Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 17 May
Written by May 17 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 17 May 2025:
Another successful day out at sea is coming to an end. Two trips on Dream Catcher are heading out today. Leaving Kleinbaai Harbour behind us, we choose the usual route and head down to the coastal areas. We stopped by the local Shark cage diving operators and got a few glimpses at our beloved Bronze whaler sharks. On the first trip, we were even surprised by two endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins appearing around the boat and the Shark cages! On both trips, we got to stop by the island system. A few of the critically endangered African Penguins were seen at their favourite hangout spot on Dyer Island, while the Cape fur seals were, as always, all over the show on Geyser Rock! On the first trip, we spotted two rather elusive Humpback whales in deeper waters. Nonetheless, we got some looks at them. On the second trip of the day, we spotted a Bryde‘s whale pair close to Danger Point moving rather quickly granted incredible looks for this special moment!
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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.
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.
Humpback Whale Humpback Whale
One of the best-known whale species, they are renowned for their acrobatic behaviour and complex melodious song as well as extremely long flippers and are a special favourite of Dyer Island Cruises guests and crew alike.
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.
