Snorkel Safaris

16/05/2019

08/01/2019

fish of the day- Duckbill or Bull rays (Pteromylaeus bovinus) on today’s snorkeling trip- what a treat. photo courtesy of Michael Sheppard

they are in trouble as their numbers decline, try to convince inshore anglers not to catch and harass/stress them out. ( be friendly ;) )
On a global scale, Aetomylaeus bovinus still classified as data deficient, however in the Mediterranean Sea Bull rays have been classified as critically endangerred (Cr) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) during the last assessment of 2015, where they were previously classified as data deficient. The Bull ray is now part of the 53% Mediterranean Sea native Elasmobranchs at risk of extinction who require urgent action to conserve their population and habitats. Bull rays appear to be extremely rare throughout the Mediterranean region and it current population trend is highly suspected to be decreasing (by 80% during the last 45years according to IUCN). There are currently no species-specific measures in place. Much research is required on the Bullray's population, size, trend, habitat, ecology, and threats. In order to protect the Bullray, its habitat needs to be protected, its harvest monitored and managed, and implementation of education and awareness programs could be beneficial.

08/01/2019

Trying out a new snorkeling spot this morning....

05/01/2019

Gorgeous morning snorkel coming up....

26/12/2018

learning about the 'small' stuff as it all matters. 'Fish of the Day' 26 Dec 2018 is a KLIPVIS: We saw many many Klipvis (direct translation from Afrikaans is 'Rock fish') on today's guided snorkel. The viz was a nice clear 6/7 m's so there was a lot of activity to see. Here is some info on this fish for those keen to learn more: There are 40 species of klipvis ( they range from 2-40 cm in size )and all are found only off the coast of Southern Africa. These fish are often confused with Blennies and Gobies. Most klipvis live in shallow rocky areas, but some can also be seen in sandy areas. Klipvis eggs are fertilised internally. Thus, all the 40 species of Klipfish are viviparous, which means the females of this species go through internal fertilisation and give birth to fully developed juveniles. Mating can be a lengthy process and take up to an hour or longer😊

Send a message to learn more

18/12/2018

December snorkelling starts on the 27th.... til the 7th Jan... come and learn something about the underwater life of Mossel Bay whilst having a load of fun...

11/12/2018

information for December holiday trips in Mossel Bay. Safe fun for the whole family

16/07/2018

Fiona is running a n Open Water Scuba Course on 18 July - 22 July.
If you've always wanted to explore the depths without the limitations of your lungs now is your chance!

http://fionaayerst.me/openwater-scuba/

07/06/2018

it's an exceptional day tomorrow- and I hope there will be many more. Here, in celebration of such an auspicious day, is one of my fave pix of the famous Bull Sharks of the Ponta Pinnacles. I hope you have a fantastic WORLD OCEANS DAY 2018