FREEDIVING & SNORKELING ARTICLES

Salps are fascinating gelatinous zooplankton that play a significant role in ocean ecosystems. These tunicates belong to the phylum Chordata and are known for their unique life cycle, filter feeding behaviour, and ecological importance as carbon sequestrators. Despite their similar gelatinous appearance, salps are in fact not related to jellyfish, having diverged 800 million years

Hottentot seabream (Pachymetopon blochii) are a notable endemic inhabitant of marine waters around southern Africa, commonly found in nearshore environments with rocky reefs and kelp forests from Namibia to Cape Agulhas. In addition to frequenting shallow coastal waters, Hottentot seabream are also found on offshore pinnacles up to 55m deep. As a resident species, they

Most well-known once washed ashore and decidedly smelly, red bait (Pyura stolonifera) is a fascinating sea squirt, or solitary ascidian, that grows attached to rocks, reefs and artificial structures. Commonly found in dense aggregates in cool and temperate coastal waters throughout Namibia and along South Africa’s west and southern coastlines, red bait is distinguished by

Hermit crabs (family Paguridae) are fascinating crustaceans, known for their unique behaviour of repurposing discarded mollusk shells as protective homes. Paguridae date back over 200 million years, where the fossil record shows hermit crabs utilising ammonite shells. Of 800 described species, the majority inhabit marine habitats such as oceans and estuaries, however there are a

Krill are small, shrimp-like filter-feeding crustaceans that play a crucial role in marine ecosystems, particularly in the Southern Ocean. Despite their diminutive individual size, krill have a combined total biomass of over 300 000 000 tonnes, which in turn has a profound impact on global nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and food webs. Their movement pattern

Elephant seals are iconic marine mammals, distinguishable by their gargantuan size and trunklike elongated nose, known as a proboscis. They form part of the order Pinnipedia, and are classified as phocids, or true seals, due to their lack of external ears and reduced limbs. Elephant seals are said to have evolved in the Pacific Ocean

The Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis), commonly known as the bluebottle, is a marine organism often mistaken for a jellyfish. It is, however, actually a colony of specialised animals known collectively as a siphonophore. Siphonophores consist of four distinct organisms, known as polyps or zooids, that function together. The Portuguese man o’ war namesake

Box jellyfish, scientifically known as Cubozoa, are a fascinating group of invertebrates that belong to the phylum Cnidaria. There are currently 51 described species, however as they are wide ranging and occupy tropical and subtropical coastal waters around the world, there are likely more species yet to be discovered. They are commonly found in regions

The vibrant metropolis of Cape Town is world renowned for its diversity, on both a social and environmental level. The city offers a multitude of experiences, guaranteed to expand one’s horizons and appreciation for nature and culture alike. Table Mountain is perhaps the best known of all of Cape Town’s attractions, and for good reason!