Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 28 December
Written by December 29 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 28 December 2025:
It’s been a beautiful day out on the water, with plenty of sunshine, although the wind gradually picked up as the day went on. Some trips were lucky enough to spot the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins close to shore, followed by sightings of Bronze Whaler sharks near the shark cage diving boats.
Conditions in the deeper parts of the bay became more challenging later in the day due to wind chop, but a few trips were still rewarded with a Bryde’s whale and Common dolphins sightings. The waters around the Cape fur seal colony were teeming with life, with numerous seals swimming about, and at Dyer Island, we also spotted some penguins.
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
