Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 16 April
Written by April 16 2023
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 16 April 2023:
A little swell did not stop us from having an absolutely incredible day out at sea today! We had close-up encounters with two Sunfish (Mola Mola). We were also very fortunate to come across a Bryde’s whale out in deeper waters. There were several rafts of African Penguins out on the water amongst various diving birds. At Dyer Island, we were lucky to spot more of the endangered African Penguins on land! By the shark cage diving boat, we got some glimpses of the beautiful Bronze Whaler sharks and even a Sevengill shark. In Shark Alley, the 60-000 strong Cape Fur seal colony delighted everyone on board! During the trip this morning we also encountered a large group of Giant Petrels feeding on a Cape Fur seal. In shallower waters, the Indian Ocean Humpback dolphins were cruising in the surf. With 5/5 of the Marine Big 5 spotted today, this was certainly a fantastic trip!
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What species did we see today?
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.
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 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.
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.
