Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 20 June
Written by June 20 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 20 June 2026:
The wind has stopped, and the sea has calmed down. With beautiful conditions ahead of us, we welcomed both trips aboard Dream Catcher. Heading out of Kleinbaai Harbour, our first sighting for both trips happened to be some of the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins. Bronze whaler sharks were observed past the local Shark cage diving vessels, including our own, Slashfin. A short stop by the island system offered some great looks at the Cape fur seal colony on Geyser Rock. Dyer Island, home to our critically endangered African Penguins, could of course not be missed. In deeper waters, both trips encountered our resident whales, the Bryde’s whale. On our second trip, even Humpback whales found their way into our bay!
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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.
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.
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.
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.
