Springtide Sailing Charters
Springtide Sailing Charters
4.5
Boat ToursEco ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Full view
About
Springtide Charters offers exclusive sailing charters aboard a sleek, custom built 50ft mono-hull yacht called 'The Outeniqua'. Cruises depart daily (weather permitting) from the popular Knysna Waterfront find our Yacht moored in the waterfront next to our brightly painted lighthouse kiosk and ticket office. After exiting the quays our yacht sets sail across the expansive Knysna estuary and out to into the ocean through the Knysna Heads. We sail parallel to the beautifully rugged Knysna coastline and depending on the sailing conditions we either head east towards the Noetzie area or west towards the Buffalo Bay area. The thrill of sailing surrounded by such show stopping scenery makes this an adventure of a lifetime.Sunset Cruises, 2,3 & 4 hour Day charters,private hire (maximum of 12 passengers).
Knysna, South Africa
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Springtide Sailing Charters
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
66 reviews
Excellent
50
Very good
8
Average
1
Poor
4
Terrible
3
Ramon L
Oxford, UK209 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Truly magical experience!
We booked the sunset cruise and it was perfect!
To cap it all off, as we were the only two customers, we had the sail boat all to ourselves.
The Captain and his deputy were great. They explained everything to us.
Although billed as a sunset cruise, they made sure we saw the sea life. We saw dolphins, whales, albatross and cape fur seals (plus an unfortunate octopus they were eating).
The spread they offered was delicious! Plus we had a bottle of bubbly all to ourselves!
We loved it and would deffo recommend
We booked the sunset cruise and it was perfect!
To cap it all off, as we were the only two customers, we had the sail boat all to ourselves.
The Captain and his deputy were great. They explained everything to us.
Although billed as a sunset cruise, they made sure we saw the sea life. We saw dolphins, whales, albatross and cape fur seals (plus an unfortunate octopus they were eating).
The spread they offered was delicious! Plus we had a bottle of bubbly all to ourselves!
We loved it and would deffo recommend
Written 7 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
derrynswart
Port Elizabeth, South Africa1 contribution
Oct 2010
Knysna is a well-known holiday attraction for locals and foreigners alike. Restaurateurs know this, hotel owners bank on it and novelty shops thrive on it. This is no problem per se, as the town and surroundings have been cleverly developed to accommodate the holiday needs of most visitors.
Occasionally, it so does happen that the off-the-beaten-track-type visitor stumbles upon Knysna and becomes easily bored by clinical appearance of the town's neatly packaged and otherwise sought-after offerings. This type of individual is not on holiday, but rather traveling. They prefer the off-the-beaten-track accommodation options in the indigenous forests surrounding Knysna, from where they can casually explore town without being engulfed by Knysna's bourgeois.
If you can identify with the above-mentioned, then you should contact Spring Tide which offers more than just a boat trip like other charters operating from the Knysna Quays. Departing from the Quays, you will be thrilled by the trip (depending on your chosen package) that takes you through the glaring Heads into the ocean. On our trip, the ocean was quite rough, and my wife and I had a blast! The skipper and staff are all highly professional which leaves you feeling safe at all times. Return to the lake for a glass of chilled champers and a choice selection of hors de ouveres to die for.
By the time disembark you would have this strange sense of empathy for the insanely wealthy residents of Thesen Island. Keeping a yacht and maintaining the accompanied lifestyle is truly exhausting, yet strangely exciting! You will not stop thinking about this experience for long after you have retreated to your casual cabin overlooking the forested valleys toward Rheenendal.
We thank you, until next time
Dave & Derryn Swart
Occasionally, it so does happen that the off-the-beaten-track-type visitor stumbles upon Knysna and becomes easily bored by clinical appearance of the town's neatly packaged and otherwise sought-after offerings. This type of individual is not on holiday, but rather traveling. They prefer the off-the-beaten-track accommodation options in the indigenous forests surrounding Knysna, from where they can casually explore town without being engulfed by Knysna's bourgeois.
If you can identify with the above-mentioned, then you should contact Spring Tide which offers more than just a boat trip like other charters operating from the Knysna Quays. Departing from the Quays, you will be thrilled by the trip (depending on your chosen package) that takes you through the glaring Heads into the ocean. On our trip, the ocean was quite rough, and my wife and I had a blast! The skipper and staff are all highly professional which leaves you feeling safe at all times. Return to the lake for a glass of chilled champers and a choice selection of hors de ouveres to die for.
By the time disembark you would have this strange sense of empathy for the insanely wealthy residents of Thesen Island. Keeping a yacht and maintaining the accompanied lifestyle is truly exhausting, yet strangely exciting! You will not stop thinking about this experience for long after you have retreated to your casual cabin overlooking the forested valleys toward Rheenendal.
