South Africa's Non-Stop Scuba Diving Thrills

The Atlantic and Indian Oceans’ convergence off the coast of South Africa results in thrilling underwater encounters with sharks, penguins, seals, dolphins and so much more

Just when I think things can’t get any better, it happens: A display of nature’s brutal food chain plays out in front of my eyes in the form of a killer whale breaching with a common dolphin in its mouth. The scene is absolutely surreal, leaving everyone on board speechless.

Let me back up just a minute. We’re navigating the water between South Africa’s Algoa and St. Francis bays, looking for signs of sardines migrating en masse. A huge pod of dolphins signals a jackpot looming just beneath the water’s surface, and I capitalize on the moment by getting in the water with hundreds of dolphins whipping by me.

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But it’s not until I get back on board that the action really unfolds. The dolphins work themselves into a frenzy, performing aerial tricks and swimming rapidly. My first guess is that they’re hunting, but I’m way off the mark. The marine mammals are being hunted.

That’s when the orca makes an appearance, demonstrating the life-and-death drama that plays out during the Sardine Run off South Africa.

At the point where the vast Atlantic and Indian oceans converge lies a dive destination that can only be described as wide and wild. The mix of diverse dive experiences — beautiful reefs, kelp forests with prehistoric predators, endlessly entertaining fur seals and African penguins, and the famed Sardine Run (more on that later) — makes South Africa one of a kind.

CAPE TOWN CRUISIN’

Two hours after we departed from Simon’s Town Pier, Cape Town’s coastline has long disappeared from the horizon and has been replaced by the blue open ocean. Here, at the junction of the Atlantic and Indian oceans’ currents, the water is deep, a chilly 68 degrees F, and a favorite playground for tuna, blue sharks and mako sharks.

After a 30-minute wait — patience is often rewarded in these parts — we see fins break the surface of the water, seemingly responding to the scent of chum. Underwater, several blue sharks make an appearance. One by one, they decide to come in to have a closer look at me, offering some very personal photo ops. I position myself at a depth of about 30 feet to watch the hypnotic performance of these graceful creatures circling around me. These sharks are elegant but also very inquisitive. Unfortunately, their curiosity often causes them harm, as they fall victim to longline fishing boats. More than 20 sharks are present during the dive, and even a shy and nervous mako makes a brief appearance before disappearing into the deep. Anyone who’s tuned in to a Shark Week special knows that False Bay is the feeding ground for great white sharks that dramatically hunt for their prey around Seal Island. But there’s more to diving False Bay than floating in a cage. A very special place to observe the area’s abundance of shark species is its kelp forests.

Just a few minutes’ sailing distance from Simon’s Town Pier, the small bay of Miller’s Point hosts a large lamina forest close to the shore. This underwater jungle is known to be one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on the planet, and it’s home to shy spotted gully sharks, pyjama catsharks, leopard catsharks and more. But the main attraction of this dive site is the high concentration of broadnose sevengill sharks.

In this area, the depth is between 20 and 40 feet, and the visibility oscillates between 10 and 60 feet. I immerse myself in the water to find a dark and mystical atmosphere.

As I move around in this forest, I am lulled by the light effects of the dancing kelp rocked by the rhythm of the swell. I make my way through this sunlit canopy, and sense some shadows coming and going. A catshark swims past, and as I look up, I am taken by surprise to discover several broadnose sevengill sharks making an appearance. I position myself on the bottom and watch the parade as they keep moving through the kelp.

When the sharks slowly pass by, I have the chance to study their bodies. They look like prehistoric sharks with their particular silhouette: thick body, wide head, big black eyes and seven gill slits — hence the name.

After this unforgettable encounter, I get back on the boat as we head to Seal Rock, where I’ll meet up with the playful Cape fur seals for a different kind of interaction. On arrival, I can already spot a dozen in the foam of the waves at the foot of this rock. As I dive into the shallow water, I find myself immediately surrounded by these fantastic pinnipeds. My fins seem to wake up their curiosity. As I photograph one of them trying to nibble my camera’s dome, another one is pulling on my fins. I dare not move and concentrate on my shots.

Others begin an acrobatic performance, going from one diver to another while blowing bubbles toward our faces. Soon they start to compete for the place in front of my camera. It seems that one of them has decided to become famous through my lens, trying to distract me with a piece of kelp in its mouth. The moment is sensational, and I let myself be carried by the games.

False Bay is also home to Seal Island, but here it’s out of the question to dive in. Several thousand Cape fur seals live on this giant rock in the middle of the bay that is a haven for great white sharks. I take this opportunity to go cage diving to observe this apex predator. This site is also splendid for a topside visit. Pinnipeds and cormorants compete for the best spot, and the waves are crashing onto the rocks, which makes for dramatic scenery. The newborns paddle and play in the waves; those that are a little too ambitious can be carried away into the rocks. Being injured means they can no longer swim, and they become easy prey for the great white shark just in front of my eyes.

After the dives we head back to dry land, where I enjoy the local food, head to Boulder Beach to watch penguins, and go for a walk in the Cape Point National Park without forgetting to pass by the lighthouse to enjoy a panoramic view of the two oceans. I was lucky to spot some baboons. But if you have the same chance, take care: They are very good pickpockets (don’t forget to lock your car!).

