What you're booking.
Five hours inside False Bay, run for birders. Not a cruise with birds in the background: a steady boat, an unhurried pace, and a skipper who positions for the light and holds off the breeding sites.
What's on the water
The bay carries a serious list for a sheltered body of water:
- African penguins, fishing in open water off the Boulders colony, which is a different sighting entirely to the beach boardwalk
- Four cormorant species, including the endangered Cape cormorant, working the inshore water and rafting in numbers
- Cape gannets diving on bait, which is worth the morning on its own when a bait ball comes up
- Terns, several species through the year, and the waders on the fringes of the bay
What is actually about on your date depends on the season and the bait. We will tell you honestly what the bay has been doing that week.
How we run it
Slowly. Bird watching from a boat fails when the boat is in a hurry, so we idle, drift and hold position rather than motoring between ticks. The skipper positions for the light, keeps a respectful distance from breeding sites, and stays put while something is working.
Mornings are the booking to make: calmer water, better light, and the birds at their busiest.
What's included
- Skipper and crew for five hours
- Binoculars aboard, though your own glass will be better than our spares
- Fuel, safety equipment, life jackets
- Water aboard
From R13,500 for the boat, not per person. A bird club or a family of birders splits it, which changes the arithmetic considerably.
What you need
No fishing licence: nobody is fishing on this charter. Bring your own binoculars and camera, a warm layer whatever the month, and sea-sickness tablets an hour before departure if you are unsure.
If the weather turns
Called 48 hours ahead. Wind is the enemy of a good bird day, so we would rather move you than run a marginal one. Full refund or a new date, your choice.
What will we see?
African penguins off the Boulders shoreline, four cormorant species including the endangered Cape cormorant, Cape gannets diving on bait, terns, and waders working the fringes.
The list changes with the week. What holds is a steady boat, an unhurried pace and a skipper who positions for the light and holds off the breeding sites.
Is the price per person?
Per boat. A club outing or a family of birders splits it however they like, and the boat is yours for the full five hours.
Do I need any permit?
No. Nobody is fishing on this charter, so no licence is needed.
Included, and not.
In the price
- Your SAMSA-licensed skipper and crew for the full charter
- Fuel
- All safety equipment and life jackets
- Binoculars aboard
- Water aboard
Not in the price
- Your own glass and camera: bring what you like to look through
- Food and drink beyond water
Prices are per boat, not per person. Full pricing.
Best months.
The bay birds are resident, so this runs all year. Mornings win for light and calm water, and we position the boat for the light rather than the shortest route.