Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 04 April
Written by April 4 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 04 April 2024:
Having two trips ahead of us we are ready for the day! Heading out with both trips on Dream Catcher we left Kleinbaai Harbour behind us and headed towards the natural estuary starting our lookout for any marine life in the area. Cruising down the coastal area we made our way towards the Shark cage diving vessels. Both times stopping at our sister company’s Marine Dynamics vessel Slashfin, we got some amazing views of the incredible Bronze whaler sharks of the area. After spending some time with them watching the sharks circling our boat we continued our trips through the reef system and managed to find some whales in the deeper waters beyond the islands. At the island system, we spotted some endangered African Penguins sitting on the boulders close to the beach of Dyer Island. The Cape fur seal colony on Geyser Rock left our guests in awe. Most of the seals were relaxing on the island whereas others were cooling down and playing in the cool waters of Shark Alley.
Trip 1
Trip 2
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Gannet Cape Gannet
Well documented for their aireal displays, experiences with with the famous Cape Gannet are always breath taking, and hold a special place in every photographers portfolio.
