Snorkeling with seals in Cape Town

Large, clumsy, and impossibly awkward; on land the Cape Fur Seals are not the most elegant of creatures!  But in the ocean they transform into artists of underwater acrobatics! This is what I discovered when I went snorkeling with seals in Cape Town.

Looking for fun activities with a little adventure is not a hard task when it comes to Cape Town, but exploring its coast and seal colonies is an experience not to be missed!

Donned with a double layer of wetsuits, a pair of fins, and a trusty mask/snorkel combo, our group of snorkelers jumped on board the boat and headed out to one of Cape Town’s several seal colonies, where we were greeted by the sight of hundreds of Cape Fur Seals lying upon the rocks!

The skipper dropped us down nice and close to the seals, our snorkelling guide leading us to the best seal snorkelling spot, and we proceeded to experience one of the most fun and memorable activities I’ve ever tried out in Cape Town!

The Cape Fur Seals are smooth, speedy, and completely agile in the water!  They twisted, danced, and played tug-of-war with kelp for us, revelling in our company, and posing here and there for a quick photo with our cameras!

The seals in their natural Cape Town habitat are the best performers, beginning with a slow waddle around as the boat arrives, then slipping themselves slowly into the water, presenting their incredible display of gymnastics, before basking in the sun in a self-congratulatory manner – flippers up in a round-of-applause!

With seal snorkelling gear, we could watch the best of both sides of the seals.  Their comical, lumbering movements on the rocks required just a slight head-tilt up to see, and their graceful, effortless swim was right below us – a never-ending movie in which we could interact!

Whether you’re just visiting, or whether you’re a Cape Town local, I would definitely recommend that you give seal snorkelling a try! It’s an unforgettable experience, and an adventure to be reckoned with! You will not regret it for a second!

 - Alexis Currin -