Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 17 February
Written by February 17 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 17 February 2026:
Today’s trip began at Danger Point, where we were welcomed by a variety of seabirds, soon followed by an exciting sighting of a sunfish. Heading into the deeper waters beyond the peninsula, we were fortunate to encounter a Bryde’s whale mother and calf pair, a truly special moment. Although Bryde’s whales are present along our coast year-round, it’s always a privilege to see one, and even more so to see two together. Continuing along our route, we came across a raft of penguins and later spotted a few more around Dyer Island. The Cape fur seal colony was as lively as ever, with many seals enjoying a swim in the surrounding waters while others basked comfortably on the island. To round off the trip, we visited the shark cage diving boats, where we were thrilled to catch sight of a Bronze Whaler shark.
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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.
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.
