Coastal Community Comes Together to Launch Plett Ocean Festival 2025
A FIRST FOR PLETT, OPENING AT MARKET OFF MAIN & DANCING FOR THE DEEP
The fourth annual Plett Ocean Festival opened this past weekend, on the 5th of July, with a family-friendly beach cleanup and a striking “human whale tail” drone photography moment at Lookout Beach, hosted by CapeNature and Lookout Deck (photos courtesy of Daron Chatz). Plett Tourism, the Executive Mayor of Bitou, and stakeholders celebrated with the unveiling of Plett artist Malcolm Solomon’s bronze sculpture, ‘Two Humpbacks – Mother and Calf,’ at Market Off Main to highlight the town’s status as an accredited Whale Heritage Site and underlining the festival’s strong conservation message.
Dancing to the beat of thundering waves and popular DJs, Geluk Experiences partnered with Lookout Deck to present Deep Blue, an ocean wonderland for fans of electronic dance music. The event hosted mermaids, ocean sprites, and the Bitou Executive Mayor, Jessica Kamkam, for an evening of good humour and good music for a good cause: Dancing for the Deep.
Learn more about ocean-centric ‘things’, fascinating facts and how to get involved in citizen science this weekend at the Plett Marine Science Symposium 11 – 13 July, visit www.plettoceanfestival.co.za.
THE 2025 WEDGE CLASSIC, BURGERS FOR THE BAY & OCEAN AWEH-NESS
With an exhilarating start on Tuesday, the 2025 Wedge Classic featured premier surfing and bodyboarding at Wedge Beach. Hosted by the Plett Board Riders Association, the event drew exciting participants from junior groms to masters, ladies and granny groms in both surfing and bodyboarding divisions. As South Africa’s longest-running bodyboarding contest, the atmosphere on the beach has been vibrant. The surf action was streamed live via YouTube for those unable to attend.
In true community style, Adopt A Surfer held a fundraiser at Surf Cafe: Burgers for the Bay pairing two great loves: food and surfing for a good cause. Furthering efforts from previous years to create a generation of ocean ambassadors and increase ocean safety, the 2025 Ocean Aweh-ness Hub has taken place from Monday to Friday, sponsored by Checkers ACT and hosted by Plett Shark Spotters and NSRI, with a vibrant and educational programme involving 200 participating young learners on Central Beach. This is a highlight of the Plett Ocean Festival and at the core of the festival’s values. More information on this to follow.
BIRDING APLENTY
Birders have had a sterling festival this year with guided, behind-the-scenes tours of Tenikwa’s Penguin Rehabilitation Centre and the rich birdlife of the Groot River Estuary with NVT. A highlight of the festival is always the unforgettable Pelagic Birding Trip with Conserve Eden’s Mark Brown and CapeNature’s Chanel Visser; a morning of birding in Plett’s beautiful bay provides exceptional photo opportunities for avid birders and a fascinating journey for all.
MORE ABOUT THE WAVES
Winter and an ocean festival in Plett are perfectly paired to enjoy the generally mild days and calm seas making it the perfect location for Mungo’s Winter Swim, an invigorating cold-water dip as a testament to our connection with the ocean – which was well attended and enjoyed by all! Pro Dive once again encouraged divers to do their part for the health of our reefs with a Reef Clean Up. As a recently recognised PADI Eco Dive Centre, Pro Dive joins the Plett community in working to preserve our natural attractions including the biodiverse reefs of our bay. A unique offering at the festival was local poet and intrepid explorer, Galeo Saintz’ Ocean Poetry Walk presenting works inspired by the ocean, its mysteries and its importance.
At the Keurbooms Lagoon Caravan Park, the Black Mermaid Foundation Underwater Workshop with Adopt a Swimmer water-ready students snorkelling in the clear water to observe the life of octopi, nudibranchs, and creatures of the underwater world, had young explorers spellbound. Ocean art sessions and interactive marine science activities all centered around the theme of “Observe, Conserve, Preserve” inspired the next generation of ocean guardians and citizen scientists.
Learn more about ocean-centric ‘things’, fascinating facts and how to get involved in citizen science this weekend at the Plett Marine Science Symposium 11 – 13 July, visit www.plettoceanfestival.co.za.
