Animal Ocean Safari's

29/10/2024

And thats a wrap on another week of unbelievable sightings and adventure. Graced with all that Table Mountain National Parks had to offer us, it was smiles all round!
Discoveries were made, dreams came true, fears were conquered and memories were made and we can't wait to do it all over again and again!

25/10/2024

I love seeing my footage used for conservation media purposes. In this story by Carte Blanche, they highlight the plight of the African Penguin. Please watch and learn. See if you can spot a short clip of a penguin that I filmed quite a while ago. Great to see footage by Cape Town Freediving in the piece as well.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟮 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.On Robben Island, the small colony of African Penguins is often dif...

17/10/2024

Whilst at sea recently in False Bay, I spotted this odd-looking cormorant amongst a raft of African Penguins. I think the association was happenstance, the coloring was still very odd. Does anyone know what is going on here, or see it before? Could it be "breeding rump patch genetics" gone wrong? Its eye colour also looks odd. Thanks

15/10/2024

Success - Animal Ocean Supports Elephant Seal Rabies Vaccination Efforts

There is growing concern that rabies, now endemic in Cape Fur Seals, may spread to vagrant pinniped species, potentially reaching the sub-Antarctic islands and even Antarctica. In response, authorities have decided to assess and vaccinate vagrant seals that could contract and spread the virus. To protect marine mammals in the Southern Ocean, Buffel the Elephant Seal, was selected for vaccination.

I had the pleasure of assisting Gregg Oelofse from the City of Cape Town’s Coastal Management division, Wildlife inspector John Friedman from the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, and the Two Oceans Aquarium team, including seal guru Claire Taylor and vet Dr. Ilse Jenkinson, in administering the rabies vaccine to Buffel. Jean Tresfon joined us and has put up a FB post about this day out. This challenging task involved getting close to Buffel and administering the vaccination via dart, in a spot where his blubber is thinnest. Drawing on our Duiker Island experience, we were able to support the team and help safeguard Buffel from potential infections.

Buffel has been on Duiker Island since early September and is becoming more active. He seeks contact while defending his territory, though his behavior can be unpredictable. He has been fighting with Cape Fur Seals, and unfortunately, these interactions often end in their deaths.

On the day we vaccinated him, Buffel spent time swimming up and down the channel, vocalizing with deep, guttural roars that echoed across the water. His enormous size was striking, especially when compared to the Cape Fur Seals. Buffel still bears scars, including an injured left eye, and other marks of the tough life he’s led in South African waters, but he remains healthy and active on the island.

Rabies has had a tragic impact, halting our seal snorkeling and affecting both tourism and marine mammal care. It was once thought that marine mammals couldn’t contract rabies, but we now know that’s not the case, shifting our understanding of virus transmission in these species.

Rabies in Cape Fur Seals is also affecting water users in South Africa, from swimmers to spearfishermen and beachgoers. People are slowly realizing that the virus is here to stay, posing an ongoing risk. With that in mind, it was meaningful to help protect Buffel and reduce his chances of contracting the virus.

03/10/2024

What can I see on an ocean safari?

Is our most commonly asked questions, and what a great question it is! Table Mountain National Parks is home to a vast amount of fauna and flora, and its all right at our doorstep!

Our most common sightings are Buffel our famous resident elephant seal. Who is a sight all on his own. Heaviside, common AND dusky dolphins often come to play in the wake of our vessels, whales have been seen breaching in the distance, and sometimes we are even lucky enough to see Mola mola better known as a sun fish, and who could forget our famous Cape Fur Seals basking in the sun on the rocks of Duiker Island and many other local colonies. We have sightings of a vast array of sea birds, and this doesn't even cover the incredible underwater ecosystem that can be seen in our great african kelp forests while you're snorkeling!

Friday and Saturday this week are looking amazing! Please come and join us and experience Cape Towns marine world as we know it!

02/10/2024

The forecast is in, and it’s looking like perfect weather for our Ocean Safaris this Friday and Saturday! With clear skies and warm temperatures, there’s no better time to jump into the stunning underwater world.

Check out our thrill-seeker gearing up to explore the stunning kelp forests. From the exhilarating leap off the boat to the vibrant underwater world waiting below, Friday and Saturday promise incredible experiences for all!

