Boulders Beach – Simon's Town, South Africa
What is It - One of the most interesting places to see on the Cape Peninsula of South Africa is popular penguin’s colony located at Boulder’s Beach in Simon’s Town facing the large body of water known as False Bay. By the end of the 20th century the area emerged as a popular place to visit by people seeking a break from Cape Town. Neither local merchants nor area residents expected, however, that the lifestyle of many uninvited tuxedoed guests would become the town’s premier attraction.
In 1982, two pairs of African penguins decided to nest just south of town along a beach with numerous boulders known as Boulders Beach. Although African penguins have long inhabited many of the offshore islands and some spots here and there on the South African coast, these initial settlers like the Europeans before them aimed to stay. Consequently, today there is a colony with around two thousand penguins living at Boulders Beach and the adjacent Foxy Beach, and the penguin colony attracts more than 60,000 people each annually.
When the African penguin became an endangered species in the country in 2010, the government moved to protect them by taking over Boulders Beach and the surrounding dunes and incorporating them into the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area. Boating and construction near the beach were outlawed, but visitors were accommodated through the construction of a visitor’s center and a half mile boardwalk which leads to several large viewing platforms. This allows the penguins to go about their business of lounging in the sun, nesting in their burrows, swimming around in nearby waters, and searching for food everywhere for themselves and their young, without disruption or significant human interference.
Penguin Activities- There is something about penguins that people enjoy watching. Maybe it is the way they look since their long black wings and white bodies give the appearance of a tuxedoed gentleman, or their strange gait, or the antics they engage in when they lounge around in large groups. Whatever the reason, people enjoy stopping by Boulders Beach to observe these interesting creatures.
The African penguin is a bird which does not fly. However, it is very adept in the water where it uses its webbed feet and flipper-like wings for fast swimming and deep diving. They eat small fish that swim on the top layer of the ocean but also will eat small crabs and squid from time to time. Most penguins weigh from 5 to 8 pounds and are usually around twenty inches tall. These penguins make an unusual braying call like a mule which led them to be referred to in the past as the jackass penguins.
There are always plenty of penguins on the beach. But during the molting season in December, the entire colony comes on land and “molt” their feathers to allow new ones to grow in. Each bird takes three weeks to complete the molting process and cannot eat until they have developed their new feathers and return to the ocean to feed. Penguins live about 10 to 13 years. When they are about 3 years old, they mate and thereafter become creatures of habit for the rest of their life. Pairs remain together and return to the same nesting area to breed, care for the incubating eggs, and then raise the young fledglings. This is not an easy process since one of the adults will usually leave to catch food for the whole family and return it to the nest usually in the form of regurgitated fish.
Interesting Facts - The beaches adjacent to Boulders Beach are open to the public and have quite nice swimming and picnic areas. In addition to getting cooled off, some tourists like to swim there because penguins may come by during their daily routine. They can be observed up close and photographed but not handled.
Visiting Boulders Beach- The main beach area for seeing the penguins is located a mile outside of Simons Town. Most tourists start at the visitors’ center located at the Foxy Beach entrance. General information about the site, some exhibits about the African penguin, and a gift shop with cute souvenirs are available there. This is also where the Willis Walk accessible boardwalk begins. It leads to various beach spots, nesting areas, and viewing platforms where the penguins frequently gather. There are no guides on site, so most people take a group tour or bring their own guide. Simon’s Town and Boulders Beach are regular stops on group tours of the Cape Peninsula. If you are coming from Cape Town, which is a 40-minute drive, the best route is to travel down the M3 highway to the coast and then take the scenic M4 route along the water. While there is a train that runs from Cape Town Station to Simon’s Town, this is not regarded as a safe option for visitors.
Where to Stay – The Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel is conveniently located right on the bay in the town and provides a moderately priced room with standard amenities. There are also numerous guest houses around the town and near Boulders Beach such as Oceans Drift which offer rooms. For a luxury stay, Tints Walo Boulders is an excellent villa to consider.
Cost - An Admission fee or conservation fee is charged to enter the National Park area where the penguins are visible. The current charge is approximately $11 for adults and $5 for children depending on current exchange rates.
This Article was written with the assistance of Clive De Bruyne of The Cape Town Tour Guide Co., a certified, independent tour guide and travel consultant.