Ocean Safari Update – Late Autumn Magic

We’ve had an incredible run of Ocean Safaris over the past two weeks. Conditions have been unusually calm—flat seas, light winds, and only the occasional pulse of swell. It’s one of those rare, quiet spells around Cape Town, and we've had the privilege of exploring it with small, intimate groups.

A major highlight has been heading north past Camps Bay and Sea Point, where we encountered a separate congregation of Heaviside’s dolphins in Table Bay. I captured several dorsal fin ID shots for the Happywhale catalogue—I'm curious to see if these individuals have previously been recorded by us in Hout Bay.

A somewhat unexpected moment was spotting a lone humpback whale feeding in Table Bay, taking advantage of fish clustered around a red tide bloom.

One of the most dramatic encounters came when we found a Cape fur seal consuming a huge octopus. Photographing the event was a challenge—the speed at which the seal thrashed its prey from side to side was ferocious. The octopus was so large that it took the seal several minutes to dismember and swallow it. Usually, if the prey is small, the seals gulp it down in one go. But when it’s large, they rely on powerful neck muscles and their trident-shaped teeth to tear it apart at the surface. For our guests, watching this primal moment unfold was captivating—and I managed to get one of my best-ever photos of a feeding seal.

Duiker Island has looked unusually bare, with wide, exposed stretches of rock and fewer seals than we’ve seen in years. We also noted two injured Bank cormorants and a tagged Cape fur seal—both of which were reported to the relevant authorities.

The recent swell brought a different kind of wildlife spectacle: big wave surfing at Dungeons, right along our safari route. Guests were treated to front-row views of surfers tackling one of the heaviest waves in the country. It’s not just wild animals out there—sometimes, it’s the wild humans too.

Snorkeling conditions have varied, with visibility occasionally affected by red tide and swell. But we’ve still found stunning patches of clear water at Cosy Bay, Sandy Bay, and Oudekraal. Guests have enjoyed encounters with pyjama sharks, dark shysharks, and even the occasional octopus and rock sucker fish.

Another special moment came with a distant but unmistakable sight: a Bryde’s whale lunging at the surface. We’ve also had fantastic pelagic bird sightings, with regular appearances from white-chinned petrels, giant petrels, Sabine’s gulls, and Cory’s shearwaters.

It’s a strong reminder that these safaris still offer something unique, even as we head into winter. We’ll be wrapping up the Cape Town season soon as we shift focus to our Sardine Run expeditions.

Here are a few photos from recent trips, including sightings of Momo and other unforgettable marine wildlife we’ve encountered along the way. Thanks for following the journey.

#oceansafari #capetown #animalocean