A Marine Big 5 day! Marine Big 5 Daily Blog
Written by January 5 2021
After some windy days we had the most perfect seaday with no wind and swell. Just outside Kleinbaai harbour we encountered two Indian Ocean humpback dolphin. We were very happy to see some of them again, the female and her calf were spotted close to the coast in a patch of kelp. A stop at the shark cage diving boats was essential to see some Bronze Whaler sharks. On our first tour, we went into deeper waters before visiting Dyer Island and were lucky to find a Bryde’s whale cow-calf pair traveling across the bay. On the second tour we also managed to find some Bryde’s whales, possible the same pair as on the previous trip, what a special sighting! Cruising past the Cape Fur seal colony was a lot of fun, especially observing the cute little seal pups gathering around the water. Closer to Dyer Island we could spot some penguins and plenty of cormorants nesting on the island. What a fantastic day at sea, we could have not asked for better sightings.
What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
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.
White-breasted Cormorant White-breasted Cormorant
White-breasted Cormorant is the largest African cormorant and they have an iconic white chest, it is a favourite for many of our repeat visitors, and professional wildlife photographers.
