5/5! Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 1 September
Written by September 1 2022
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 01 September 2022:
We could not have asked for a better day out at sea today with 5/5 of our Marine Big 5 spotted! Shortly after departing the harbour, we encountered a pod of approximately 12 Bottlenose Dolphins. This was a very pleasant and welcome surprise and we enjoyed these animals for a short while before moving on to our shark cage diving vessel, Slashfin! Over by the cage diving boat, we got some great views of the beautiful Bronze Whaler sharks. After this, we continued on our journey in search of whales. It didn’t take long and we were thrilled to cross paths with a mother and calf pair of Southern Right whales. We stayed with these incredibly calm individuals for a brief period while ensuring to maintain a respectful distance before moving off. Over by Dyer Island, we had a very special moment to share with our guests on board. Seven of the endangered African Penguins who had completed their rehabilitation programme at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary were ready to be sent home. This was a very heartwarming moment for all on board! After this, we made our way into Shark Alley to see the ever-playful 60,000-strong Cape Fur seal colony on Geyser Rock! This then ticked off the fifth and final species of the Marine Big 5 and then we made our way back to the harbour.
A very big thank you to everyone who joined us today, it was a pleasure having you with us!
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What species did we see today?
Bronze Whaler Shark Bronze Whaler Shark
The Bronze whaler (also known as Copper sharks) here in Kleinbaai are very curious and interactive. These sharks eat mostly fish, with sardines being one of their favourites.
Southern Right Whale Southern Right Whale
Southern right whales attract thousands of visitors every year to experience these gentle giants off the South African coast.
Bottlenose Dolphin Bottlenose Dolphin
At present there are two recognized species of bottlenose dolphin, and in some cases, both species can be found in the same area. The two species are the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (T. aduncus). In addition, there is a great deal of variation in colouration, diet and behaviour. The difference between the common bottlenose and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin are subtle, but the common bottlenose dolphin generally larger and more robust with a slight darker colouration.
African Penguin African Penguin
As one of only 17 penguin species left in the world (and the only one on the african continent), the african penguin often breed in offshore colonies, such as Dyer Island.
Cape fur seal Cape fur seal
With a local population of 60,000, it's no wonder our guests capture so many photographs of these wonderfully playful marine mammals.