We thank you, until next time
Dave & Derryn Swart
Written 23 February 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PTCooper
Cape Town Central, South Africa90 contributions
Apr 2011
Whether you are a seasoned sailor or someone who has always dreamed of boarding a sailing yacht, hearing the wind in the sails, feeling the boat heel over and knowing the sensation of a beautiful sail boat's bow slicing through the ocean then this is THE tour for you. Boarding Outeniqua at the Quays, motoring out into Knysna Lagoon, turning this beautiful vessel into the wind and raising her mainsail and genoa is as therapeutic as it is romantic. One wants to never return home; to be stuck in a time warp aboard Outeniqua. The fact that the experienced crew, skippered by Stephan, make your sail that much better by being friendly, attentive and knowledgeable of both their craft and the area just puts the proverbial cherry on the top. Speaking of cherries, the food is top class, the champagne perfectly chilled and when Stephan points Outeniqua's bow toward her mooring one can feel nothing but sadness that your hours aboard are over so soon. In the words of my 10 year old daughter who had never sailed before "do we have to go home now?".
Written 15 April 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Avi M
3 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
The company is not at all accommodating. The owner and Lucy are so rude to customers. I had the worst experience dealing with them. I booked with magic lagoon after this bad experience and honestly they were so easy to deal with and also have better boats than this company.
Written 27 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grant M
Umhlanga Rocks, South Africa214 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
Friday 28th July was an exceptionally warm mid winters day ie touching 30c.
We were looking for a boat and ventured to this crafts booking office.
It was to our astonishment CLOSED and the folks had left a cell phone number which no one answers.........what the heck......???
We were looking for a boat and ventured to this crafts booking office.
It was to our astonishment CLOSED and the folks had left a cell phone number which no one answers.........what the heck......???
Written 9 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello and thank you for your response, we run our fully functional admin offices just down the road at Thesen Island the offices run from 8am till 5pm, with our yacht charters, which are catered trips- it is a requirement that all trips must be pre-booked. It is not possible to book our trips at the last minute as catering is required, also our skipper needs to be booked and notified ahead of time (even though our skippers are on standby, they are not able to drop in at short notice, as they live in the surrounding area's)
Our last trip of the day is a sunset cruise, which due to the season- Winter at the moment will depart at 3pm and returns at around 5.30pm. (Summer departure times are 5pm and trip returns at 7.30). Due to it being out of season we do not man this kiosk, however we do have our general crew member is stationed on the yacht during the day as there is the usual maintenance and cleaning done throughout the day. Understandably if there is no charter booked on a particular day we send our staff home at the end of the regular working day which is 5pm.
I have checked our phone records which looks like there was an incoming call from an international number at 17.52pm, I do see that there was an attempt to call this number back immediately.
Again I apologize for disappointing you as I am sure it was a lovely day for a cruise.
Written 10 August 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mrs_Oystercatcher
Mundesley, UK16 contributions
Oct 2010
We have been lucky to sail on Outeniqua more than once and each time has been a magical experience.......sailing thru the heads into the Indian ocean with prospect of seeing dolphin or whale is my idea of an adventure; topped off with champagne and delicious food: LEKKER!
Written 22 February 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ding0d
Johannesburg, South Africa1 contribution
Well we always picture Africa form the bush & the big 5 there is another perspective that doesn't get advertised quite as much , That is the coastline ,and one of the greatest ways to experiance it is out on the water itself.
The whole family loved the experiance , and If youre as lucky as we were you might get to see Dolphins or even a Whale whilst out there , But you'll be guaranteed a great outing as the environment is the most scenic on the South Arican coastline
The whole family loved the experiance , and If youre as lucky as we were you might get to see Dolphins or even a Whale whilst out there , But you'll be guaranteed a great outing as the environment is the most scenic on the South Arican coastline
Written 4 December 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liywhf
6 contributions
May 2013
Booked the sunset cruise on the water as a honeymoon treat. We weren't disappointed the views were amazing, crew chatty and knowledgeable and the food and bubbles were lovely. Would highly recommend and would go again if we are lucky enough to return one day!!
Written 14 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trevordol
Franschhoek, South Africa12 contributions
Knysna is a pretty town but it's much more so when viewed from the water. Thanks guy's for creating a very special memory and what a great way to introduce my kids to the beauty of sailing.
Written 12 April 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katharina S
Lucerne, Switzerland230 contributions
Feb 2019 • Friends
A professional very friendly skipper and crew provided us with a nice experience in the lagune and on the ocean. The beautiful turn of nearly three hours on a calm sea and in a warm evening sun was highlited by two encounters with whales and a very lifely bunch of seals. A experience to be recommended.
Written 7 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience