Duiker Island or Duikereiland (Afrikaans), also known as Seal Island (not to be confused with the nearby Seal Island), is an island off Hout Bay near Cape Town South Africa. It is 77 by 95 metres in size, with an area of about 0.4 hectare.
 Fur seals on Duiker Island | |
 | |
  Duiker Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | chart 34°03′31″S 18°19′37″E / 34.05861°S 18.32694°E |
| Area | 0.4 ha (0.99 acres) |
| Length | 77 m (253 ft) |
| Width | 95 m (312 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Western Cape |
| Municipality | City of Cape Town |
The island is renowned for its marine wildlife, including the Cape fur seals and marine bird species such as the common cormorants and kelp gulls. It is visited regularly by tourists and photographers by boat via Mariner's Wharf in Hout Bay harbour.
On 13 October 2012, a small vessel carrying tourists to Duiker Island capsized. The incident resulted in the deaths of two men while three women survived by finding air pockets beneath the up-turned vessel. [1][2]
References
edit- ^ 3 Women Survive in Air Pockets Under Capsized Boat by Bazi Kanani (ABC News, 15 October 2012)
- ^ Cape Town boat capsizes: Peter Hyett dies in Hout Bay (BBC News, 15 October 2012)