Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 17 November
Written by November 17 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 17 November 2025:
It has been a windy but rewarding day at sea! As usual we visited the shark cage diving boats in the shallows and saw some of the Bronze Whaler sharks that can be found in the bay. After seeing these predators we moved on along the coast towards Pearly Beach where we once again been lucky to spot a couple of southern right whales in the bay. We watched these gentle giants surfacing a couple of times and interacting with each other before heading closer to the islands. We stopped first at the Cape Fur seal colony and were blown away by the sheer number of them. Lastly, a stop at Dyer Island was a must to see the critically endangered African Penguin. Some of our trips have also been lucky to see the endangered humpback dolphin and a penguin at sea!
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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.
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.
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.
