DICT

Marine Dynamics, a leading eco-tourism and marine conservation company, has been awarded the prestigious Business of the Year 2025 by the Hermanus Business Chamber. The accolade recognises the company’s outstanding contribution to tourism, conservation, and the local community in the Overstrand region. Marine Dynamics, founded by Wilfred Chivell, has been a pioneer in responsible marine tourism for over 25 years. Offering [...]

On Wednesday 12 November, it was time for another 12 African penguin chicks and one adult to be released back on Dyer Island, their home colony. These little ones had been removed from the island by conservation partners, CapeNature and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust/APSS teams, because their parents were moulting and unable to care for them. With the dire situation [...]

The announcement was made during the WESSA Blue Flag and Green Coast Annual Awards Ceremony, held this year in Port Alfred, celebrating municipalities, partners, and organisations committed to upholding South Africa’s highest standards of environmental management and sustainable coastal tourism. Representing Marine Dynamics were Wilfred Chivell, CEO of Marine Dynamics; Skipper Dickie Chivell; and Marine Guide Susy Alexandersen. The Blue Flag [...]

Dr Pat Garratt is a distinguished South African marine biologist and conservationist, renowned for his contributions to fish biology research, public education, and aquarium leadership. Over the years, he has bridged the worlds of rigorous scientific inquiry and large-scale public engagement with marine ecosystems. Dr Pat, ready to go fishing! From his early work at the Oceanographic Research Institute [...]

For the past ten years, Gerhard van der Merwe has driven from Hermanus to Kleinbaai every week to volunteer at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS). At this Sanctuary, the Dyer Island Conservation Trust cares for injured, sick, and “retired” African Penguins. The young and strong are released on Dyer Island to help boost the dwindling population of this critically [...]

Gansbaai, South Africa – At this time of year, adult African Penguins on Dyer Island undergo their annual moult, a natural process in which they shed and regrow their feathers. During moulting, adults are not waterproof and cannot swim to find fresh fish for their chicks, leaving them unable to feed their young. The penguin life cycle is essentially divided into [...]