Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 11 December
Written by December 11 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 11 December 2024:
We started the day with a bit of overcast once we launched from Kleinbaai Harbour. For the past few days, we have been lucky that the conditions have been good with some higher swell but little wind which balanced it out quite nicely. We decided to head out to deeper waters first. Passing Danger Point we made our way around. Eyes wide open we concentrate on certain signs such as splashes, animals themselves and whale spouts. Unfortunately, it was rather quiet out there. Next, Geyser Rock, home of the stunning Cape fur seal colony, not far off the Penguin colony, surprised our guests once again. Thousands of Cape fur seals started their day with their typical schedule of fighting, vocalizing, sunbathing and swimming in the cool waters of Shark Alley. Our beloved African Penguins, the smallest members of the Marine Big 5, were waiting for us on top of Dyer Island overlooking the bay, sharing their space with numerous Cape Cormorants and different Tern species flying over them. Passing the local kelp forest, we arrived at our next destination. The Shallows, a popular anchor spot for Shark cage diving operators, followed and shortly after arrival the Bronze whaler sharks appeared in front of the Marine Dynamics Shark cage diving vessel Slashfin. Beautiful views of their silhouette cruising by and their copper-coloured dorsal fin cutting through the surface. Our route for today’s trip led us to the natural estuary before heading back to Kleinbaai Harbour.
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
