The tidal pool has a special history as it was one the few beaches where non-white residents of Cape Town could come and enjoy a day at the sea in a whites-only area before 1994. Maidens Cove has two tidal pools hidden between enormous granite boulders.
The sunrises are no less spectacular on windless days. Found hidden from the road between Kalk Bay and Glencairn it is a much quieter swim. Wooley’s tidal pool is a well-kept locals secret. Aside from the iconic Instagram worthy shots, the clear and shallow waters, surrounding rockpools, and nearby cafes make this a good spot. With its postcard-perfect changeroom huts and stunning views of False Bay, St James is perhaps our best-loved and most photographed pool. Nearly halfway between St James and Kalk Bay, this pool is surrounded by things to do and places to see so you can make a day trip of it. That information is now being used as a baseline for further research of life in the tidal pools, as well as to help NGOs raise awareness of the abundance of marine life that inhabit the pools that we share.įancy a dip – here are 7 of the best tidal pools in Cape Town :įancy a crisp, early morning dip? Head to Dalebrook. The work continued on through the COVID-19 lockdown, when a team of scientists from Anchor Research and Monitoring Pty, The Beach Co-Op (a local non-profit) and the City of Cape Town took advantage of the absence of humans on South Africa’s beaches to conduct the city’s first ever biodiversity survey. Now all tidal pools managed by the City of Cape Town are cleaned primarily using eco-friendly methods – like using high pressure hoses and environmentally friendly chalk-based paint. Thanks to her hard work, and a team of likeminded communities, the pilot projects were a success.
The local free diver Lisa Beasley has been championing a pilot project to clean the pools using eco-friendly methods, rather than toxic chemicals and aggressive removal of sea life from the pool walls. If you can believe it, Cape Town is home to more than 20 unique tidal pools dotted along the Atlantic Ocean (West) and False Bay (East) coastline.Ī bit of information that you might want to know first :