Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 09 March
Written by March 9 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 09 March 2026:
Not long after leaving Kleinbaai Harbour, we spotted a few penguins in the water—it’s always a special moment to see this critically endangered species in the bay. We continued along the beautiful coastline, passing Uilenkraalsmond before reaching the shallows, where we paused to watch the shark cage-diving boats. To our delight, several beautiful Bronze Whaler sharks appeared. They’re a fantastic species to observe, both from above the water and from within the cage. Our journey then took us toward a nearby reef and further offshore, where we spotted a mix of coastal and pelagic seabirds. A visit to the Cape fur seal colony was, as always, a highlight. Seeing so many seals gathered together is impressive on its own, but their playful and curious nature makes them especially enjoyable to watch. Just beside the seal colony lies Dyer Island, home to the critically endangered African Penguin. We made a stop there as well, and although it was hard to see them as they were hidden in between the cormorants, we were fortunate enough to encounter a small raft of penguins on our way back to Kleinbaai Harbour, and a Sunfish made a surprise appearance, adding a special highlight on todays trip.
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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.
Sunfish
