Cape Coast Expeditions

Cape Coast Expeditions For bookings call
Or whatsapp +27 68 616 2621 Educational, immersive eco-marine tour operators on the West Coast of South Africa.

Dassen island guided boat tours.

We asked ChatGPT to analyse our Google reviews and pull out the top words our guests use to describe their experience…Th...
21/04/2026

We asked ChatGPT to analyse our Google reviews and pull out the top words our guests use to describe their experience…

These are the ones that came up… and we couldn’t be more proud 🤩

With over 100 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews on Google & 60+ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on Tripadvisor, we’re so happy to hear that our guests are experiencing exactly what we set out to create 🫶🏼

Thank you to every single guest who’s been part of the journey 🤍

We’ve officially closed for the winter season and will be reopening mid-October — but bookings are open, so you can still secure your spot for the new season!

We’ll be keeping things active here, so stay tuned… winter specials coming soon 👀

Ready to experience it for yourself?

📍 Yzerfontein
📲 Book via WhatsApp

We spent the day out at Dassen Island, making the most of this beautiful weather and soaking up the last little bit of s...
01/04/2026

We spent the day out at Dassen Island, making the most of this beautiful weather and soaking up the last little bit of summer ☀️

Swimming, paddle boarding, and just enjoying a really good day out — although we think Dassie might’ve had the most fun out of all of us 🩵

We offer private boat experiences, if you want to spend a day like this with yours ☀️



Does this look like something you would want to do?

10/03/2026

Our Dassie is growing up too fast 😢 Today he went for his first SUP session in the harbour with Captain Alan 🫡 Off to the Island tomorrow!

Penguin Exclusion WallIn the early 1940s, a wall was built on Dassen Island about 30–50 metres inland from the shoreline...
09/03/2026

Penguin Exclusion Wall

In the early 1940s, a wall was built on Dassen Island about 30–50 metres inland from the shoreline.

It wasn’t built to protect penguins, it was built to control them.

By running around the outer perimeter of the island’s interior, the wall blocked penguins from moving inland, forcing them to nest in narrow coastal strips where their eggs were easier to find and harvest.

Between 1900 and 1930, more than ❗️13 million❗️ eggs were taken from Dassen Island alone. In 1919, nearly 600,000 eggs were collected in a single year.

Commercial egg harvesting continued until 1967, with a full ban across South African islands following in 1969.

Today the wall still stands — but the wall has been broken down in a few places, allowing penguins to once again reach their historic inland nesting grounds.

You can still see this historic wall today on our tour around Dassen Island — visible from the water as we circle the island.

Join us to experience the history and wildlife of this remarkable place. Book your tour with us and see it for yourself. 🐧

Click the link in our bio to book, or contact +27 68 616 2621 / +27 61 396 8683.

There are heroes on Dassen Island — and they wear boots, carry scales, and protect the future of the endangered African ...
08/03/2026

There are heroes on Dassen Island — and they wear boots, carry scales, and protect the future of the endangered African penguin. 🐧

There are only two rangers on the island at a time, rotating every few weeks. Just two people responsible for monitoring the endangered African penguin colony.

They track chick growth, weigh and measure them, record vital data, and search for abandoned eggs that might still have a chance. They walk the island daily, in all weather, quietly doing the work that keeps hope alive.

1️⃣ Azandè holding a tiny penguin chick — pure joy and awe. One small life that represents so much hope.

2️⃣ A ranger gently preparing a chick to be weighed. Every gram matters when a species is fighting extinction.

3️⃣ Capturing a moment that speaks louder than words — dedication, care, and conservation in action.

4️⃣ A close-up before the chick’s beak is measured - scientific precision used to monitor growth and health.

5️⃣ The weighing process — safely secured in a soft sling under their wings, done quickly to minimise stress.

6️⃣ The team behind it all. The Dassen Island rangers who dedicate their days to monitoring, protecting, and giving this species a fighting chance.

04/03/2026

Dassi doing a great job keeping us on the straight and narrow 🐶

Built in 1893, the lighthouse on Dassen Island Lighthouse was constructed to protect ships navigating the dangerous West...
04/03/2026

Built in 1893, the lighthouse on Dassen Island Lighthouse was constructed to protect ships navigating the dangerous West Coast waters once known for frequent shipwrecks.

Standing nearly 30 metres tall, its light reaches 24 nautical miles (±44 km) and can even be seen from Cape Town on clear nights, flashing twice every 30 seconds.

Built on the island’s highest point, the base was formed from granite quarried directly on Dassen Island, part of an ancient granite batholith unique from the nearby mainland.

Once one of South Africa’s most isolated lighthouses, keepers lived here in complete isolation, supplied only once a month by boat. Today, the lighthouse is fully automated — while seabirds now nest along its walls.

Located within a protected nature reserve, access to the island is rarely granted, making moments like this exceptionally special.

Where is the most remote place you’ve ever visited?

This week, we celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday — our lifelong idol and inspiration. 🩵We’re paying tribu...
02/03/2026

This week, we celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday — our lifelong idol and inspiration. 🩵

We’re paying tribute by sharing a glimpse of Dassen Island’s angulate tortoises, home to the highest concentration of these incredible reptiles per square metre anywhere in the world. 🐢

Sir David even visited the island to document them in his acclaimed series, Life in Cold Blood, highlighting the importance of protecting these fragile ecosystems. Here, in a sanctuary closed to the public, they thrive undisturbed — a testament to conservation and nature’s resilience.

Happy 100th, Sir David! Your work continues to inspire us every day.

This week, we celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday — our lifelong idol and inspiration. 🩵We’re paying tribu...
02/03/2026

This week, we celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday — our lifelong idol and inspiration. 🩵

We’re paying tribute by sharing a glimpse of Dassen Island’s angulate tortoises, home to the highest concentration of these incredible reptiles per square metre anywhere in the world. 🐢

Sir David even visited the island to document them in his acclaimed series, Life in Cold Blood, highlighting the importance of protecting these fragile ecosystems. Here, in a sanctuary closed to the public, wildlife thrives undisturbed — a testament to conservation and nature’s resilience.

Happy 100th, Sir David! Your work continues to inspire us every day.

🐧 Penguin Molting: nature’s toughest reset 🐧Swipe to learn the fascinating (and intense) facts about African penguin mol...
13/01/2026

🐧 Penguin Molting: nature’s toughest reset 🐧
Swipe to learn the fascinating (and intense) facts about African penguin molting 👉

Once a year, African penguins go through a catastrophic molt, shedding all their feathers at once to grow a new waterproof coat. For 2–4 weeks they’re stuck on land, unable to swim or feed, surviving only on fat reserves built up beforehand. It’s exhausting, uncomfortable, and one of the most vulnerable times in their lives — which is why molting penguins should never be disturbed.

💙 Want to help save African penguins from extinction? (which is estimated to be by 2035 💔)

Support by visiting their facilities and going on a tour to see the amazing work they do (under R100 for a tour!), or adopting a penguin to make a real difference.

Every swipe, share, and action helps 🐧💙

📸 All photos are taken by us, on our trips to Dassen Island 🩵

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44 Buitenkant
Yzerfontein
7315

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