You Won’t Believe What Happens in the Mind-Blowing World of Scuba Diving!

We take a break between dives, sitting on the smooth granite pebble beach of Cozy Bay. With my back to the midday summer sun, I take in the view of Table Mountain a few miles to the north; the jagged peaks of its national park hug the Atlantic coast to my right. A small colony of seals on a rocky outcrop completes the panorama.

But soon, what lies beneath the water comes back: the only giant bamboo kelp forest on the planet. “Are you ready?” asks me Justin Blake, my companion and guide for the day. As well as knowing the Cape coastline intimately, the South African marine biologist is a highly respected shark scientist, having devoted most of his life to studying them.

Snorkel, mask and flippers in place, we slip into the turquoise coolness of the Atlantic, and the great African marine forest – which stretches some 1,000 km from the North Cape to Namibia – envelops me once again. About a quarter of the world’s marine coastlines are covered by these important ecosystems. Not only are they teeming with marine life, but they absorb more carbon per acre than a terrestrial forest, making them extremely important “catchment” sinks.

These coastal waters are part of the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area. Despite their clear benefits to the state of life above the surface, only 2.9% of the world’s oceans are fully or significantly protected from the impacts of fishing. It’s a number Blake is committed to expanding: A shark tagging research project he co-founded in Mozambique has helped double the size of one such marine reserve.

In 2018, Blake founded the Rock Hopper Fund, with all funds raised going towards scientific exploration that supports ocean conservation and the creation of marine reserves. So far, it’s working: An hour-long conversation about sharks by Blake, one of the Fund’s most popular paid offerings, has over 1,200 five-star reviews.

RockHopper also offers in-person experiences and adventures. Blake has just launched the most recent – A Day in the Life of a Marine Biologist – in partnership with the Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel. Nestled at the foot of Table Mountain, Mount Nelson is an icon of the city, with former residents like Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela; as local partners, it’s not much better. Although still in its infancy, Blake tells me the experience has been well-received by hotel guests, whether families with curious children or simply those looking for exploration at sea. tour is organized by Blake, tailored to match guests’ sense of adventure, and most explore the coastline by RIB (rigid inflatable boat), adding an element of exhilaration to the educational experience.

Tours are designed to match guests’ sense of adventure

Mine is a one-on-one trip, just Blake and me, and I can’t wait to find some sharks. The kelp forests are home to nine harmless, mostly smaller species, although the seven-gilled cow shark can reach lengths of up to three meters. Blake tells me he’ll do his best, but with a big swell and strong winds the conditions mean we can’t venture on the RIB or dive in False Bay. So a shark sighting, especially of a larger species, could be a long shot.

Two decades ago, great white sharks were common off the Cape coast, but have become a rare occurrence on this stretch in recent years. Overfished seas mean far less prey for them; the city’s population of almost five million increasingly pollutes the sea. And the temperature of the water also makes a difference: “The great whites – most species of sharks – cannot control their body temperature, so they now prefer the relatively warmer waters of the Indian Ocean a few hundred miles off the coast to the east of Cape Town,” Blake says.Finally, a wave of orca attacks on the great whites in local waters since about 2017 has scared most of them off, it seems.

But an encounter is never entirely out of the question – an invigorating thought as we gently drift away from shore to explore denser seaweed. We are in the water probably 15 meters deep. I’ve never tested myself this way – freediving and snorkeling in potentially shark-like waters – and I’m surprised at how relaxed I feel. Looking from the surface, I see a huge school of fish; hundreds and hundreds of Hottentots, some kind of sea bream. After a few deep breaths, I dive, equalizing as I go, trying to preserve oxygen and extend my dive while maintaining forward momentum. During the morning I noticed an improvement: initially my maximum depth was five meters, but an hour later I manage closer to 10 m, with a duration of about a minute.

As I ascend, a breathtaking overhang unexpectedly reveals itself between huge trunks of kelp. Every square inch is taken up by a tapestry of different life forms – anemones, sea urchins, starfish, soft corals and sponges. I float motionless for several seconds, mesmerized by the kaleidoscopic sight. It becomes clear that the real eye-opener of this experience is the abundance of lesser-known wildlife in the beautiful underwater forest.

I see Blake making a gesture out of the corner of his eye and following him in his dive. There, nestled among thick fronds of kelp, is a dark shyshark. It’s small – less than a meter long – but this is the first time I’ve seen a shark in the wild, and with its rough, dark brown, arrowhead-shaped skin, it’s a captivating sight. He doesn’t seem too worried about me, so I move closer to take a closer look.

Blake and I surface to breathe before diving back in for another glimpse; but our friend had had enough of the company and rushed off after a few seconds. So, after two hours in the water, we return to Blake’s 4×4, take off our wetsuits and head to Cape Point Nature Reserve. With over 1,100 different plant species, it is one of the most diverse floral kingdoms in the world. In the spring, Blake tells me, it’s flooded with color; and ostrich, troop of baboons, porcupines and zebras all reside here.

We park and head to a large rock pool known as Venus Pool – a great place to come if the weather isn’t great. A few hundred meters off False Bay there is a sudden flurry – dozens of seabirds dive-bombing and dolphins leaping: the wild hubbub of a bait ball. On the RIB as part of the Marine Biologist Tour, Blake says, guests can experience the animals up close by being in the right place at the right time.

It sounds like a thrill for sure; but Blake himself is the big win of the day, whatever the activity. Whatever you’re looking to do – swim with dolphins; a crash course in Cape Town marine life; or tracking sharks tagged with acoustic technology (another optional day-in-a-lifetime activity) – his expertise, combined with his easygoing manner and sense of humor, more or less guarantees a good day.

Back at Mount Nelson, over an aperitif and a biltong on the elegant terrace, I reflect on the experience. I arrived looking for euphoria – swimming with sharks – which I guess I got. But what stuck with me was the importance of conservation and how it touches every aspect of what I saw and did. Thanks to committed people like Blake – those who lead the research and raise the funds – there is still a chance to fight for the health of our oceans.

Fergus Scholes traveled as a guest of the Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotelrooms from R14,000 (around £550); Rock Hopper Marine Biologist for a day experience, around £990 for up to 8 people