Marine Big 5 Daily blog 12 August
Written by August 12 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 12 August 2025:
What a day here at Marine Dynamics! To start, we could not have asked for any better! Due to launch or return to Gansbaai Harbour, some of our trips were led into deeper waters where several Humpback whales were waiting for us! Nonetheless, no one missed out, as even the Southern Right whales were present. Some put on a show displaying mating behaviour while others swam alongside the vessel in a relaxed manner, which gave us all some incredible close-ups. On one of our trips, we were even lucky to have spotted the elusive endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphin in the local kelp forest. Stopping by the local Shark cage diving operators anchored within the Shallows, we got some nice looks at our regulars, the Bronze whaler sharks investigating both divers in the cage and our vessel. Not to be missed, the island system. Cape fur seals on Geyser Rock left our guests in awe, as always, and our critically endangered African Penguins on Dyer Island came close to the water, where everyone got to admire our smallest member of the Big 5. Some penguins were even spotted in open waters on the lookout for a meal!
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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.
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.
Humpback Whale Humpback Whale
One of the best-known whale species, they are renowned for their acrobatic behaviour and complex melodious song as well as extremely long flippers and are a special favourite of Dyer Island Cruises guests and crew alike.
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.
