diving seal island, south africa

Seal Island dive guide

Seal Island diving

Seal Island is located off the coast of False Bay in the South East of Cape Town. The island is home to huge numbers of Cape Fur Seals. This makes it a great hunting spot for the Great White shark. Breaching sharks are an unforgettable sight, April to September are the best months to watch these predators fly.

Always dive according to your level of training.
Never enter the water without checking with the local dive center for safety, additional information, level required for each dive site and without being accompanied by a professional.
All the information provided is purely informative for our readers and shouldn't be used as is to plan your immersion.

Average Water surface temperature: From 15°C (59°F).
Average visibility: 19 to 25 feet (6 to 8 meters) and can reach feet (15 meters).
Best time to watch Great White Shark is between April and September.
Possible to dive all year round.

Seal Island in False Bay is an outcrop of granite and is inhabited by a large population of seals. Apparently there are about 64'000 of them living here. It's a small island, 2624 feet (800 metres) long and 164 feet (50 metres) wide, but is visited a lot because it's a great place to view the Great white sharks hunting. Cape Fur Seals attract great populations of these sharks and you can watch the spectacular phenomena of shark breaching which occurs here with more frequency than anywhere else. It usually can be seen either early in the morning or during late afternoon. Scientists have acknowledged that sharks behave differently at Seal Island, compared to anywhere else along the South African coastline. Cage diving is another way to witness these amazing predators from a safe distance. April to September are the best months for watching them because in this time the seal population is big. During the winter months the Great White sharks move off in their hunt for other prey. Photographers, do not forget your cameras as this is the chance to get great shots of hunting sharks and so many Cape Fur seals.

Although Seal Island is well known for its seals and sharks, you may also get to see whales. A whale encounter is most likely from the month of July to September. The Southern Right Whale and Brydes whales are commonly seen in this area.

There are many diving centers and tour operators offering excursions to Seal Island. This island is a short boat ride away from the coast and therefore daily outings are organized. You may choose to take a boat excursion to watch the breaching sharks or, for the more adventurous divers white shark cage diving. If you fancy, you can even combine the two experiences in the same excursion. You can also take a trip that lasts a few days in order to be in the sharks natural habitat long enough to study their behaviour thoroughly. These trips can be anything between 3 to 10 days, you will need to check with your travel agent or local travel agencies who can make a customized tour for you. These outings are recommended for those who study sharks, because they do not only get a glimpse of these majestic creatures but they get to understand white shark interactions. Underwater photographers may also greatly benefit as they can take pictures of many different poses of sharks and of the birds that inhabit this island. One of the bird species that can be seen here are Jackass penguins, the only penguin species which is breeding in Africa.

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