Marine BIG 5 Ocean Marine Safari

South Africa is well-known for its Big Five sightings of lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo.  A lesser-known fact is that it is also home to the Marine Big Five - Common Dolphin, Cape Fur Seal, African Penguin, Great White Shark and the Southern Right Whale – all of which can be seen in False Bay.

Straddling the Atlantic and Indian oceans, False Bay, Cape Town is the ideal base to explore the oceans and its rich and diverse marine wildlife.

Your voyage starts in Simon’s Town which is an easy 45 minute drive from Cape Town city centre. Board our 36ft catamaran vessel at Simon's Town pier as we navigate False Bay starting with Boulders Penguin Colony.

Boulders Beach is home to 3,500 African Penguins and we pass by this colony en route to Seal Island often encountering hunting parties of penguins out on feeding sorties.

Seal Island is Africa’s largest island bound seal Colony and is home to an incredible 65 000 Cape Fur Seals as well as Cape Cormorants, Bank Cormorants and a wide variety of seabirds. We pass within 20 meters of this incredible spectacle.

Bronze whalers and summer shark species are inshore from September to March – we will search the inshore areas in the hope of locating and interacting with these apex predators. This part of the tour is purely for viewing the sharks from the boat and sightings vary daily.

Southern Right Whale Season is from August to November: - Up to 3,500 Southern Right whales mate and give birth along the South African coast. Bryde's whales can be seen year round and Humpback whales may also occasionally be seen.

Common Dolphins pods feeding on bait fish delight the ocean lover and are regularly encountered especially in the early part of each season. Occasionally Bottlenose and dusky dolphins are also seen.

Roman Rock Lighthouse is the first fully automated lighthouse

St James –famous for the Herbert Baker designed houses

Kalk Bay is a traditional fishing village which still retains much of its original character. The town was first inhabited in the seventeenth century by shipwrecked seamen and deserters. The fishing harbour offers fresh fish that can be purchased from the boats as they come in with the days catch.

Historical Sites
Simon's Town Naval Base, Boulders Penguin Colony, Ex Whaling Station, Seal Island, Roman Light House, Muizenberg Beach, Cecil John Rhodes Cottage, Sir Herbert Baker designed Houses in St James and Kalk Bay fishing Harbor.

Your trip will also include educational wildlife commentary on the area including historical comment on Simon's Town, Boulders, Muizenberg, St James and Kalk Bay.

Itinerary:

Morning trip itinerary
Arrive:	08h30 – Simon's Town Pier.
Depart:	08h45 +-2 hours at sea depending on marine life activity.
Arrive:	11h00 + - Simon's Town Pier

Afternoon trip itinerary
Arrive:	12h30 Apex Shark Expeditions shop – make payment
On jetty:	12h45
Depart:	13h00 + - 2 hours at sea depending on marine life activity
Return:	15h15 +- Simon’s Town Pier

Morning and afternoon trips are subject to availability.

Please be aware we need a minimum of 6 guests for this trip to go. Trip is weather permitting.
Maximum: 12 guests
Children: From 5 years old permitted under adult supervision

Includes:

Light snacks and refreshments.

Please note that like any Safari, wildlife cannot be guaranteed but every effort will be made to show as much Marine wildlife as possible by utilising our 20 years of operating experience on an almost daily basis in False Bay.

All marine wildlife will be approached according to the legal distance as required by Marine Living Resources Law

Enquire now