Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 11 December
Written by December 11 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 11 December 2025:
We had a beautiful day at sea with plenty of sunshine and a refreshing wind from the south. Along the coast we spotted some of the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins and further along manged to see some Bronze Whaler shark. Around the two islands was plenty of life, thousands of Cape fur seals ae gathered on Geyser Rock. A true highlight of the day was a sighting of an Elephant seal! The neighbouring Dyer Island, home to our seabirds, had plenty of coastal seabirds around. In the deeper waters we were able to find a Bryde’s whale. What a great day at sea!
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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.
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 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.
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.
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.