Don’t miss out on the chance to enjoy these amazing weather days with us. It’s the ideal opportunity for snorkeling, marine encounters, and creating unforgettable memories. Secure your spot now and let’s make a splash together!

01/10/2024

OCEAN SAFARI's - This Friday and Saturday look great for an adventure on the ocean. We are running our Ocean Safari trips, Ill be there to show all our guests the coastline. We still have space on the Friday 1pm and Saturday trips 9am and 1pm - Please join us.

Bookings through the website - https://www.animalocean.co.za/ocean-safari-cape-town-hout-bay-animal-ocean

26/09/2024

Dive into adventure! Our guests today were treated with Heaviside & Common Dolphins, Whales, Buffel AND a Sunfish.

The conditions today were beautiful. The 1.8m swell meant the ocean was nice and calm and with a 12knot breeze keeping us cool in the beautiful Cape Town sun.

Come join us for an Animal Ocean Safari to make a the memories of a lifetime!

📸: .sivewright

24/09/2024

What a day! Yesterday, we had the most beautiful conditions we could hope for. The sun was shining, the ocean was flat, the vis was never ending and there was just a light breeze blowing.

We were so excited to have join us for her birthday surprise! Jess we hope all your wishes came true!

Thank you so much , , and Pauline for joining us!

23/09/2024

We're over the moon about this incredible review! Thank you for joining us on the Ocean Safari and for your kind words about our amazing team. Making unforgettable memories is what we’re all about!

17/09/2024

Another day of pure Cape Town bliss!

Although there was a bit of wind around it was an amazing trip! We had Humpback whales as well as African penguins come to say hi. Of course we stopped by the seals at Duiker Island to enjoy them from the boat.

Are you interested in knowing more about our Ocean Safaris? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks Samantha Sivewright for the beautiful photos

13/09/2024

Even Buffel our local Elephant Seal loves our ocean safaris! Buffel can clearly smell all the delicious snacks we have onboard for our guests.

Fun Fact: Southern elephant seals can travel over 20,000 kilometers (12,400 miles) in a single year? They undertake remarkable migrations between their breeding and feeding grounds, crossing entire ocean basins as they hunt for food and return to their breeding sites

13/09/2024

Ocean Safari ***** - Our First 5 Star Google review for Ocean Safari's ! With > 1000 5 star reviews for Seal Snorkeling over 15 years, this new review on a new product feels special.

Turns out changing the names on all the various platforms from Seal Snorkeling to Animal Ocean Safari, is not simple and will take some time (if its possible at all)

4.9 ★ · Tour agency

12/09/2024

Table Mountain National Park: Ocean Safari report 12 September 2024

This morning we head out into Hout Bay with a strong NW blowing, cloudy skies, and no swell. There was still a huge amount of seabird feeding activity inside the harbor. Cape cormorants, Swift and Common terns are very active between the yachts and fishing boats. There are still no seals resting on the wave booms as usual, instead, Cape cormorants were resting in this area as well as on the vessels and dock.

We encountered several small groups of Heavisides dolphin between Hout Bay beach and Chapmans peak drive, more than we usually see. We noted around 30 individuals over a 5km stretch of coastline.

I also saw that White-chested cormorants had built a huge nest out of plastic and fishing line, on top of the old jetty pylons. Resting inside the mound of trash was an Egyptian goose! Spot it in the images.

After viewing the cliffs and commenting on the geology of Chapman Peak drive, we heading across to Duiker Island. Buffel was deep in sleep on the island, resting in the middle and looking like a granite boulder. We headed into Maouri Bay to view the Bow 400 shipwreck and found many thousands of common dolphins spread out between Sandy Bay and Vulcan rock. The groups were spread of a huge area and as we followed travels to Kommetjie.

We noted one Humpback whale and a single young African penguin off Llandudno, as well as many White-chinned petrels. We returned to Duiker Island, but Buffel hadn’t moved. We snorkeled in beautifully clean kelp forests under the Sentinel mountain peak, before returning to Hout Bay harbour.
Great Ocean Safari, we all marveled at how amazing a trip like this is where the goal is following a passion for wildlife and ocean experiences.

Please share and help us spread the word about our Ocean Safrai trips. The website is still our old address, but the info and booking is correct - www.sealsnorkeling.com