Tide & Seek

Tide & Seek Discover Cape Town’s historic tidal pools in style!

Exclusive guided journeys to the Mother City’s most beautiful and iconic tidal pools, blending adventure, history, luxury, and the rejuvenating power of cold-water immersion.

Our most recent Full Moon Swim was spectacular. We were joined by about 40 people - some newcomers, some regulars - who ...
04/06/2026

Our most recent Full Moon Swim was spectacular. We were joined by about 40 people - some newcomers, some regulars - who brought all the joy with them. Some people entered the water as the moon rose through soft clouds from behind the distant mountains, some waited until its golden glow stretched across the bay to the pool. The water was crisp and clear - top to bottom viz. There was an air of calm, with pockets of giggles and the occasional whoop by someone immerging.
Some of us stayed in the water for a good 30 mins, making new friends, chatting about the banal and the sublime. But everyone had a glint of aliveness in their eyes. We all agreed that you never regret a swim.
And every swim is made all the better by lovely company, a hot drink and a sugary treat (thank you .kalkbay for the delectable range of biscotti).

The image accompanying this post is from another day at the Kalk Bay pools next to the Brass Bell. I don't know if it's an indictment that we were all having such a blast we forgot to take pics, or if that is the very point: to be so present as to forget about the after story via the socials.

Either way, we had a blast. The next Full Moon Swim will be at St James - watch our socials to find out the date and time. Everyone is welcome.

Please sign up for our newsletter (bottom of our website) to stay up to date on future offers.

Pools and swimming spaces in South Africa have a violent history. Most were once explicitly exclusionary. Today even bei...
20/05/2026

Pools and swimming spaces in South Africa have a violent history. Most were once explicitly exclusionary. Today even being in the water after dark can feel inaccessible or unsafe for many people, especially women and more vulnerable groups.

The idea here is simple: to bring people from all walks of life together to play and have fun, to swim under the full moon, to chat over a warm drink and biscotti, and to enjoy a night swim in a place they may not ordinarily feel able to experience after dark.

The Full Moon Swim Society is also a small attempt at coining and reshaping the idea of a “society” itself. Historically, societies have often implied exclusivity — belonging to a select few. We’d rather give it a different meaning: one that is open, generous and inclusive of anyone who wants to join.

Because perhaps what we need more of is not us and them, but shared spaces, shared experiences, and small moments of joy together.

This little corner of the internet has been a touch quieter than usual lately, largely because we've been popping our he...
18/05/2026

This little corner of the internet has been a touch quieter than usual lately, largely because we've been popping our heads above water long enough to prepare for a rather wonderful weekend at Franschhoek Literary Festival (and quietly working away on a few exciting new book projects behind the scenes 👀📚).

It was such a joy to spend time with fellow swimmers and water-lovers, to hear their stories, favourite swimming spots, unexpected encounters, and the many ways water finds its way into our lives. We also had the pleasure of chatting with Bruce Jack of and about why blue spaces are so good for us, and all the curious, beautiful ways the ocean, rivers, pools and wild places seem to stitch us back together again.

One of the nicest parts of these weekends is always meeting people who arrive as strangers and leave as part of the wider swimming family.

We've got more brewing over the coming months too: free community events, book launches, ocean-inspired exhibitions featuring our own artists and others, and a few other sea-soaked ideas we're excited to share.

If you'd like to hear about them first, sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of our website 🌊

28/04/2026

Don't forget about this week's Full Moon Swim on 1 May @ 17h00 at Dalebrook Tidal Pool.

Yes, swimming in tidal pools is free, but creating community is intentional. Sharing the joy of cold water play and immersion, and enjoying a cuppa tea (for free) after a shared experience is a powerful way to connect, let go of the stress and drama of the week, and enter your weekend revived.

The weather may be breezy and overcast on Friday, with cloud cover, but, as we like to believe, you never regret a swim, so come and join us.

We'll gather at 17h00 or so, enter the water together at around 17.30, then stay on for tea and sweet treats before heading our own separate ways.

Thrilled to be part of Franschhoek Literary Festival this year on 16 May. I'll be part of two sessions: INTO WILD WATERS...
22/04/2026

Thrilled to be part of Franschhoek Literary Festival this year on 16 May. I'll be part of two sessions:

INTO WILD WATERS
The Western Cape’s tidal pools and wild swimming spots offer more than beauty, they offer renewal. Serai Dowling (A Guide to Wild Swimming in the Western Cape) invites us into a world of tides and open seas, exploring how immersion in nature restores perspective, builds community and reconnects us to the rhythms of the earth.

SALTWATER GIRLS
The ocean has always called to storytellers, but for Veruska De Vita (Deep Blue) and Serai Dowling (A Guide to Wild Swimming in the Western Cape), it’s more than a backdrop. With Bruce Jack (The Jack Journal), they’ll explore the ocean’s depths, where water becomes a metaphor for joy, empowerment, healing, and belonging.

Would love to see some familiar faces there. Book your tickets now — tickets available via Webtickets.

