Diving with seals in Hout Bay

By Jax Bath

Since the announcement of the return of Level 3 Covid-19 regulations, ocean access has been severely restricted apart from a few exceptions. Fishing and tourism operations have been lucky enough to be allowed to continue operating, which is why this week’s oceanic adventure takes place in Hout Bay.

Last week, before curfew was pushed back an hour earlier, I hit the road at 6am from Gansbaai, making my way towards the west. My destination was Hout Bay Harbour, the meeting point for some boat-based scuba diving which is still allowed under the current regulations, with strict hygiene protocols! Gear in my dive box and armed with a GoPro, I was elated to be getting into the Atlantic again. I arrived around half an hour before the meet and watched as the fog enveloped the mountains before burning off to reveal a beautiful summer’s day.

At 9am, my dive school arrived and we began suiting up and setting up our gear for the day ahead. If you ever learn to scuba dive, it’s of utmost importance that you learn to do this yourself; after all, you’re the one relying on the system once you’re under the water. After finishing our set ups and having everything checked by our trusty instructors, we loaded the boat and set out into the bay.

Much like the Cape Whale Coast, Hout Bay is an incredibly scenic place to go to sea, with the mountains and sharp peaks providing a breathtaking backdrop. Despite only being 2 – 3 hours from the Overstrand, the ocean is vastly different here.

These cooler waters attract a variety of life not often found in Walker Bay, such as the acrobatic Dusky Dolphin and the endemic Heaviside Dolphin. This is also the area in which Humpback Whales form super aggregations of hundreds of animals who come together to feed off our coast, a phenomenon only recently discovered.

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