Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 26 April
Written by April 26 2023
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 26 April 2023:
We had three beautiful trips out at sea today with some phenomenal sightings! Today we were very fortunate to encounter the endangered Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins in some shallower waters and we enjoyed them for a little while as they calmly cruised alongside the boat. Several Sunfish (Mola Mola) were also sighted throughout the bay and we got some great close-up looks. All three of our trips today also got to witness the Bronze Whaler sharks around the cage diving vessels and even a surprise Sevengill shark on trip 2! Of course, the Cape Fur seals on Geyser Rock delighted everyone on board with their antics in the world-famous Shark Alley. We were also very lucky to spot the endangered African Penguins both on land and in the water today on all of our trips! There was some brilliant seabird activity in the bay including; African Oystercatchers, Cape Gannets, Giant Petrels, and Sub-Antarctic Skuas to name a few! All in all a fantastic day out at sea, we would like to extend our warmest thanks to everyone who joined us on board.
Trip 1.
Trip 2.
Trip 3.
Tripadvisor – https://bit.ly/2YZ0jDR
Google – https://g.page/r/Caej8uYZYnR8EBE/review
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WhaleWatchSA
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Bank Cormorant Bank Cormorant
Often enjoying a broad diet including klipfish, rock lobster and more, the increasing rarety of the Bank Cormorant makes every moment we see them even more special.
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.
