Bottlenose Dolphins, Whales & More! Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 11 June
Written by June 11 2022
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 11 June 2022:
Both trips today saw some magnificent sightings! On our first trip of the day, we were lucky to enjoy the entire Marine Big 5 including; Bottlenose Dolphins, a Bryde’s Whale and numerous Mola Mola (Sunfish). Our second trip was also incredibly lucky with some brilliant sightings. All that was missing was dolphins however, we more than made up for this by spotting two different whale species in the bay! After exercising a little bit of patience while searching for whales we were rewarded with both Humpback and Southern Right Whales. Both trips got to experience our ever-playful Cape Fur seals on Geyser Rock and spot some African Penguins on Dyer Island. All in all, a fantastic day at sea for the Dyer Island Cruises team and all our guests aboard Whale Whisperer.
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
