Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 27 September
Written by September 27 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 27 September 2026:
Another beautiful and sunny day here at Marine Dynamics. Heading out of Kleinbaai Harbour, all our trips started with beautiful sightings of Southern Right whales close to shore. Several pairs were spotted within the bay, which gave enough time for some incredible looks. On one trip, we were able to get a quick glimpse of a Bronze whaler shark popping up in front of one of the local Shark cage diving boats. Unfortunately, it has been quiet around the shark boats for the rest of the day. Heading to the island system, we scanned Dyer Island for some of the critically endangered African Penguins. Some were even spotted out at sea for some of our guests. The Cape fur seal colony was loud and alive, cooling down in Shark Alley. Some of our trips were successful in spotting some of the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins in shallow waters too!
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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.
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.
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.
