Most pelagic trips are scheduled on two consecutive days to allow for poor weather on the first day.

To confirm trip viability and to confirm your participation, please phone Amanda at +27 83 270 7452 on the last weekday before the trip, between 15h00 and 16h30. If you cannot reach this number, please leave a message with your phone number and Amanda will call you back. If you do not hear a reply within one hour, please phone +27 21 531 9148. If unexpectedly there is no answer, dial the emergency back-up number, which is the mobile phone of Callan Cohen 083 256 0491.
Please confirm:
- weather conditions and trip viability
- meeting time and place
- the name of your boat
- the name of your guide
- whether picnic lunch is provided

Meet at 07h00 for a birding and safety briefing. The boat leaves promptly at 07h15. The trips return at 14h00 - 15h00. These times do however vary, so please check your booking details to confirm departure times.

For directions, click here.

The view of Cape Point from beneath the towering cliffs, looking up from the sea level is simply breathtaking. In the right conditions, you can have truly fabulous opportunities to capture albatrosses and petrels in flight as they cruise past little more than an arms-reach from you, or swarm in their thousands behind an active trawler. Whether you just want to capture some images to remind you of your fabulous trip, or you are a serious amature or professional photographer, a camera on a CapeTownPelagics.com trip is a must!

Our regular boats take maximum 12 passengers (excluding guides and crew), and allow plenty of room for optimally positioning your camera. The larger boats also have a full walk-around, allowing you to shoot along the full length of the boat, from bow to aft. Some boats also have fly-bridges, providing a good diversity of perspectives from low angles at eye-level with the birds to higher shots from above. Our guides and skippers are all attuned to photographers' needs, and every effort is made to bring the boats to the best angle for lighting and backdrops, follow birds of interest and generally allow you to use our boat as the perfect platform for photographing pelagic seabirds in their element.

Of course one needs to take adequate precautions against salt water spray and bumpy rides. There is space to stow gear during the commute to and from the fishing grounds.

Safety is our primary concern - we've never had a safety incident. We use accredited skippers, all the vessels are fully insured and certified seaworthy for the open ocean, and there are lifejackets and redundant safety systems aboard. To maximise your comfort and trip reliability we reserve the charter vessels for two days. That way, if the weather is poor on the first day, we hold off until the following day. Book with us and you double your chances of a Cape pelagic experience! If a Cape storm prevents the trip from going we give a refund (less administration cost) or re-schedule for you.

Conditions on board can vary substantially from quite hot to very cold, particularly on windy days. Although all our vessels have adequate covered seating or standing room, if you want to stand clear of the wheelhouse when the boat is moving, come prepared for the wet Cape weather. Essential items include:

1. Waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, a jersey, some spare clothing, and a woolly cap or hat which won't get blown off.

2. Splash proof covers for binocular and camera as wind and waves can sometimes create a lot of spray.

3. Sunglasses and sunscreen are essential (the sun offshore is very strong and causes burns even when the air is icy).

Some trips include light snacks, sandwiches and cold drinks - please verify your booking information. If you think you might work up a big appetite, then we recommend bringing some extra snacks and drinks.

The good news is that there are no nauseating diesel fumes on our boats, and relatively few people (about 10%) get seriously seasick. However, if you think you may be prone to motion-sickness, we recommend consulting your physician or pharmacist about the most appropriate anti-seasickness medication.