A Splendid Day Out On The Ocean With Many Different Species, 23 June 2019
Whales, Albatross, Sunfish, Sharks, Rays and more...
Written by Jax Bath, June 24 2019
Guide Summary.
We had quite the day out at sea, with an incredible species count! We got to see 2 different species of whale, two different species of shark and a ray, a Sunfish and a penguin, seals, jellies and a few pelagic seabird species. We set out at around 10:30 onto a beautiful ocean and made our way towards Danger Point to see whale magic we could find.
The haze over the land made for a picturesque setting and it wasn’t too long before we got to spotting our first birds. We had a Shy Albatross, a White Chinned Petrel and some Sooty Shearwaters about, and whilst watching them, Kira also spotted the spout of a whale. As we approached, we discovered that it was in fact two Humpback Whales that we spent the next while following. These whales were on a mission taking long dives and heading east where they will find their breeding grounds.
Luckily for us, when the whales were down we were entertained by a host of other species. The albatross came right up to us, as did a Sunfish who was tottering along looking for food. These fish are unusual in almost every aspect, and we can go months without seeing them so a sighting is always special. The Sunfish was likely preying on the abundance of Night Light Jellyfish and Blue Bottles who had been blown in after the storm. Here, we also had a little African Penguin relaxing and giving himself a bath. This bird seemed to quite like us, popping up meters from the boat and giving us all a great view of his newly pruned feathers.
On our way to our Island systems, we also spotted a Brydes Whale who came up twice before taking a deep dive. Geyser Rock was our next port of call where we watched our Cape Fur Seals go about their daily activities. Most of our seals had opted to have a lay in whilst a few braved the cold waters of the Atlantic for some Sunday funday antics. We then cruised through The Clyde Reef System and onto Slashfin where we had a Short Tailed Sting ray come up again and again. We also had two Copper Sharks hanging out at the back of the boat and at the very last minute, a Great White to steal the show.
Today's Best Photographs.
We started off our trip with some Shy Albatross.
Albatross have t be among the most magnificent of birds, with a wingspan of over 2m.
The head of a Sunfish as it moved by to try and find a jelly to eat.
We happened upon 2 Humpback Whales making their way east.
We had the whales give us a couple of closer passes, here you can see the Humpback just as it surfaces.
Its very normal to find only one or two animals travelling together.
The whale with a nice backdrop of the mountains.
We had tons of Night Light Jellyfish and Blue Bottles in the bay, most likely brought in by the storm.
The Night Light Jellyfish is a beautiful species known for swarming.
A little penguin having a bath.
The little bird was super relaxed, coming right up to the boat.
This seal doesn’t look too thrilled with life.
This seal looks decidedly perkier.
Having some fun in the sun.
A cheeky little seal trying to see what we’re up to.
We had this Short Tailed Stingray hang out the entire time we were at the cage diving boats.
We had amazing diversity around the shark cage diving boats.
You can see how they get their name, with their gorgeous golden skin.
Enjoying a view of the sharks and rays.
We finished off our trip with this feisty Great White.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
