Partridge Point

Located at the southern edge of the Castle Rocks restricted zone within the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area in South Africa, Seal Rock is a popular dive site also known as Seal Rock. This site has been off-limits to fishing for many years, resulting in an abundance of fish species.

Seal Rock offers divers the opportunity to dive alongside Cape Fur Seals, the main attraction of this dive. These playful creatures may buzz and bark at divers but are not known to bite unless provoked. It can be quite an entertaining experience to observe their movements, although it may become disorienting after a while. Additionally, divers may encounter interesting species such as unidentified Eubranchus nudibranchs, sea spiders, and a variety of colorful sponges and Cape urchins among the densely packed Multicolour sea fans.

For those who venture deeper into the reef at the Deep Partridge section, small Nippled sea fans as well as larger Sinuous, Flagellar, and Palmate sea fans await. The deeper parts of the reef, particularly to the east of Seal Rock and south of the great northern sand tongue, boast larger gorgonians. However, it is important to note that this dive site presents some hazards, including strong surge in shallow areas and breaking waves over exposed rocks. The severity of these conditions depends on the sea state, but it is usually possible to avoid the rougher areas. The surge at Seal Rock can be powerful enough to wash seals off the rock, even though it stands about 2m above the water and is approximately 50m wide. On days with marginal diving conditions, divers should maintain a safe distance from the rocks and stick to the deeper sections of the reef. Sea urchins are also commonly found here.

With a visibility of 8m and a maximum depth of 13m, Seal Rock is suitable for divers of all levels, including beginners. This dive site is located near Baboon Rock on Main Road, The Boulders in Simon's Town, City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.