Duiker Island boat cruise experience

Discover seals off the Cape Town coast

If you want to experience a colony of Cape Fur seals, then a boat trip to Cape Town’s Seal Island (False Bay) or Duiker Island (Hout Bay) is the best way to do so.

Many people think that the seal crowded island in Hout Bay is called “Seal Island”. Hout Bay is actually the place where you’ll find Duiker Island, and Seal Island is found on the other side of the Cape Peninsula, in False Bay. Both offer great opportunity to scope out seals in their natural habitat.

A buddy and I took a trip to Duiker Island in Hout Bay after winning tickets with Discover Africa.

The trip was extremely popular, leaving Hout Bay harbour at 10:00 on a rather full boat. We were lucky to be right up front so we could take in some of the amazing views. It was quite an overcast day and the sea was choppy which made for an exhilarating ride. Having an overcast day meant we were able to get some great photos with very dramatic skies.

As we rounded the Sentinel, Duiker Island came into view shrouded in mist caused by the choppy waves breaking on the rocks. There must have been hundreds of Cape Fur seals on the island and in the sea surrounding the island. It was fascinating to watch how the seals get back onto the rocks. They have to wait for a wave to wash them back on!

The captain of the boat took us in really close to the island, so that those of us with cameras were given the opportunity to capture great photos. We then moved around to the back of the island so that the people on the other side of the boat could also get some photos of the seals.

Even though it felt like we were out for 10 minutes, we were actually around the island for about 40 minutes.

Just before heading back to the harbour the captain of the boat headed over into slightly more choppy water for a bit of fun, before turning around and heading back to the harbour.

Written by Jon-Erik Munro