Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 28 December
Written by December 28 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 28 December 2024:
Another day for some more adventures. With warmer temperatures and some slight southeasterly wind coming into our bay, we were ready for a day out at sea. Welcoming both trips aboard Dream Catcher we left Kleinbaai Harbour behind us. On the lookout for some marine wildlife, we covered certain areas: The Shallows, Geyser Rock, Dyer Island and deeper waters. Stopping by Marine Dynamics Shark cage diving vessel Slashfin, anchored within the Shallows, we got glimpses of the incredible Bronze whaler sharks. By coming up to the surface while passing the cage we got some amazing views. Heading closer to Dyer Island we could already see numerous birds either leaving or returning to the island. Approaching the island a little bit closer we spotted the African Penguins surrounded by a great amount of Cape Cormorants. On both trips, we have been super lucky to have even encountered rafts out at sea! On Geyser Rock, it wasn’t any less busy. The Cape fur seals were fulfilling their daily duties. On the island, big bulls were fighting or sunbathing and some were cooling down in the cool waters of Shark Alley. On the first trip, we encountered a very active pod of the endangered Indian Ocean Humpback dolphins. Playing within the swell and offering quite the show we couldn’t have asked for more! On both trips, we spotted Bryde’s whales in deeper waters. On the second trip, we were surprised by a whale lunge feeding which is an extremely rare sighting! What a day out at sea!
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What species did we see today?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
