Looking after seal mountain
The colony came back to Robberg on its own. Our job is to make sure visiting it does no harm, and to help where we can.
Seal pup rescue
Fur seal pups spend their first weeks on land, building strength before they can swim well. Storm swell and jostling adults sometimes knock them off the rocks too early. The lucky ones wash up on Plett’s beaches, exhausted and dehydrated.
Working with Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation and Awareness Centre, we help get those pups checked, rehydrated and back to the colony. Speed matters: a pup reunited with the colony within about three days has roughly an even chance of surviving.
If you find a pup or any seal on the beach, do not touch it or try to return it to the sea. Keep people and dogs away and call the Plett Marine Animal Stranding Network on 079 463 4837.
How we run the trips
Blue Flag boat operator
We hold WESSA Blue Flag status for sustainable boat-based tourism, which is audited against environmental and safety criteria.
No touching, no feeding
Seals approach on their own terms. Guests keep their hands in, and guides move the group if an animal wants space.
Short visits
Up to 30 minutes in the water, then we leave the colony alone.
Green Fins
We are a Green Fins digital member, following its guidelines for low-impact diving and snorkelling.
Research and the Hope Spot
Robberg Nature Reserve and its Marine Protected Area are among the best-studied stretches of this coast. We make space on our boats for researchers and students working on marine projects here, and help where we can.
Plettenberg Bay is a Mission Blue Hope Spot, one of a worldwide network of places recognised as critical to the health of the ocean. We are a supporter of the Plett Hope Spot and sit on its committee.
Sea rescue
Our owner, Jaco Kruger, is a long-serving volunteer and station commander at NSRI Station 14 in Plettenberg Bay. The National Sea Rescue Institute is run by volunteers and funded by donations.
What you can do
- Follow the guide’s instructions around the seals.
- Use reef-safe sunscreen, and put it on well before you get in.
- Take nothing from the reserve and leave nothing behind.
- Keep your distance from seals on beaches, and keep dogs leashed.
- Report stranded, sick or injured marine animals to the stranding network.
- Support the NSRI and local rehabilitation centres.
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.