Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 15 March
Written by March 15 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 15 March 2025:
After two windy days, we were finally able to head back out on the water and what a great day it has been. Not long after we left Kleinbaai harbour we spotted a raft of penguins at sea and had a variety of seabirds and a few Cape fur seals around us. To spot a whale we didn’t have to move far, just off Danger Point we saw a Bryde’s whale close to another bait ball and some seabirds. Arrived at Geyser Rock we saw more of the playful Cape fur seals and at Dyer Island we saw more penguins and Cape Cormorants. Once back in coastal waters we stopped at the shark cage diving boats and saw some Bronze Whaler sharks gracefully swimming just below the surface, breaking the surface a few times with their fins. Before we could reach Kleinbaai harbour we found some of the humpback dolphins that are often seen in the bay. It was a great sighting of them, slowly traveling along the boat and we had a calf amongst the group – very special!
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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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
