Daily Trip 24 January 2018

Guide Summary and Photographs

One of the very best things about working on the ocean is the fact that it’s an open system, this means that the animals are free to roam as they please. Sometimes this really works out in our favour and sometimes it does not. Today was the kind of day for which you thank your lucky stars.

The ocean was nothing short of stunning when we launched out onto a deep blue sea. With almost no wind or swell, we travelled effortlessly along the coast in search of some of our lovely marine friends, who were a little more elusive in the bay itself. After crossing over the kelp forests of The Clyde and cruising a little offshore, we began to strike some luck with our birds.

The sea has been a little devoid of cetaceans recently, so we were really trying for a Brydes Whale when we happened upon a couple of our feathered friends which included an Arctic Skua and a juvenile African Penguin. This little penguin was having some chill time at the surface of the water, which allowed for some great photographic opportunities. We also got a glimpse of that adorable white belly as he went to lay on his side. After spending some time with him, we moved further out into the ocean, spotting an endangered Cape gannet overhead.

After sometime out there, we got the surprise of a lifetime when our eagled-eyed spotter Kira found us a Blue Shark. Personally, in all my time with the company I’ve not yet had the privilege of happening upon one of these amazing creatures, so to say that I was elated would be an understatement.

These incredible sharks can be found in the open ocean, all throughout the world in temperate and tropical zones. They are a migratory species that we rarely get to see so close to shore and can reach a staggering size of around 3.5m. Something pretty awesome about these requiem sharks is that a female can bear up to 135 young, which she will give live birth to. We got to spend a wonderful 5 minutes watching this animal and one thing I do have to say is that the books really don’t do them justice. This shark was an iridescent blue and the epitome of beauty as it cruised slowly along the surface of the water. It’s really sad to think that many of these sharks are caught and killed every year by the fishing industry, and they are now considered to be a bear threatened species. After a breath-taking few moments with this blue, we moved closer towards Dyer Island where we spotted yet another Blue Shark, although this one was a little more shy.

We stopped in Shark Alley next to have a look at our Cape Fur Seals, who were as loud and stinky and entertaining as ever.  These cheerful pinnepeds always put on a fantastic show, with us paying special attention to the pups who are trying their luck in the surf zone. Although fast and agile in the water, their clumsy manner on land always makes for a delightful spectacle and we all thoroughly enjoyed our time here.

On the way home, we took a stop by Dyer Island to see a couple more penguins as well as a few thousand Cape Cormorants. We returned to the harbour via the shallows, where we spent some time at Slashfin. They had a Bronze Whaler about which we got a quick view of before we head back in towards Kleinbaai harbour for a fresh bread roll and a warm vegetable soup.

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