Pelagic Seabird Trips

The offshore waters off Cape Point offer some of the best pelagic birding in the world.

During our dedicated pelagic shark trips you will have the opportunity to see many of pelagic bird species occurring off our coast. We do however dedicate our time to looking for the large trawlers that attract thousands of these birds and for the serious birder we would recommend one of our exclusive pelagic bird expeditions which cater for small groups of dedicated avian enthusiasts.

There are several reasons for this abundance of pelagic bird species the most important being the nutrient rich waters caused by upwelling which flow through this area.

The current responsible for this is the cold Benguela current .The warm Agulhas current flows down the East coast of South Africa and it too brings a host of sub tropical species with it particularly during the summer months.

The cold Benguela Current brings highly nutrient-rich waters up from the south, and the strong winds (predominately from the south-east) create an upwelling that brings all the nutrients to the surface. This, in turn, sustains the phytoplankton that forms the basis of the marine food chain. Pelagic fisheries thrive in the area, and discards from the trawlers provide a constant food source for pelagic birds.

Throughout the year, one has a very good chance of seeing pelagic species like White-chinned Petrel, Sooty Shearwater, Cape Gannet, Sub Antarctic Skua, the diminutive Wilson's Storm Petrel and 4 species of albatross (Shy, Black-browed and Atlantic and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses).

During winter, when numbers of birds are at their highest, other species that are normally present are Southern and Northern Giant Petrel, the spectacularly plumaged Pintado Petrel, Antarctic Prion and Antarctic Tern. Winter trips also provide the possibility of many sought after species including those ocean going giants, Wandering and Southern and Northern Royal Albatrosses as well as Grey-headed Albatross and Antarctic Fulmar. During passage periods (April-May and September-October), other birds which visit our waters reasonably regularly include Great Shearwater, Soft-plumaged Petrel and, with a little bit of luck, Black-bellied Storm Petrel.

The summer species lists are supplemented with the likes of Cory's and Manx Shearwater, Arctic, Pomarine and Long-tailed Skua, Great-winged Petrel, European Storm Petrel, Sabine's Gull, Arctic Tern and Grey Phalarope.

All of our expeditions are run from our high powered 28ft catamaran equipped with two new 140hp low emission 4 stroke engines and are capable of speeds in excess of 30knots if need be.

We also have access to a larger 36ft catamaran for larger groups if need be.

These vessels are custom built for our activities, are safe, fast and reliable offering a well designed layout suitable for photography, filming, diving and general surface observation.

Please note the high seasons for booking any particular shark trip with us as we want all of our clients to be aware of the very best times to see their target shark species. As sharks are entirely wild animals with no boundaries we do not guarantee any sightings at any time of the year however there are certainly better times than others.

Cost of Pelagic Seabird Trip:

R1200-00 per person
Includes snacks and refreshments as well as a qualified guide.
Max group size 7 pax, minimum 2 pax
Exclusive charter rate available upon request
Departure 07h00 returning 14h00 from Simon’s Town.

Booking and cancellation Policies

Trips are offered subject to availability and are also subject to weather.
In the event of a trip cancelled due to weather alternative dates will be offered or a full refund will be given excluding any accommodation costs.
Confirmation of bookings is subject to a 25% deposit.
Cancellations within 60 days of departure date will receive a 95% refund.
Cancellations between 30-60 days will receive a 50% refund.
No refund will be offered for bookings cancelled within 30 days.

Recommendations and requirements.

Guests suffering from nausea or motion sickness are advised to take precautionary measures prior to each days scheduled departure.

Warm waterproof clothing is recommended and during summer and autumn months sunscreen and a hat are advised. Any persons wishing to cage dive with white sharks need to have entry level scuba qualifications and any persons wishing to dive with mako and other pelagic sharks are required to be experienced and comfortable in the water and diving will be done at the dive masters discretion.
All divers free diving will be accompanied by qualified staff members.

	Or email us info@scubasouthafrica.co.za