Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 24 March
Written by March 24 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 24 March 2024:
Today instead of Kleinbaai Harbour we welcomed our guests on Dream Catcher in Gansbaai Harbour. Once launched, we headed towards Danger Point. Shortly after passing Danger Point Lighthouse, we had our first sighting of the day. A Bryde’s whale! After spending some time with the whale we continued further into our bay— several pelagic bird species were seen in deeper waters. On top of that, we spotted a massive raft of African Penguins even coming closer to investigate! We continued towards the coastal areas and approached Marine Dynamics vessel Slashfin where we got a glimpse of the amazing Bronze whaler sharks. Moving on we headed over to the island system. Passing Dyer Island we headed over to Geyser Rock. In Shark Alley, several of the Cape fur seal pubs were active and ready to head into deeper waters whereas the adults were cooling down in the water and relaxing on the island. Once it was time to head back to Kleinbaai Harbour we said goodbye to the Cape fur seals. Shortly before the end of the trip we completed our Marine Big 5. We encountered two of the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins close to shore!
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
Cape Gannet Cape Gannet
Well documented for their aireal displays, experiences with with the famous Cape Gannet are always breath taking, and hold a special place in every photographers portfolio.
