Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 16 May
Written by May 16 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 16 May 2025:
Today greeted us with beautiful, sunny weather, the perfect backdrop for an amazing marine adventure. We set off toward Danger Point, making a meaningful stop near the historic site of the Birkenhead shipwreck. As we continued scouting the area, our attention was drawn to a gathering of seabirds. While observing the area, we were thrilled to catch a glimpse of a whale spout in the distance. Though the Bryde’s whale surfaced only briefly before disappearing. Not long after, as we made our way toward Dyer Island, we spotted another spout. We approached quietly, hoping for a closer look. Once again, we were gifted just a fleeting view before the whale dove deep. Our journey carried on to the remarkable Dyer Island and nearby Geyser Rock, where hundreds of Cape fur seals splashed and played in the surf. We also took time to appreciate the vital habitat of the critically endangered African penguins. To round off the trip, we visited our shark cage diving vessel. There, we had the exciting chance to spot a juvenile Bronze whaler shark gliding gracefully beneath the surface, along with a surprise appearance from a short-tailed stingray.
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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.
Cape Gannet Cape Gannet
Well documented for their aireal displays, experiences with with the famous Cape Gannet are always breath taking, and hold a special place in every photographers portfolio.
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.
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.
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.
