Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 02 February
Written by February 2 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 02 February 2024:
After not being able to head to sea yesterday we were able to welcome our guests back on board. Leaving Kleinbaai Harbour behind we made our way over to the natural estuary, the most popular hangout spot for the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphin. Shortly after cruising down the coastline, we were lucky enough to have spotted a pod of this endangered species! We were able to get some beautiful views of the dolphins as they were circling the boat and stayed around for quite some time. After spending some time with them we made our way over to the Shallows, where the Shark cage diving companies operate. We stopped by Marine Dynamics vessel Slafshin and got a glimpse of not just the amazing Bronze whaler sharks but also a jellyfish that made its way over to our boat. Once it was time for us to move on we continued our way over to the Island system. The African Penguins were sunbathing on the boulders by the beach on Dyer Island and the Cape fur seals were cooling down in Shark Alley and relaxing on Geyser Rock.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
