Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 13 January
Written by January 13 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 13 January 2026:
Flat seas and almost no wind offered incredible conditions for our Marine Big 5 adventure today! Not long after we left Kleinbaai harbour, we found a small pod of common dolphins and multiple small rafts of the critically endangered African Penguin. Not long after such a great start to the trip, we spotted a Bryde’s whale at sea. Our next stop was at the Cape fur seal colony. The Cape fur seal pups were rowing quickly and cooling down in the water splashes close to the island. At the neighbouring Dyer Island, we spotted some more penguins and seabirds. Back along the coast and after a stop to see the Bronze Whaler sharks at the shark cage diving boats, we headed back to Kleinbaai harbour.
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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.
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.
Common Dolphin Common Dolphin
With an 'hourgalss' patch on either side and aerial activity the common dolphin is an agile and majestic species, that may easily reach a speed of 40km/h.
