Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 18 November
Written by November 18 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 18 November 2024:
What a sunny day out at sea! All our trips launched out of Kleinbaai Harbour where we started quite nicely on one of the trips with a brief sighting of a sunfish, that unfortunately took an instant dive but was still very exciting and rare. On the first trip, we encountered a pod of the endangered Indian Ocean Humpback dolphins! Staying around and close to the boat our guests got amazing views. Several pairs of Southern Right whales could be seen in Pearly Beach, which brought great excitement so close to the end of whale season. Shortly after entering Shark Alley a few newborn Cape fur seals, usually born in the peak season of December, could already be seen on Geyser Rock, while the big bulls are still looking for females to mate with. Heading over to Dyer Island several of the endangered African Penguins were gathered on white boulders to soak in all the sun. Within the Shallows, a few Shark cage diving boats including Marine Dynamics Shark cage diving vessel Slashfin, were anchored and granted some nice views of the incredible Bronze whaler sharks cutting through the surface with their copper-coloured dorsal fins.
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
Sunfish 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.
