don’t have to be an experienced diver to join this adventure: your dive-master will give you a crash course in snorkelling if the need arises. Beginner or old hand, we invite you to pull on your flippers, take the plunge, and let the seals show you how it’s done.
Fur seals are so-named for their thick pelt, unlike true seals, which have only a thin covering of hair. For centuries, seal pups were hunted for their jet black pelts and for the beautiful olive-grey coat which they acquire after moulting. The adult's fur is too coarse to be suitable for use in the fur industry.
Now officially called the South African fur seal, this agile mammal is equally at home on land or in the sea. The adult male seal is just over 2m long and has a mass of 200 to 300 kg. Females are much smaller at 1,5 m and weigh between 50 and 75 kg. The South African fur seal's range is restricted to islands and the mainland coast between the rich fishing grounds of northern Namibia and Algoa Bay on the south-eastern coast of South Africa.
Although timid on land, the Cape Fur Seal is a bold and friendly animal when in the water, and will often follow divers as deep as 60m below sea level. So meet them on their own terms, bring a sense of humour, and prepare to be charmed!
