We were especially looking forward to today, because we had chosen swimming with sea lions as an activity.
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The small town of Hout Bay
In the small town of Hout Bay, about 20 kilometres from downtown Cape Town, the animal ocean seal snorkeling agency offers an extraordinary snorkeling experience. Here you can find out about South African seals. Booking is easy and easy via the Internet. The meeting is right at the port of Hout Bay. Small tip: Since the weather conditions can often change quickly, you should call again if the snorkeling really takes place. It can happen that no boats go out if the weather is too bad and the swell is too high.
Duiker Island with the sea lions in Google Maps
Swimming with sea lions in South Africa
After a short briefing at the harbour, after a few minutes we started with a total of ten snorkelers.
The trip to Duiker Island, where up to 5,000 South African sea bears romp in the South African summer, takes only a few minutes by boat. On the passing cliffs and rocks you can already see the first sea bears lying lazily around and let themselves go well in the sun.
As soon as the engine was switched off, the first curious heads were already seen lurking out of the water. The animals here are neither fed nor trained – they are in their natural environment and behave naturally. This also includes really eyeing all snorkelers when they were in the water. You couldn’t look so fast, the sea bears had swam so fast past you – up and down, right and left. They were all very playful and curious. With the 11 degrees cold water (and this is really sau kalt despite the wetsuit!) we were in the water for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Snorkeling with sea lions at Duiker Island
Our video of swimming with the sea lions
Afterwards we were able to warm up to a hot chocolate on the boat and review what we had just experienced. What an extraordinary and unique experience! Here is a little video with our impressions:
All travelogues from South Africa & Zimbabwe
All travel reports from our trip through South Africa and the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Day 01 Travel planning for South Africa, Zambia & Zimbabwe (Africa) (Südafrika)Day 02 Cape Town – The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (South Africa)
Day 03 Cape Town – The colourful district of Bo-Kaap (South Africa)
Day 04 Cape Town – Table Mountain, Signal Hill & the Noon Gun (South Africa)
Day 05 Cape Town – Hout Bay & Chapman’s Peak Drive (South Africa)
Day 06 Cape of Good Hope – The Southern Tip of Africa (South Africa)
Day 07 Muizenberg – The colorful beach houses & World of Birds (South Africa)
Day 08 Simons Town – The Penguins at Boulders Beach (South Africa)
Day 08 Cape Town – Swimming with sea lions in Hout Bay (South Africa)
Day 09 The Imhoff Farm – Riding on the beach of Noordhoek (South Africa)
Day 09 Betty’s Bay – The Penguin Colony at Stony Point (South Africa)
Day 10 Cape Agulhas & De Hoop Nature Reserve (South Africa)
Day 11 Garden Route – The Gondwana Game Reserve in Mossel Bay (South Africa)
Day 12 Gondwana Game Reserve – Safari & the Big Five (South Africa)
Day 13 Oudtshoorn – The Cango Wildlife Ranch (South Africa)
Day 14 Panorama Route – God’s Window & Blyde River Canyon (South Africa)
Day 15 Kruger National Park – Safari & Lower Sabie Restcamp (South Africa)
Day 16 Kruger National Park – Safari & Olifants Restcamp (South Africa)
Day 17 Kruger National Park – Safari & Shingwedzi Restcamp (South Africa)
Day 18 Kruger National Park – Safari & Punda Maria Gate (South Africa)
Day 19 Pretoria – Nelson Mandela Statue & Union Buildings (South Africa)
Day 19 Johannesburg – Tourist Attractions & Things to Do (South Africa)
Day 20 Victoria Falls – Arrival in the City of Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
Day 20 Victoria Falls – The Waterfalls on the Zimbabwe Side (Zimbabwe)
Day 20 Victoria Falls – A boat trip on the Sambesi River (Zimbabwe)
Day 21 Victoria Falls – A helicopter tour over the waterfalls (Zimbabwe)
Day 21 Victoria Falls – The waterfalls on the Zambia side (Zambia)