29 March 2016

Guide Summary and Photographs

Today’s trip was pretty wet and definitely one for the books. We had quite a strong wind blowing as we left the harbour which made the sea a little choppy but bearable. We set out in search of Humpback Dolphins at the beginning of the trip, these animals prefer shallow water and so we hugged the coast line whilst making our way towards the shallows.

The Dolphins were pretty sneaky today and managed to pass by us without us even noticing! Luckily, we managed to spot them behind the boat which caused us to turn around and head back towards Franskraal. This pod consisted of 7 dolphins and it was beautiful to see at least 4 of them swimming together. They came up for us a couple of times but, it was difficult for us to get good photographs due to the choppy sea conditions.

Next, we stopped by Slashfin who happened to have a beautiful shark around the boat. Although the shark was not very large, it was impressive none the less and gave us an awesome display when it went for the bait.

After we left Slashfin, the sea became a little choppier and we began to experience some spray. Despite this, our guests were in good spirits and enjoyed the “Gansbaai roller coaster” – as coined by one of today’s guests.

At the island, we observed the seals for a bit and saw the elephant seal again. On the way into the alley, there was also an abundance of bird life that we were able to appreciate. This included the striking Swift Tern. They nest in dense colonies, one of which happens to be on Dyer Island, and they belong to the Rynchopidae family. Due to them being fairly common, we often make the mistake of not appreciating their beauty.

Today’s trip can aptly be described as an adventure, with the weather conditions almost enhancing the experience. Tomorrow is a no sea day but we hope to be back on the water by Thursday.