Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 16 February
Written by February 16 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 16 February 2025:
We had a great time at sea, with lots of sunshine and the Marine Big 5! Just outside Kleinbaai Harbour, we spotted a small group of four humpback dolphins. They were very relaxed alongside the vessel, and we had great opportunities to see them and get ID photographs. Arrived at the shark cage diving boats we saw the Bronze Whaler sharks and slowly continued into deeper waters. Out there we saw thousands of Cape Cormorants, some Cape fur seals and a Bryde’s Whale. At Dyer Island, we saw more seabirds including the critically endangered African Penguin. After seeing more fur seals at their colony we slowly started the journey back to Kleinbaai.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
