False Bay
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Why dive in False Bay?
BEST SEASON
Featured Animals 8
- Unlikely
- Likely
- Very likely
Variable Frequent sightingsBroadnose Sevengill Shark
Notorynchus cepedianus
The Broadnose Sevengill Shark is notable for having seven gill slits, unlike most sharks which have five. It is a large, strong species that inhabits coastal and offshore waters. This shark is known to be opportunistic, feeding on a variety of prey including fish and marine mammals.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsCape Fur Seal
Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus
The Cape Fur Seal is a large marine mammal known for its thick fur and external ear flaps. They are highly social animals, often found in large groups along coastlines and islands in southern Africa.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Common Octopus
Octopus vulgaris
The Common Octopus is known for its intelligence and distinctive round body with eight arms. It inhabits coastal waters and exhibits remarkable adaptability to various environments.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsGreat White Shark
Carcharodon carcharias
The Great White Shark is the largest known predatory fish, characterized by its torpedo-shaped body, conical snout, and large, serrated triangular teeth. It is an apex predator found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, playing a crucial role in marine ecosystems. This species exhibits regional endothermy, allowing it to maintain a body temperature higher than the surrounding water, which aids in its active predatory lifestyle.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsHumpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
The Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a large baleen whale known for its distinctive body shape, long pectoral fins (up to one-third of its body length), and knobbly head. These migratory cetaceans are filter feeders, consuming krill and small schooling fish. They are also famous for their acrobatic surface behaviors like breaching and complex vocalizations, particularly the male's elaborate songs.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsShort-tail Stingray
Bathytoshia brevicaudata
The Short-tail Stingray is the largest species of stingray, known for its dark brown or blackish coloration and short tail relative to other rays. It is found in coastal and deep waters, often near the seabed where it hunts small fish and invertebrates.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsSouthern Right Whale
Eubalaena australis
The Southern Right Whale is a large baleen whale distinguished by its robust, black body, lack of a dorsal fin, and distinctive callosities on its head. It is a filter feeder, consuming vast quantities of krill and copepods in the Southern Ocean. These migratory whales travel to warmer coastal waters for breeding and calving.
BEST SEASON
Nocturnal Frequent sightingsStriped Catshark
Poroderma africanum
The Striped Catshark is a small shark species, known for its distinctive pattern of vertical stripes. It resides mostly in coastal and reef environments around South Africa and is primarily nocturnal, feeding on small fish and invertebrates.
BEST SEASON
More marine life 25
Blacktip SharkCarcharhinus limbatus
Blue SharkPrionace glauca
Bull SharkCarcharhinus leucas
Cape Rock LobsterJasus lalandii
Common Bottlenose DolphinTursiops truncatus
Common Eagle RayMyliobatis aquila
Common Thresher SharkAlopias vulpinus
Dusky GrouperEpinephelus marginatus
Dusky SharkCarcharhinus obscurus
Fur SealsArctocephalinae
Giant Oceanic Manta RayMobula birostris
Great BarracudaSphyraena barracuda
Great Hammerhead SharkSphyrna mokarran
Green Sea TurtleChelonia mydas
Hawksbill Sea TurtleEretmochelys imbricata
Killer WhaleOrcinus orca
Loggerhead Sea TurtleCaretta caretta
Ocean SunfishMola mola
Sand Tiger SharkCarcharias taurus
Scalloped Hammerhead SharkSphyrna lewini
Smooth Hammerhead SharkSphyrna zygaena
Sperm WhalePhyseter macrocephalus
Spiny Butterfly RayGymnura altavela
Tiger SharkGaleocerdo cuvier
Whale SharkRhincodon typus
Where is False Bay
Atlantic Ocean · South Africa
Frequently asked questions about False Bay
When is the best time to dive in False Bay?
The best time to dive in False Bay is from March to October. In those months the water is between 12°C and 18°C.
What marine life can you see diving in False Bay?
Divers can encounter 33 species in False Bay. Highlights include Broadnose Sevengill Shark, Cape Fur Seal, Common Octopus, Great White Shark, Humpback Whale, and Short-tail Stingray.
When can you see the Great White Shark in False Bay?
The Great White Shark is most often seen in False Bay from April to June and from September to December.
When can you see the Humpback Whale in False Bay?
The Humpback Whale is most often seen in False Bay from July to September.
When can you see the Southern Right Whale in False Bay?
The Southern Right Whale is most often seen in False Bay from July to October.
What is the water temperature in False Bay?
Water temperature in False Bay ranges from 12°C in July to 20°C in January.
What wetsuit do I need to dive in False Bay?
Most divers wear a 7 mm semi-dry or a drysuit in July, when the water drops to 12°C, and a 7 mm wetsuit in January, when it reaches 20°C.
What is the visibility like when diving in False Bay?
Visibility in False Bay ranges from 2 m to 15 m. The water is clearest from April to October.
What are the currents like in False Bay?
Divers in False Bay can expect moderate, strong, or light currents, depending on the month and the dive site.
What can you see on a night dive in False Bay?
After dark, False Bay reveals nocturnal species such as Common Octopus, Short-tail Stingray, Striped Catshark, Blue Shark, Cape Rock Lobster, and Sand Tiger Shark.
Where is False Bay located?
False Bay is a dive destination in South Africa, in the Atlantic Ocean.
Every answer is built from the conditions and sightings data we keep for False Bay. Spotted something that looks off?
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