Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 11 September
Written by September 11 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 11 September 2024:
Even though we had to face quite the wind out at sea our sightings did not disappoint! Once again, we left our local harbour in Kleinbaai behind us and headed towards the coastal areas towards the natural estuary. Near shore, we could spot some Southern Right whales floating in the swell. After we spent some time with them enjoying the shallow waters we decided to let them be and continued to the actual area called the Shallows, where the local Shark cage diving vessels operate. Stopping by Marine Dynamics vessel Slashfin we were able to get a glimpse of the incredible Bronze whaler sharks almost immediately. Grateful to the crew for letting us come closer we moved and headed towards the island system. The Cape fur seals were all cuddled up on Geyser Rock while some played in the cool waters of Shark Alley. Trying to get as close to Dyer Island as possible we were unfortunately not able to get close enough to get a look at the endangered African Penguins. Nevertheless our guests of course got some inside of the important history of both the island and our beloved Penguins.
Trip 1
Trip 2
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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.
Southern Right Whale Southern Right Whale
Southern right whales attract thousands of visitors every year to experience these gentle giants off the South African coast.
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.
