Plett Tourism is proud to introduce the inaugural Plett Ocean Festival inviting all interested parties to save the dates of 1 – 10 July 2022 to celebrate Plettenberg Bay’s most beloved treasures: our ocean, marine life, and beaches. The festival will be anchored by a three-day marine science symposium and a variety of ocean-themed events with a strong conservation theme. 

Plettenberg Bay has much to offer during the winter season including mild weather and abundant marine life. Attention during this time of the year is largely focused on the wonders of the ocean as the whales are in the bay, scuba diving and snorkeling conditions are often idyllic, and our resident seals, dolphins, sharks, and marine birds are attracted to plentiful food sources. As a result of these, Plett Tourism has chosen the winter period of the July holidays to host the Plett Ocean Festival.

Among many highlights of the upcoming festival, the Marine Science Symposium will be held at the oceanside Beacon Isle Resort over three days and presentations will cover topics ranging from marine life, ecological impact presentations and conservation projects by a selection of top scientists and biologists in their fields. The depth of knowledge and extent of research in Plettenberg Bay and the Garden Route on oceanography, conservation and marine life is vast, and we want to share it with the world.

The symposium is about a sustainable ocean economy – the ocean and our beaches are Plett’s most important tourist attraction and Plett Tourism is committed to continuing the work of keeping these attractions pristine and flourishing.  The Marine Science Symposium – to be held from 1-3 July 2022 and MC’d Zandile Ndhlovu of the Black Mermaid Foundation – is a must-do for all interested in, working in, or studying in the marine sciences fields. Tickets will be available per presentation, per day or as a full symposium pass.

The Plett Ocean Festival will also offer a variety of fun and family-friendly activities including rocky shore excursions, guided hikes, scuba diving and snorkeling, trail runs, surf lessons, angling competitions, a team surfing competition, and an oceanic art exhibition. Collaborations at the festival are many as Nature’s Valley Trust has partnered with Open Plan Pictures to screen the animated movie, Seal Team alongside an educational talk on pollution and marine debris; Adopt-A-Swimmer and the Black Mermaid Foundation have partnered to introduce youngsters to the wonders beneath the waves, and the local NSRI Station 14 will hold an open day for visitors to tour the station and learn more about National Sea Rescue Institute and its work.

As a town with six international Blue Flag Beaches and two Blue Flag Boats, a Mission Blue Hope Spot, and surrounded by both national parks and marine protected areas, the Plett Ocean Festival aims to be an all-inclusive, one-of-a-kind event that celebrates conserving and sustainably enjoying our marine resources: beaches, shoreline and the deep blue sea.

Enquiries can be directed to cindy@pletttourism.com

“There’s nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you’ve been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent.” – Dave Barry

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