Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 06 February
Written by February 6 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 06 February 2026:
We had the perfect weather to head out to sea. Not long after we launched from Kleinbaai Harbour, we spotted a raft of African Penguins. Further along the coastline, we encountered three endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins and a few hundred Cape Cormorants. The visibility at the shark cage diving boats was fantastic, and we saw them gracefully gliding through the water and past the cage. Just past a kelp forest and in deeper waters, we were able to spot a spout of a Bryde’s whale, and to our luck, got to see it very nicely. Once we arrived at the Cape fur seals colony, we had some close-up looks at them, as well as a group of Giant Petrels. Before heading back to Kleinbaai, we stopped closer to Dyer Island to spot another penguin or two.
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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.
