Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 07 February
Written by February 7 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 07 February 2026:
What a beautiful day we had out in the ocean today. Boarding our whale watching vessel, we made our way out of Kleinbaai harbour and started our wildlife adventure. Within a few seconds of entering the bay, we were greeted by a huge flock of Cape cormorants, which was a wonderful sight. A few humpback dolphins were also seen cruising along the coastlines, with some shimmering bronze whaler sharks being spotted around the shark diving vessel. As we made our way towards Dyer Island and Geyser rock a Bryde’s whale emerged in front of us with its little one swimming right beside it. The little whale approached the boat, leaving everyone excited. Our playful cape fur seals and endangered African penguins were then observed at the end of the trip, which was a magical way to end the day.
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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.
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.
