Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 26 December
Written by December 26 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 26 December 2024:
We are back at sea after Christmas! We had a busy day ahead of us so no time to waste! Welcoming all groups aboard Dream Catcher we left Kleinbaai Harbour behind us and decided on the usual route. We headed towards the natural estuary Uilenkraal, where hundreds of Cape Cormorants took advantage of the new fish in our bay. On the first and third trips, we were lucky to have spotted some endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins! Shortly after moving on, we stopped by the local Shark cage diving operators where only trip 3 was lucky to have gotten a glimpse of a Bronze whaler shark. Due to a temperature drop the sharks were unfortunately not as active as they save energy by staying deeper down and swimming slower than usual. Passing the reef system we paid the critically endangered African Penguin colony on Dyer Island a visit. The penguins were either seen sharing some tight space on top of boulders close to the water or soaking in the sun on the beach. On the first trip, we encountered two individuals later on in deeper waters too. Shortly after we continued to Geyser Rock. Entering Shark Alley we could already hear the newborns shouting out for their mothers while the remaining big bulls fought each other on the island whereas some others used to opportunity to cool down in the channel. On the first trip, we also encountered a very friendly Bryde’s whale closer to Danger Point swimming peacefully alongside the boat.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
