Stampede Cruises

10/05/2026

We never take guests out in poor sea conditions. However conservation sometimes requires exceptions.
Tiny weather windows in marginal seas often means the difference between life and death for critically endangered African Penguins.
The ocean’s moods demands careful consideration and hard won local knowledge to find relatively safe gaps to work in. The lovely STAMPEDE is the only vessel around that provides practical comfort, stability second to non, carbon footprint reduction of minimum 50 percent and safety in the form of redundancy for everything, often exceeding local and international requirements.

Join STAMPEDE in making a difference,
https://adopt.sanccob.co.za/get-involved/adopt-a-penguin/

02/05/2026

If you know you know

11/04/2026

Find ways to celebrate life, not just on graduation day.

Every day was made to be extraordinary.

06/04/2026

It's always a good time to strengthen our marine protected areas.

A robot was resently sent somewhat deeper than I can go. The receipts that it may bring to light should go a long way to reveal why our marine creatures are judging us.

04/04/2026

Early in the morning it turns out even the master of the sky needs "just 2 more minutes". Albatross are 99. 9% awesome and 0.1% snooze.

28/02/2026

🐋✨ Marine Mammal Monday: Celebrating Whales of Algoa Bay ✨🌊

In honour of International Whale Day, let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the magnificent whales that visit our very own Algoa Bay and why they matter far more than most people realise. 💙

Our coastline is incredibly special. Each year, different whale species move through or visit our waters, using Algoa Bay as a migration route, feeding ground, or resting area.

🐋 Southern Right Whales
These gentle giants visit our coast during winter and spring to calve and nurse their young in sheltered bays. Watching a mother and calf pair resting in calm water is one of the most powerful reminders of how important safe coastal habitats are.

🐋 Humpback Whales
Famous for their acrobatics and haunting songs, humpbacks migrate thousands of kilometres between feeding and breeding grounds. During migration season, they are often spotted passing through our waters, sometimes breaching in spectacular fashion.

🐋 Bryde’s Whales
Unlike many migratory whales, Bryde’s whales can be found in South African waters year-round. They are sleek, fast-moving baleen whales that feed on schooling fish along our coastline.

But whales are more than just breathtaking to watch.
They are ecosystem engineers.

Whales play a crucial role in maintaining healthy oceans. Through a process often called the “whale pump,” their feeding and diving behaviour helps circulate nutrients from the deep ocean to surface waters. These nutrients support plankton growth and plankton forms the base of the entire marine food web.

Healthy whale populations contribute to healthy oceans.

Healthy oceans help regulate climate.
And a stable climate supports life on Earth, including us. 🌍💙

Whales also store significant amounts of carbon in their bodies over their long lifespans. When they die naturally and sink to the ocean floor, that carbon is effectively removed from the atmosphere for decades or even centuries.

Protecting whales isn’t just about saving a species.
It’s about protecting an entire system.

As we celebrate International Whale Day, let’s remember how fortunate we are to share our coastline with these extraordinary animals and how important it is to continue protecting the ocean they depend on.
Because when whales thrive, the ocean thrives.

When the ocean thrives, we all do. 💙🐋✨

20/02/2026

A tiny girls act of kindness sparks a huge adventure! 🐢
Caylee rescued this stranded turtle, Bayworld's amazing Turtle Rehab Team nursed it back to health, and the lovely STAMPEDE carried it back home to its wet wilderness. Full circle conservation shows heroes come in absolutely all shapes and sizes. 💚 "

17/02/2026

If charisma could save a species, they'd be thriving.

African penguins are critically endangered, yet somehow manage to be snappier dressers than me. Standards.

Ein toter Pinguin vor Südafrikas Küste ist kein Einzelfall mehr. Die Brillenpinguine (im Englischen: „African penguins“) verhungern, weil durch Überfischung ...

17/02/2026

Mr Seal says "If its flat and flaps, it's snacks"

It's rather uncommon to witness natural predation in the ocean. Seals, like most fishermen, are sometimes so proud of their catch that they occasionally show them off. Fur seals seem to really like rays, generally tossing them around like frisbees, ripping and eating bite size chunks one at a time. Looks like the victim was either a small Bluespotted or Ribbontail ray.

02/02/2026

Lights, camera, waddle! 🐧

They may be small, but play a massive role in our bay and beyond. Locally and internationally the question is "how long can there resilience weather the storm, or are they're doomed to be gone forever". 💙

Brillenpinguine stehen seit 2024 auf der Roten Liste: Ihnen geht das Futter aus