Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 17 June
Written by June 17 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 17 June 2024:
An earlier start for us today, trying to avoid most of the cold front moving in later in the afternoon. We started with almost perfect conditions for the first trip and came across our first Bryde’s whale almost straight away! Then, we were very lucky to see another two individuals. As we were waiting for the whales to surface we were treated by some incredible bird life: Shy albatrosses, Cape gannets and Sooty shearwaters were circling us in the deeper waters. The second trip was not any less lucky as we have encountered another Bryde’s whale plus a Southern Right whale pair later on in the trip! After we decided to let the wales be we moved on an headed towards the island system and into the Shallows. We watched Cape Fur seals on Geyser Rock and even managed to find some sleepy African penguins on Dyer Island on the first trip. On the second trip we encountered a big raft in the open. Around the Shark cage diving boats we got some glimpses of Bronze whaler sharks.
Trip 1
Trip 2:
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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.
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 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.
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.
Southern Right Whale Southern Right Whale
Southern right whales attract thousands of visitors every year to experience these gentle giants off the South African coast.
