Seal Island is a rocky islet a few kilometres off Mossel Bay, home to a colony of Cape fur seals. You cannot land, but the boat takes you within a few metres. Aquamarine @ Sea sails from the harbour for an hour around the island, 400 rand per person, up to 45 guests, with the option of fifteen minutes at anchor off Santos Beach (August 2026). Departure times and children’s rates are not on the website, so call first. If you want it faster, take the speedboat: half an hour, 600 rand.
- boat trip around the island
- 1 hour
- per person with Aquamarine @ Sea (August 2026)
- 400 rand
- guests fit on the schooner
- 45
- departure in Mossel Bay
- Harbour
The island is also the reason Mossel Bay offers shark cage diving. Where the seals are, great whites hunt, and the cage boats anchor off the island. But since 2021 and 2022 great whites have declined sharply along the South African coast, orcas are held responsible, and nobody guarantees a sighting. Ask what was seen in the weeks before your visit before you book. For the seals themselves you need no cage at all.
- Time needed
- one hour
- Cost
- 400 rand per person (August 2026)
- When
- all year, mornings
- From the Dias Museum
- 3.6 km
Our tipTake the boat in the morning, before the wind comes up. On a calm sea you can hold the camera steady, and the seals are still up on the rock.
Seal Island: frequently asked questions
How do you get to Seal Island near Mossel Bay?
By boat only, landing is not allowed. Aquamarine @ Sea sails from Mossel Bay harbour for an hour around the island, with an optional anchor stop off Santos Beach; price and departure times are on aquachartercats.com, worth checking beforehand.
Do you see great white sharks at Seal Island?
Not reliably. Great whites hunt at the seal colony and the cage boats from Mossel Bay anchor off the island, but since 2021 and 2022 the animals have declined sharply along the South African coast. Ask the operator what was seen in the weeks before your visit.
When is the best time for the boat trip to Seal Island?
In the morning, before the wind picks up and the bay of Mossel Bay turns choppy. The seals are on the island all year; from June to November you may also see whales on the way.