Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 18 December
Written by December 18 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 18 December 2024:
What a beautiful day out at sea today! We welcomed our guests aboard excited about what we might find out there. Both trips were super lucky in spotting all members of the Marine Big 5! Dolphins, Sharks, whales, penguins and cape fur seals were seen throughout. Two of the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins were spotted closer to shore just off the kelp forest. The dolphins were curiously heading from one side to the other so our guests could get some nice looks. Both trips stopped by the Marine Dynamics Shark cage diving vessel Slashfin where several Bronze whaler sharks reaching from smaller individuals to bigger ones could be seen showing interest in the divers in the cage. The usually fast-paced Bryde’s whale was seen in deeper waters swimming alongside the boat in a very relaxed manner coming up several times to take a breath. The Cape fur seals on Geyser Rock were once again offering quite the show leaving our guests in awe. The endangered African Penguins were super close to the water on their favourite hangout spot sunbathing in between all the Cape Cormorants after returning to Dyer Island.
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
