“Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail,
Lewis Carroll; Alice in Wonderland, 1865
“There’s a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my tail!
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance:
They are waiting on the shingle—will you come and join the dance?”
There is little doubt that virtually everyone on our lonely blue planet is suffering from Coronavirus overload, and we do not mean those poor souls who have actually been stricken with the virus. To them, and their families, go our thoughts and prayers; it may be a lonely planet but it’s even lonelier being ill and unable to be visited and comforted by loved ones. Take strength in the knowledge that recovery is far more likely than the alternative, and be positive. Know that the entire world wishes you well.
The overload we are referring to is the information overload; no matter what you read, where you look, who you listen to, which sites you access, Covid-19 is the topic that leaps out at you. At Waterfront Charters we are looking past the pestilence; we are focussing on post-lockdown Cape Town, putting together plans and possible scenarios for a city that is free again; a city where we can breath the air, talk to friends and strangers alike in safety; a city that will once again offer up its cornucopia of opportunities to locals and visitors alike. The Western Cape is a beautiful place, and we will be doing our part again in showing off some of the Atlantic Ocean’s best views, attractions, sensations and – of course – wildlife. And that is where we want to turn your focus at the moment.
The Waterfront Charters’ cruises cover a wide variety of experiences. We have early morning Champagne Breakfast cruises and Sunset Champagne Cruises. We cruise along the scenic coastline; our dashing schooner is a favourite for exhilarating Atlantic sailing adventures. Harbour tours, thrilling rides on our 400 hp speedboat, every manner of charter you can think of, Clifton parties – we have it all. But underlying everything is our passion: our love and respect for the ocean’s inhabitants. When one stands on a harbour wall, or on a beach or road overlooking the ocean, the reflective nature of water hides the amazing world that lives beneath the surface. It is an incredible world: we all know about the whales, the seals, the penguins and the dolphins, and all of these creatures are thrilling sights in their natural habitat at any time. But added to these, the well known denizens, are literally millions of other creatures. If you want to boggle your brain at any time (and we all have the time at the moment), just look up the list of marine inhabitants of the Cape Peninsula. Then try to wrap your tongue around the names before you investigate their shapes and sizes. There are – among many others – sponges, cnidarians, ctenophora, arthropods, bryozoans, polychaeta, patellogastropoda, caenogastropoda, brachiopoda, echinoderms, tunicates and vertebrates (and here you can breath a sigh of relief, because in this group are listed all the fishes; then take another deep breath because there are no less than 24 orders of fish, and most of them are also unpronounceable to laymen – try ‘saccopharyngiformes’ as a for instance). Oh, and then there are all the reptiles, birds and mammals. Just for starters.
OCEAN SAFARI
When we head out into Table Bay, we know that the chances of your spotting an aonyx capensis (sea otter) is unlikely, as is seeing an ophiuroidea (brittlestar), but like any safari, for those on the lookout, the wildlife is abundant. Apart from whales in season (sounds like a menu option. Remember restaurants? Places you could visit and be served food?), sunfish basking on the surface, penguins paddling along serenely, dolphins swimming majestically and seals peering inquisitively, we can also take you to the seabed: virtually, through the eyes of an underwater camera lens. In partnership with the expert marine biologists of CapeRADD, Waterfront Charters offer the unparalleled experience of watching the antics of the underwater creatures as you are moored above aboard a luxury boat on the swells. Some of those unpronounceable characters listed above will swim/crawl/amble across the screen for your viewing delight, as the experts point them out and tell you what they are and what they do. It’s a world that only scuba divers get to see normally, and it is an ocean safari with a difference. Ideal for inquisitive minds, young and old. All details on how to book this experience are easily found on the website.
But even without the expert accompaniment, every Waterfront Charters cruise is an Ocean Safari. The life above and below the waterline is always present; whether you are aboard to enjoy a romantic sunset interlude with a loved one, are experiencing flying before the wind on the bowsprit of a schooner, or have specifically booked an Ocean Safari, you will have amazing life around you to watch, be amazed by and enjoy.
We can’t wait to have all back on board again soon!