Best time to swim with seals in Plettenberg Bay
The colony is at Robberg all year. What changes is the water temperature, the crowds, and a short winter pause.
The best time to swim with seals in Plettenberg Bay is November to April, when the sea is warmest, at about 18 to 20°C. February and March give you summer water without the holiday crowds. Seal swims usually pause in June and July; seal viewing boat trips run all year.
Pick a month
January
The warmest water of the year and the busiest boats. School holidays run into mid-January, so book a few days ahead.
- Seal swims
- Running daily, extra early trips
- Sea temperature
- about 20°C
- Also in the bay
- Dolphins, seal pups on the rocks
- Swims running
- Peak season, book ahead
- Swims paused, viewing trips run
Month by month
Average sea surface temperatures for Plettenberg Bay.
| Month | Average sea temp | Seal swims | Also in the bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20.3°C | Running daily, extra early trips | Dolphins, seal pups on the rocks |
| February | 19.6°C | Running daily | Dolphins, growing pups |
| March | 20.0°C | Running daily | Dolphins |
| April | 18.1°C | Running daily | Dolphins |
| May | 17.5°C | Running, with shark spotters on the mountain | First whales of the season |
| June | 17.0°C | Paused. Seal viewing trips run. | Humpback and southern right whales |
| July | 16.7°C | Paused. Seal viewing trips run. | Whales in the bay |
| August | 16.8°C | Running, with shark spotters on the mountain | Whales in the bay |
| September | 17.2°C | Running, with shark spotters on the mountain | Whale season in full swing |
| October | 17.5°C | Running daily | Whales, dolphins |
| November | 18.8°C | Running daily | Last southern right whales, first pups |
| December | 19.8°C | Running daily, extra early trips | Newborn pups, dolphins |
Sea temperatures: monthly averages for Plettenberg Bay, checked 10 October 2026. Whale months follow CapeNature’s guidance for Robberg. The winter pause dates are set by the crew each year.
The four seasons at the colony
Summer: December to February
Warm water, long days and newborn pups on the rocks. It is also peak season in Plett, so boats fill. Book ahead and take an early or late departure if you prefer a quieter trip.
Autumn: March to May
The sea holds its warmth into April, and the town empties after Easter. From May the crew posts shark spotters on the mountain during swims.
Winter: June to August
The sardine run draws sharks along the coast, so swims stop for June and July. Whales arrive in the bay. Viewing trips are at their best, and swims usually restart in August.
Spring: September to November
Whales are still around, the water warms week by week, and bulls start claiming territory ahead of the pupping season. Quiet boats and a lot to look at.
Timing questions
What time of day is best?
All three departures, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, visit the same colony. We run trips in the middle of the day on purpose, when the light is high and visibility in the water is at its best. Mornings are often calmer; ask the office what the wind is doing on your day.
What time are seals most active?
There are seals in the water at the colony all day. Adults come and go on feeding trips out to sea, while the youngsters that play with snorkellers stay busy near the rocks whenever we visit.
Can you swim with seals in winter?
For part of it. Seal swims usually pause in June and July, when sharks follow the sardines past the colony, and seal viewing boat trips run instead. From August the swims are usually back, with spotters watching from the mountain through August and September.
When are the seal pups born?
Cape fur seal pups are born from late November into January, with most arriving around the start of December. They stay on the rocks for their first weeks, so you see them from the boat rather than in the water.
When is it busiest?
Mid-December to mid-January, and Easter. December is the peak month for seal swims in Plett. Book a few days ahead in those weeks, and further ahead for groups.
Ready to meet the seals?
Trips leave Central Beach at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 every day, weather permitting. Pick a date and we will have a wetsuit waiting.