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The first mention of coasteering in literature appears in the 1973 book Sea Cliff Climbing, by John Cleare & Robin Collomb.
Coasteering is a relatively new outdoor adventure activity in South Africa, but given that the country has so many excellent stretches of coast to explore, it is likely to grow in popularity as more people discover the attraction.
Coasteering involves travelling along the coastline without any form of transport. Scrambling over rocks, jumping from cliffs into the ocean, and swimming between points are all part and parcel of this coastline adventure experience.
This type of activity will appeal to hikers, rock climbers and swimmers, as well as anyone who enjoys the outdoors and doesn't mind getting wet.
Coasteering routes are set up so that rock climbing is only done in sections where there is a straight drop back to the water below, where a guide will be on standby as a safety precaution. The equipment used for coasteering includes wetsuits, helmets, buoyancy aids and shoes suitable for climbing.
It was during the late '90s that coasteering developed into a guided adventure activity, becoming very popular in places like Wales and Cornwall in the United Kingdom. Coasteering races are now run around the world.
Gravity Adventure Group in Cape Town are the South African pioneers of coasteering, offering 2 different routes from which explorers can choose. They offer tours for groups as small as 2 or 3 people, but can accommodate groups of up to 10 at a time.
The waters of the Atlantic Ocean along Cape Town's shores are known to be rather chilly, but with a wetsuit and plenty of adrenalin pumping, explorers won't really notice this during their coasteering expedition.
Cape Town, however, has a much warmer climate than most established coasteering destinations, with an average winter temperature of 18.5 °C. Summer temperatures are often above 30 °C.