WATCH: Diving with Great White Sharks

During my stay, I planned a few days without diving in order to enjoy the panorama offered by Table Mountain, meander along the wine trail to taste delicious local flavors, stay overnight in a game reserve to encounter African wildlife in sumptuous landscapes, and chill out in the streets of downtown Cape Town for some shopping.

As rewarding as it is to explore everything Cape Town has to offer underwater, it’s also important to give its equally worthy topside offerings attention when you can.

A ROYAL PORT

In South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, Port Elizabeth — a one-hour flight from Cape Town — is located at the junction between two ecosystems with very different topographies.

West of Cape Recife is the wild area where St. Francis Bay demonstrates how the upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich waters is ideal for the development of plankton. Sardines and other small pelagic fishes thrive in these waters and are the main food source for many marine predators such as seabirds, sharks, dolphins, seals and whales.

Toward the east lies Algoa Bay, which benefits from the Agulhas Current that runs down the east coast of South Africa and brings with it the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. This shallow bay offers spectacular dives on offshore reefs and is home to the small island of St. Croix, which is a refuge for thousands of penguins and harbors one of the largest colonies of Cape gannets.

This transition zone between the rich nutrients from the cold waters of the cape and the warm waters of the Agulhas Current is perfect for a wide array of marine life, and it’s an amazing playground for divers looking for unusual adventures.

Activities here are dictated by the vagaries of the weather; the weekly schedule is adjusted on a daily basis. Whether we explore spectacular reefs, spend hours scanning the horizon for some action, or stay on land with the big cats and elephants of the Addo Elephant National Park depends on the ocean conditions. No matter what happens, my camera is fully charged and my eyes are wide open.

On day one, the weather is mild, and the blue water indicates good visibility as we head to the site Evans Peak. Once at the bottom, at about 50 feet, the scenery is amazing. Abundant soft corals and gorgonians cover every inch of rock, making this dive much more colorful than I expected. The site has rich fish life, and multiple species of sharks are patrolling the edge of the reef, including the ragged-tooth sharks that rule the area.

On the way back, we encounter a few floating Cape fur seals basking in the sun with their flippers in the air to warm their bodies; the breath of a couple of Bryde’s whales, a dead giveaway for their nearby presence; and a group of penguins, which seem quite relaxed. There’s no way I’m passing up the chance to snorkel with penguins. Bursting with curiosity, they come within a few yards of the RIB. Quietly, I slip into the water.

I avoid the slightest movement, and a small water ballet begins, with dozens of little penguins swimming under my fins.

READ MORE: The Wonders of the Underwater World

In the following days, I explore different dive sites such as the rich reefs of Riy Bank. About 12 miles offshore, this shoal features a 50-foot-deep plateau rich in corals, followed by a drop-off, forming a beautiful wall covered with sponges, gorgonians, bryozoans and sea squirts on which several species of nudibranchs go about their daily lives. Schools of fish hang out near the reef edge, and pyjama sharks are tucked away in the crevices. After the dive, the boat departs toward St. Croix. Perched at the foot of the small cliffs are a few penguins, and a pod of bottlenose dolphins swims back and forth.

When I am not exploring the reef, I’m on the lookout for any clues or signs of baitballs, usually given away by large groups of hunting seabirds such as Cape gannets, which are gluttons for shoals of sardines. It’s the season for the sardines’ epic migration — better known as the Sardine Run — and all marine predators are here to feed.

A MOVABLE FEAST

One day, a flock of gannets grabs my attention with its aerial display. The birds’ activity intensifies, forming a tornado of gannets plunging from the sky. Common dolphins join the party and are jumping in all directions. The predators close ranks: The dolphins have surrounded a baitball, and hundreds of birds pierce the surface of the water headfirst. Here we go. The hunt is on!

Adrenaline is flowing through my veins. I’m only a few yards away from the action, and whale spouts are confirming the underwater spectacle we are about to experience: the Sardine Run!

I dive in, and to my great disappointment, the visibility is very poor and the hunting frenzy moves too fast for us land dwellers to keep up. Feeling powerless, I climb back on board and enjoy the incredible spectacle from the surface.

There’s no set time or place for the Sardine Run. You have to allow for plenty of waiting. When conditions permit, I usually spend more than eight hours in search of the sardines and their predators. So it is on the morning we spot the huge pod of dolphins in the beginning of my story. Hundreds of individuals are grouped up and swimming together in the same direction.

I submerge to find a busy highway of dolphins, with hundreds of them passing right in front of my eyes. After this incredible encounter I climb back on board, when suddenly the entire group of dolphins explodes. They speed up, performing spectacular displays as they breach.

It is then that we are witness to the shocking spectacle of the killer whale breaking the surface, a dolphin in its jaws. The pod of dolphins is getting divided into two and is trying to escape in opposite directions. I look around at the rest of the group on the boat — everyone has a uniform look of awe as we watch this event unfold.

Surely, this moment encapsulates the wild, sometimes brutal, beauty of South Africa. From intimate moments with penguins and seals to grand displays of predation to the highest degree, these waters hold some of Earth’s most unpredictable, extraordinary treasures.