South Africa will soon welcome its first amphibious ‘Waterfront Duck’ bus at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town.
The Waterfront Duck is a 40-seater vehicle that can travel on both land and water.
The Waterfront Duck will take to the water in July, offering a unique tour experience that combines a bus tour around Cape Town before dipping into the ocean.
The tour will start at the V&A Waterfront, pass the Cape Town Stadium, and follow the Atlantic Seaboard coastline before returning to the V&A Waterfront, where it will leave land and launch into the water near the Cape Grace Hotel, and cruise around the V&A Marina and Harbour.
Co-owner of the Duck Company, Keith Lindsay was inspired by a similar experience during a holiday in Boston in 2008. He recognised the potential for bringing the same concept to Cape Town.
However, bringing the concept to Cape Town has been no easy feat, as he had to prioritise strict health and safety standards.
The vehicle, which was built in the UK, underwent rigorous safety scrutiny by both the UK’s Marine and Coastguard Authority and South Africa’s Maritime Safety Agency. The process has taken over two years. Additionally, adaptations were made to ensure the vehicle could navigate Cape Town’s specific environment. The vehicle features life jackets, multiple sealed compartments, and automatic bilge pumps.
The skipper and drivers, who are referred to as Quacktains, have to be both a skipper with passenger endorsement and a heavy-duty driver with PDP. The tours will include a tour guide, a ConDUCKtor, who is also a qualified deck-hand crew member, adding to the educational and entertaining experience for passengers. A sense of fun and enthusiasm is a must for all team members.
For safety, they never leave the confines of the V&A Harbour, remaining inside the Victoria Basin. Tours will be weather-dependent and operate according to safety parameters.
The tours are not just about sightseeing; they provide ‘edutainment,’ blending entertaining and engaging commentary with historical and ecological insights.
The tour covers some interesting historical snippets as well as a marine/eco theme.
Tickets are not yet available for purchase but will be one month before the launch from the Waterfront Duck Company’s website.
IOL Travel