Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 24 November
Written by November 24 2023
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 24 November 2023:
As a start to the gloriously sunny day, we began our Marine Big 5 Tour by heading out from Kleinbaai harbour to coastal areas in search of Southern right whales. We encountered Bronze whaler sharks at the cage diving boats, exhibiting schooling behavior in front of the cage divers. We continued the tour by visiting Pearly Beach and spotted a pair within shallower waters, an increasingly special sighting as the southern right whales continue to migrate to colder, southern waters for feeding. Our next destination was within Shark Alley, hugged by Geyser Rock and Dyer Island. The colony of Cape fur seals on Geyser Rock welcomed us with playful acrobatics in the water, with many young pups and larger male bulls. The neighboring African penguin colony on Dyer Island was present along the beaches, their distinctive black and white plumage standing out against the island scenery. One of our trips was lucky enough to get a glimpse of some Bottlenose dolphins.
Trip 1
Trip 2
Trip 3
Trip 4
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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.
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.
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.
Bottlenose Dolphin Bottlenose Dolphin
At present there are two recognized species of bottlenose dolphin, and in some cases, both species can be found in the same area. The two species are the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (T. aduncus). In addition, there is a great deal of variation in colouration, diet and behaviour. The difference between the common bottlenose and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin are subtle, but the common bottlenose dolphin generally larger and more robust with a slight darker colouration.
