Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 27 July
Written by July 27 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 27 July 2026:
We experienced a bit of a cold day out at sea today. Leaving Kleinbaai harbour behind us we made our way towards the shallows where our favourite bronze whaler sharks were seen cruising along the shark diving vessel. A usual stop was made near the local islands to observe the African penguins and Cape fur seals. In deeper waters, a lot of pelagic birds were seen, from a yellow-nosed albatross to sooty shearwaters. After a bit of a long search, we encountered a humpback whale; it was a bit difficult to observe it due to the swell, but luckily the gentle giant breached so we could see it properly.
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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.
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.
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.
