Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 22 August
Written by August 22 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 22 August 2026:
The early bird catches the worm. Starting early this morning, our first sighting of the day: Humpback whales! A few individuals travelling through the bay offered a great start. After spending some time with them, we made our way towards the island system. Heading into Shark Alley, the Cape fur seals were wide awake and active as always, both on Geyser Rock and in the water. The critically endangered African Penguins on Dyer Island were getting ready to head out to sea. Last but not least, we headed into the Shallows, where after just a short time, bronze whaler sharks appeared.
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
