Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 18 April
Written by April 18 2023
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 18 April 2023:
Our trip aboard Dreamcatcher this morning was ‘fin’tastic! Not long after departing Kleinbaai Harbour, we came across a pod of Indian Ocean Humpback dolphins who were incredibly calm around the boat, giving us all some fantastic views. By Slashfin, our shark cage diving vessel, we also got some glimpses of the Bronze Whaler sharks. Out in some deeper waters, we encountered not one, but two pods of Common dolphins which put on quite a show! These animals were incredibly curious and were breaching and bow-riding alongside the boat. Over by Geyser Rock the ever-playful Cape Fur seal colony was extremely active in the waters of Shark Alley. We rounded off the trip with a stop at Dyer Island where we were fortunate to spot numerous endangered African Penguins on land!
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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.
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.
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.
Common Dolphin Common Dolphin
With an 'hourgalss' patch on either side and aerial activity the common dolphin is an agile and majestic species, that may easily reach a speed of 40km/h.
