Encounter marine life on a Walvis Bay catamaran cruise

Experience Namibia’s diverse marine life on a catamaran cruise of Walvis Bay. Set on the rugged Skeleton Coast, the bay is a haven for pelagic birds and the marine Big Five: whales, dolphins, mola mola, leatherback turtles and seals. We leave early in the morning, sailing out to Pelican Point, which has a striking lighthouse and a colony of around 60,000 Cape fur seals – you can hear them barking as we approach.

From there, we pass oyster farms, huge ships and oil rigs as we sail through the bay. We’ll usually spot bottlenose, dusky and Heaviside’s dolphins jumping through the waves, which everyone loves. If you’re lucky, maybe an albatross will swoop overhead and you’ll catch sight of a turtle or giant mola mola, also known as a sunfish; adults can weigh up to 1,000 kilograms!

Most whale sightings occur between July and the end of October when various species migrate. During that time, we’ll often see whales daily, from southern rights and grays to pygmys and humpbacks. It’s crucial that we respect all the wildlife we encounter, so we follow international regulations, making sure we keep our distance and don’t crowd the animals.

One of the most amazing things I’ve seen is a pod of orcas, which only happens a couple of times a year. Recently, I also saw a pure-white southern right calf with its mother; they’re very rare and only occur in about five percent of the species. Our skippers focus on the educational aspect of the tour and will teach you all about the different animals we meet.

If the wind comes up, we’ll hoist the sails and switch off the engine so you can sit in the sun and enjoy sparkling wine and oysters. Guests love that, especially in summer. We lay out seafood platters with fresh bread, desserts and drinks. Often, pelicans will visit the boat and we’ve even had a seal jump onboard.