We set out on an ocean safari on a windy day in Hout Bay. The swell was low but noticeable, and fortunately, the winds didn’t reach the high speeds that had been forecast. In the harbor, we saw a variety of seabirds, including Hartlaub's gulls and swift and sandwich terns, resting on the docks for shelter. With clear visibility, we crossed the bay and moved into the sheltered waters near Chapman’s Peak, where we encountered a small group of Heaviside's dolphins gliding gracefully in a nearby cove. Along the mountainside, I noticed a shift in the vegetation—from the yellow hues of Bietou bush to the purple blooms of Pelargonium, signaling a change in the season.
After spending time with the dolphins, we passed the old manganese jetty and spotted an Egyptian goose still settled in its nest. In the bay, common terns swooped down to catch small baitfish, while Cape cormorants chased close behind. At Duiker Island, we witnessed Buffel, the resident male seal, with another Cape fur seal in his grasp. Observing the flexibility of the Cape fur seals resting on the rocks was truly fascinating.
We continued to Maori Bay, where we explored the shipwreck and were thrilled to see a small pod of dusky dolphins playfully swimming nearby. This site also hosts other regular visitors, like rock pigeons, red-winged starlings, and pied crows perched around the wreck. Moving toward Cozy Bay, we saw several small groups of dusky dolphins chasing baitfish, joined by diving seabirds. We snorkeled in the kelp forest at Cozy Bay, where visibility reached around 3 to 4 meters, giving us a glimpse of the underwater world.
We paused under the majestic Twelve Apostles mountain range for a snack, taking in views of the Strawberry Rocks seal colony and a small group of African penguins, now critically endangered according to IUCN status.
We got back to the harbour 40 mins later than planned, just because there was so much to see and luckily no one had pressing plans. I hope you enjoy this series of photos from today’s ocean safari. Thank you for joining us!
Thanks you for having us, it was an amazing experience for the whole family and one of the highlights of our trip!