Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 25 June
Written by June 25 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 25 June 2024:
The early bird catches the worm, right? Heading out to sea quite early today, as wind and swell will pick up later in the day, we made sure to leave Kleinbaai Harbour just in time. Heading further into the bay we were excited to see which members of the Marine Big 5 are out and about. Heading down to the natural estuary we made our way along the coastline. Once we made it into the Shallows we stopped by Marine Dynamics vessel Slashfin where curious and active Bronze whaler sharks were already investigating divers in the cage. On top of that, a Short-tailed stingray made an appearance as well! A little later in the trip, we paid our Cape fur seals a visit. Some of the fur seals on Geyser Rock were still sleeping in a little bit whereas some others did not waste time teasing each other and playing in the cool waters of Shark Alley. Due to swell, unfortunately, we weren’t able to head into one of Dyer Islands’ bays. Instead, we made a brief stop on the side to see if some of the endangered African Penguins were seeking the first sun rays on top of the island. We turned out super lucky as a small raft appeared close to our boat. As we were heading into deeper waters on the lookout for any other marine wildlife and mammals we came across a few pelagic birds such as a few Albatrosses and Giant Petrels on the lookout for a nice breakfast. We were also very fortunate to have spotted a Bryde’s whale pair and a Humpback whale! Thanks to everyone for not just joining our trips but for enjoying even these early tours with us!
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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.
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.
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.
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.