21/04/2026

Join us for our next FREE Full Moon tidal pool swim - this time at Dalebrook tidal pool.

Yes, swimming in Cape Town's tidal pools is usually free to the public, so what's the difference here? Well, intention and community, in short. When you show up, monthly, to intentionally share in the joy of a community swim - where everyone is welcome - you start to participate in building bridges and friendships. You start to recognise the same faces and reinforce a sense of belonging. And you reclaim spaces and your place in them, which may in the past have been radically exclusionary.

And also, FREE biscotti and tea after a dip - why not?!

We'll meet at around 5ith this time around, and enter the water together as the moon rises, then stay on for community vibes, before going on our way. We will have snapscan and eft details with us to make donations to if you'd like to.

Chilly weather has hit the Western Cape this weekend, with showers on and off for the rest of the week. The sea temperat...
20/04/2026

Chilly weather has hit the Western Cape this weekend, with showers on and off for the rest of the week. The sea temperature has fallen and the tidal pools in False Bay are crystal clear and icy cold - the best! As you go into your week, and tick off the to-do lists, I pose a question to you in the form of a poem called The Summer Day, by Mary Oliver:

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean —
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down —
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

So, swimmers, will you swim in the icy waters, simply to feel alive? Will you relieve your tired soul with joy and play? What will you do with your one wild and precious life?

(Photo by the inimitable )

15/04/2026

THE BREAKFAST CLUB 🌊
Tidal Pool Hop — 27 April

Join us for our monthly Breakfast Club — a slow, joyful tidal pool hop along the Kalk Bay coastline.

We’ll meet at 7:30am and move between three tidal pools, pausing to swim (if you’d like), explore, and take in the morning together.

WHAT IT IS
A guided walk and optional swim that invites you to move, pause, notice, and connect — with the ocean, with place, and with one another. Along the way, we’ll share stories of the pools, their marine life, and the layered human history of this coastline.

THE FEEL
This is a gentle, non-competitive experience. You don’t need to be a strong swimmer, and there’s no pressure to get into every pool — it’s about listening to your body and enjoying time in nature.

A NOTE ON THE MORNING
We won’t be providing coffee and pastries this time, but we’ll stop at our favourite local spot so you can grab your own.
Children are welcome, but remain the responsibility of their caregivers on the day.

WHAT TO BRING
• Snacks + water
• Snorkel gear (we can provide if needed)
• Warm layers
• Curiosity + a sense of play

R50 from every booking goes to the I Am Water Foundation 💙

Spaces are limited — booking is essential:
https://tideandseek.co.za/tidal-pool-hop-event

Extract from our book, A Guide to Wild Swimming in the Western Cape: Despite its proximity to the city, Oudekraal feels ...
15/04/2026

Extract from our book, A Guide to Wild Swimming in the Western Cape:
Despite its proximity to the city, Oudekraal feels remote and wild. With the vast Atlantic before you and the rugged Twelve Apostles rising behind you, it's easy to forget you're just minutes from Cape Town's bustle.
The three main swimming areas at Oudekraal are tucked between giant granite boulders forming naturally protected coves. The water here is cold, rinsed by deep Atlantic currents and unspoiled by effluent, making for excellent water quality. The area is vest enjoyed on windless, small-swell days, especially at high tide.

The entry continues with details of where to park, how to get there, safety guidelines and more.

It ends with this paragraph:
Oudekraal is a near-perfect spot to spend a few hours. It offers great snorkelling, scenic laps and stunning views. This is wild swimming at its most poetic: granite bouldersm icy water, sacred history and a feeling of protection offered by land and sea.

The last section reflects a snippet of its history:
This headland has long drawn those in search of refuge. In the 18th century, Sheikh Noorul Mubeen - a spiritual leader from the Dutch colonies in the East - is said to have escaped Robben Island and found sanctuary at Oudekraal after fleeing imprisonment for "rebellion". He taught Islam to local fishers and fellow escapees, forming a community in this very place. His kramat, a site of reverence and reflection, still rests a few kilimetres north.










A tidal pool hop is exactly what it sounds like — moving between a few carefully chosen pools along the coastline, swimm...
14/04/2026

A tidal pool hop is exactly what it sounds like — moving between a few carefully chosen pools along the coastline, swimming, exploring, and paying attention as you go.

It’s one of the simplest, most joyful ways to experience the ocean. No swell, no deep water, just beautiful, contained spaces where life reveals itself.

Tidal pools are nurseries for marine species. Over the years, we’ve mapped what lives in the various pools. You'll find edible seaweeds, feather duster worms, whelks, colourful urchins, spiny starfish, and more. It’s an entire ecosystem, right at the edge of the city.

Pictured here, Matthew is sharing how urchins live and move at the final pool on our Kalk Bay hop. The urchins could be seen along the wall where he was standing, and the group was finishing their coffee and pastry.

These moments always draw a crowd — especially children, who are often the most curious and attentive observers of all.





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