Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 02 January
Written by January 2 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 02 January 2025:
We are starting the new year right by heading out to sea! We wasted no time and got straight to business. Welcoming all guests aboard Dream Catcher we left our local harbour in Kleinbaai behind us. Our usual route led us down the coastline towards the natural estuary, where nearby we got to encounter a pod of the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins! Eventually, we made it into the Shallows, where the Shark cage diving boats were already anchored waiting for some visitors. A few Bronze whaler sharks appeared shortly after arriving by Marine Dynamics Shark cage diving vessel Slashfin. Approaching the island system numerous Cape Cormorants were finding their way back to the island system after looking for some breakfast out in deeper waters. The endangered African Penguins could be seen occupying their favourite hangout spot, just where we last saw them in 2024. While it seems like we are discovering more and more Cape fur seal pups on Geyser Rock we could notice the departure and small numbers of big bulls, which makes it a whole lot easier for the mothers to care for their young ones. On the first trip, we were super lucky to have encountered a very active Bryde’s whale shortly after hitting deeper waters!
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
