Donna Collins
The soft drone of the powerful Catamaran’s twin engines surging through the ocean, was muffled by the cry of Seagulls and splashing of little waves as they hit the side of the luxury yacht on a clear summer’s day.
Captain Carol-Ann Möller with her windswept blond hair was standing on the deck surrounded by a posse of friendly, large billed pelicans and shiny-coated seals, who had dropped in for some fishy treats, much to the delight of a group of German and Chinese tourists who had joined the Namibia Dolphin & Seal Catamaran Cruises that day.
This is life at sea for Möller, currently the only woman in Namibian to own and run a luxury Catamaran marine charter company, which offers an informative and idyllic three-hour sail from the Walvis Bay Waterfront through to Pelican Point where a noisy seal colony bustling with activity greets you. Equipped with over ten years of experience running Catamaran tours, Möller’s spends five of seven days out at sea, with duties such as her clients’ safety, managing the excited marine life that visit the boat, playing hostess, plus handling the impressive Yacht Manatee, which is one of the best catamarans in operation today. She is a single mother of two and widow to her late husband captain Hans-Jörg Möller, who started the Catamaran cruise charters many years ago – and to whom she owes her extensive experience, love for marine life, as she continues to sail the ocean, and keeps his legacy alive.
Möller is also the mother figure to many sea creatures, which she and her late husband rescued and raised from young. These seals, seagulls, penguins and pelicans that despite some being domestically hand reared and set free, they still make a beeline to the boat year after year, and are as tame as your pet dog. With names like Lady Gaga, Sparkle, Bubbles and Necklace, each one of these marine animals have an amazing story to tell of being rescued from the strangling noose of fishing tackle, grounded with broken wings and sliced from propeller injuries.
Whilst gulping down as many fish as they can swallow, the fluffy white pelicans varying from juvenile to adult waddle on large webbed feet in between the amazed visitors. Some of the more boisterous seals land with a thump on the deck demanding a snack out the fish bucket, with little consideration for paying guests, who are kept highly amused by the show.
Möller tells you that Yacht Manatee is a marine catamaran designed exclusively for the best ocean activity experience, which aside from its comfort, it has engine propellers that hang low under the vessel to prevent injury to dolphins, seals and other sea life that swim close to the boat. The environment friendly vessel is also fitted with specific inboard engines that prevent pollution.
This once in a lifetime Dolphin cruise lends all the romance, adventure and luxury associated with sailing the seas, and should top everyone’s bucket list. The tours are designed for amongst others, corporate company jaunts, functions, weddings, marine getaways for intimate parties, and daily departures from the Walvis Bay jetty, with personal attention to smaller groups.
Tours are narrated in English and on request in German, Afrikaans, Japanese and Oshiwambo. Dolphin watching is all year round, with whale watching from July to November. If not taking photos of the marine life or soaking up the breath taking oceanic scenery, below deck one can laze in the vessel’s spacious VIP lounge, which also holds four double bedroom cabins, separate bathroom facilities, a kitchenette for coffee and soft drinks on call. A sumptuous Oyster buffet finger lunch is served
with sparkling Champaign to top off an experience of a lifetime.