Robberg & Plettenberg Bay · South Africa · Sand slope
Seal Colony
Cape fur seals blowing bubbles at divers on the sand
Area photo: Theo Crazzolara · CC BY 2.0
Seal Colony is a shallow dive off the Robberg Peninsula, below the rocks where a large colony of Cape fur seals lives. There is no reef to tour: divers settle on the sand and let the seals come to them, and that close encounter is the whole reason for the dive.
Also known as Seal Dive, Robberg seal colony.
Where it is and how deep
34.1045° S, 23.3963° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The group descends onto the sand at 4 to 6 m and waits there rather than swimming a route. The seals approach on their own terms, swimming playfully among the divers, blowing bubbles and moving in for a closer look, their large eyes following each diver.
Marine life and season
- Seals & sea lions
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Robberg & Plettenberg Bay: September and October are the best months; onshore south-easterlies churn the sea up in summer, while winter westerlies clear the water.
Dive videos
ProDive Seal Dive in Plettenberg Bay South Africa · ProDive South Africa on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is Open Water enough for the Robberg seal dive?+
Yes. The dive stays between 4 and 6 m on sand off the Robberg Peninsula, so newly certified divers can join it.
Sources
- Top Dive Sites along the Garden Route – Plettenberg Bay — ProDive Plettenberg Bay
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap contributors
More dive sites in Robberg & Plettenberg Bay
Wreck
A Greek trawler's hull lying a short swim off Robberg
Reef
A maze of caves and swim-throughs with ragged-tooth sharks
Wall
Sea fans draped in basket stars on a soft-coral wall
Reef
Huge reef terraces with the odd big mako shark passing
Reef
Juvenile reef fish and cuttlefish among anemones in the shallows
Pinnacle
Three pinnacles reached on a short swim from the beach
Big caves among round boulders off Robberg's island
Pinnacle
Ragged-tooth sharks around a pinnacle that breaks off Robberg Point
Similar dives elsewhere
Giant guitar sharks on the sand at 40 m
Leopard sharks and rays over open sand, straight off the beach
Big smooth boulders scattered over sand patches
Sand slope
Bodega de Txoko
Boa Vista · Cabo Verde
A sandy-bottomed site for refreshing basic skills