A gathering of whales, 06 October 2019
Written by October 6 2019
The Southern right whales gathered in numbers today and we got to see some really nice activity and interactions from the whales. At one point we counted at least 12 whales together in a small area, rolling around in the waves and giving us some really great looks. Among the group we instantly recognised an individual with a bit white mark on its back. We have seen this whale many times over the past few weeks, and we have even noticed an increase in size of this juvenile. This partially white whale was very active on one of our trips, and gave us some amazing breaching displays and close contact with its mother. A second whale species, a juvenile humpback whale that has been hanging around Dyer Island was seen at the end of the day, and early in the morning we encountered some bottlenose dolphins close to shore. although their close proximity to shore wasn’t ideal for photo opportunities, it was nice to see these dolphins playing in the surf close to the beach. We also got to see some endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins later in the day, so we were able to give a Marine Big 5 experience to many of our guests onboard today. As for other species, we encountered a large Great white shark in the morning, Bronze whaler sharks throughout the rest of the day, African penguins and a lot of Cape fur seals on Geyser rock.
Photos from today
Southern right whale breaching on the early morning tour
Watching Southern right whales
Southern right whale head covered in callosities
Southern right whale tail
A very white whale we have come to know well
The head of the very white whale
Close contact with mum
The very white whale breaching
Breaching with the flippers sticking out
Breaching
Waving goodbye
Indian Ocean humpback dolphin
Indian Ocean humpback dolphin with a mark on its back
Great white shark fin
African penguins on Dyer Island
Cape fur seals on Geyser rock
A huge raft of Cape cormorants
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.
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.
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.
Great white sharks Great white sharks
Gracious, beautiful, misunderstood - three words used by guests of Dyer Island Cruises after witnessing South Africa's most infamous marine species: The Great White Shark.
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.
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.
Humpback Whale Humpback Whale
One of the best-known whale species, they are renowned for their acrobatic behaviour and complex melodious song as well as extremely long flippers and are a special favourite of Dyer Island Cruises guests and crew alike.
