A whale of a day, 02 September 2019
Three whale species, seals, penguins, sharks and dolphins to finish...
Written by September 2 2019
Today's sightings
After a couple of windy days we were glad to get back out on the water today. We had two really great tours, encountering different members of the Marine Big 5. We encountered 3 different whale species throughout the day. In the morning we started with two Humpback whales that we got to see very well as they were surfacing in the rolling swells. Next we came across a sunfish (one of two seen on the first trip), which was in an area where some of the crew also spotted a Bryde’s whale. The final whale species was the Southern right whale, of which we got to see two individuals during the first trip. On the second trip we had a better look at the Bryde’s whale, followed by humpback whales again. So everyone onboard with us today got to enjoy fantastic sightings of two whale species. The Cape fur seals on Geyser rock were a treat to see as usual, and it was nice to see a large part of the colony playing around in the water. After seeing the seals we crossed shark alley towards Dyer Island, where we got to see some African penguins as our boat entered Sponge bay. As for the sharks, on the first trip we were very lucky to see not one, not two, but three Bronze whaler sharks! The final treat of the day was a pod of common dolphins, the final member Marine Big 5 encountered today.
Photos from today
Humpback whale coming towards us
Humpback whale arching its back
Southern right whale with its characteristic V-shaped blow
Southern right whale head
Two humpback whales in the swell
Shy albatross
White-chinned petrel
Cape cormorants
African penguins on Dyer Island
Cape fur seals on Geyser rock
Bronze whaler sharks
Box jellyfish
Common dolphin
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.
Common Dolphin Common Dolphin
With an 'hourgalss' patch on either side and aerial activity the common dolphin is an agile and majestic species, that may easily reach a speed of 40km/h.
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.
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 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.
