diving diary潛水日誌: Divers in romance (part 14) We swam with seals in zero distance潛水員的浪漫（十四）零距離與海豹接觸

There are a variety of bird species that engage in the search for food, including petrels and gannets. However, one particular bird stands out for its courage and fearlessness in snatching food directly from a human hand.

great-winged petrel (Pterodroma macroptera)
This remarkable bird possesses the ability to spot its prey from great distances and skillfully capture it while hovering in the air.

Beneath the ocean's surface, an array of formidable predators awaits, such as dolphins, seals, sharks, and whales. These creatures exhibit impressive speed as they engage in the hunt. On the final day of our sardine run expedition, while our boat rested in a bay, we were fortunate to witness a playful pod of dolphins swimming alongside us. Moving at a leisurely pace, they allowed Camilla and me to swim alongside them, mere arm's length away.

Having observed a group of predators in action, hunting the sardine fishes, we journeyed to Simon's Town, the southernmost town in our itinerary. This town is home to a naval base constructed two centuries ago and adjacent to it, resides a colony of African penguins and seals.

African penguin

The African penguin possesses two distinct characteristics that set it apart from other penguins: a charming pink eye shadow and a unique seven-star pattern adorning its chest.

African fur seal

Within the same vicinity, we encountered a species belonging to the fur seal family. It is important to note that fur seals and true seals belong to different families. While fur seals have external ears, true seals lack these traits and spend more time in water. The particular species we encountered is known as the African fur seal.

Camilla had made reservations at a historic two-story hotel in Simon's Town, which was erected 120 years ago.

Central Hotel Simon's Town

All the guest rooms are situated on the second floor, while the first floor houses various shops. Remarkably, the hotel stands just opposite the pier from which we embarked on our diving adventures. Originally, we had planned to stay at a larger hotel in closer proximity to the pier, but it was undergoing renovations during our visit.

The African penguins' habitat, known as Boulders Beach, is conveniently located a mere 10-minute walk from our hotel. These charismatic creatures freely roam the beach and venture into the sea in search of sustenance. To support their nesting and chick-rearing needs, several nurturing incubators have been strategically placed on the middle hill.