Circe Launches

Hout Bay is a picturesque seaside village, so named because on discovery it had one of the finest forests in the world. The forest was turned into farm land by the settlers. The farms are slowly being sold off and Hout Bay is now a thriving community, humourously called the "Republic of Hout Bay".

The bay is secluded within the parameters the Sentinal and Chapman's Peak. In 1780, during the American War of Independence, the French built fortifications on the Eastern and Western sides to protect the Bay from the British. The ruins of the blockhouse and barracks at the East Fort can still be seen today. The old jetty at Flora Bay is a reminder of Hout Bay's mining days when manganese was mined on the slopes of the Constantiaberg between 1909 and 1911.

The Hout Bay harbour is also an active fishing harbour where one will find many Charters willing to convey passengers for scenic sea trips. Their are many wrecks in the area, fishing trips and boat trips to Duiker Island are arranged daily.

Circe Launches at Hout Bay has a 82 foot, steel hulled boat with seating for over 100 passengers on deck and ample inside seating known as the Calypso. She is unique in her class with two 1 x 1 metre viewing ports whereby the passengers can enjoy seeing the wonderful kelp forests under the ocean as well as the abundant sea life.

Calypso is the only glass bottomed launch in South Africa which enables one to view the seals and sea life around Duiker Island from the viewing ports, an experience you will never forget!

Sadly though, water visibility is subject to prevailing weather conditions.

All trips weather permitting.