Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 28 April
Written by April 28 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 28 April 2024:
After not being able to head out to sea for the past two days the wind has calmed down and we are finally ready to head back out! Welcoming our guests on our Whale watching vessel Dream Catcher, we did not waste any time and left Kleinbaai Harbour behind us. The first stretch of our journey saw us heading towards deeper waters where we witnessed the incredible feeding activity of multiple bird species including diving Cape gannets, Shooty shearwaters, and even a glimpse of the large Albatross. Shortly after, we encountered a raft of the endangered African penguins, residents of Dyer Island. Once continuing our trip, telltale whale spouts led us to not one, but two Bryde’s whales! After this fantastic encounter, we made our way to Shark Alley where the Cape fur seal colony and neighbouring African penguins were found. Heading back to shallower waters, we paid a visit to our shark cage diving boat, Slashfin, catching sight of the beautiful Bronze whaler shark before ending our trip with a final encounter of the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin. A successful first trip for sightings, with all of the Marine Big 5 spotted! Our second trip was almost as lucky with 4 of the Marine Big 5! The incredible Bronze whaler sharks in the Shallows, a raft of penguins in the reef system, seals on Geyser Rock and the Bryde’s whales out in the deep! Thanks to everyone for joining us on our Marine Big 5 tours!
Trip 1.
Trip 2.
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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.
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.
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.
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 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.
