5/5! Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 22 April
Written by April 22 2023
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 02 April 2023:
We had an incredible day today having sighted all of the Marine Big 5! Straight out of Kleinbaai Harbour, we came across a large raft of African Penguins who were very calm around the boat. We then continued our trip by heading into deeper waters where we encountered a fantastic Bryde’s whale which gave us numerous close looks before taking a dive! Next, we made the journey to our island system. Here the Cape Fur seals on Geyser Rock were as playful as ever and put on quite a show for everyone on board. By Dyer Island, we were also fortunate enough to spot some of the endangered African Penguins on land! Over by the shark cage diving boats, we got some great glimpses of the Bronze Whaler sharks. On our way back to the harbour the Indian Ocean Humpback dolphins made a very welcome appearance! These animals happily cruised alongside the boat for a short period giving us some unrivalled views. Throughout the trip today we also had some fantastic seabird activity including; Cape Gannets, White-Chinned Petrels, Cory’s Shearwater and thousands of Cape Cormorants to round off the tour!
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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.
Brydes Whale Brydes Whale
The mysterious Bryde's whales visit the Dyer Island area throughout the year, with most sightings occurring during summer into winter.
Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin
Humpback dolphins are an endangered species, with small populations living very close to shore, typically in water less than 25m deep and an average home range of 120km. Their proximity to land makes these animals particularly vulnerable to human influence.
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 Gannet Cape Gannet
Well documented for their aireal displays, experiences with with the famous Cape Gannet are always breath taking, and hold a special place in every photographers portfolio.
Cape Cormorant Cape Cormorant
One of the most famous species of Cormorant in the Western Cape, the Cape Cormorant is well known for it's beautiful turquoise eye and impressive size.
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.
