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Activities
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Given that the seals of
Seal Island
, about 10km northwest of Santos Beach, are a popular delicacy for great white sharks, you'd be forgiven for wondering why scuba diving remains so popular off Mossel Bay. In 1990, the unfortunate Monique Price became the first fully kitted scuba diver to die in a great white attack just off the island, and divers are warned to avoid its immediate environs. There are, however, several rewarding
diving and snorkelling
spots around Mossel Bay, and full facilities, including open water certification courses (Padi R1400; Naui R1100) and one-off dives, are available from Electro Dive (tel & fax 044 698 1976 or tel 082 561 1259), at the
Santos Protea Hotel
, Santos Rd. ElectroDive rents out gear (R100 per day), and provides shore-based and boat-based dives (R60-130). These aren't tropical seas, so don't expect clear warm waters (although temperatures tend to be warmer than at other Garden Route resorts), but with visibility usually between 4 and 10m you stand a good chance of seeing octopus, squid, sea stars, soft corals, pyjama sharks and butterfly fish.
If you want to see great whitesharks face to face, there are a couple of outfits offering cage dives. The best months for sightings are March to November, and the worst January and February, but at no time are encounters guaranteed. One of the better operations in the country is Infante Shark Cage Diving, located on the corner of Upper Cross and Kloof streets (tel 044 691 3796 or 082 455 2438); you can either observe from a boat (R300) or go underwater in a cage for R750, with the assurance that if the sharks don't show you get half your money back. If you're unlucky the first time and choose to try again on another day, you'll only be charged the amount you were refunded. Cruises around Seal Island to see the African (jackass) penguin and seal colonies can be taken on the Romonza (tel & fax 044 690 3101) a medium-sized yacht that launches from the yacht marina in the harbour. On the mainland you can check out the coast on the St Blaize Hiking Trail , an easy-going fifteen-kilometre walk (roughly 4hr each way) along the southern shore of Mossel Bay. The route starts from the Cape St Blaize Cave, just below the lighthouse at the Point, and heads west as far as Dana Bay, taking in magnificent coastal views of cliffs, rocks, bays and coves. A map is available from the tourist information bureau.
If jumping off bridges is your bag,
bungee jumping at
the old Gouritz River Bridge, about 40km west of Mossel Bay along the N2, offers a considerably cheaper alternative to the Bloukrans Bridge near Nature's Valley. The major drawback of Gouritz is the fact that you won't be able to boast that you did the highest commercial bungee jump in the world, hence its bargain-basement price of R150. Gouritz offers the option of a bungee swing (single R100, tandem R120) in which the bungee is attached to the back of the same bridge causing you to swing down and under. For further information contact Gouritz Bungy at the bridge (tel 044 697 7161), or their head office in Cape Town, Face Adrenalin, 156 Long St (tel 021 424 8114). Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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South Africa,
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