Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 23 May
Written by May 23 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 23 May 2026:
A long day here at Marine Dynamics has come to an end. Two trips later and we can officially confirm, we had a successful and eventful day! On both trips we were lucky to have spotted 4 out of the Big 5! Bronze whaler sharks were, as always, seen around our Shark cage diving vessel Slashfin. The critically endangered African Penguins roamed Dyer Island. The Cape fur seals on Geyser Rock were relaxing on the island or seen playing within the clear waters of Shark Alley. On the first trip of the day we got a quick glimpse of a Humpback whale before it disappeared. To say the least, a Bryde’s whale decided to steal the show! On our second trip, four Humpback whales appeared out of nowhere and kept us company! Once again, thanks everyone for joining our Marine Big 5 adventures!
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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.
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.
Giant Petrel Giant Petrel
Around the Greater Dyer Island area we encounter both species of Giant Petrel, the Southern Giant Petrel and Northern Giant Petrel.
