Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 30 December
Written by December 30 2025
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 30 December 2025:
Ready to head out to sea, and to say the least, we did not waste time and started our day early! The sea was calm, but some fog built up in the morning, which limited our view slightly but did not limit our sightings and encounters! Several areas were covered, and allowed us to get the most out of everything. Each trip got some incredible looks at our beloved Bronze whaler sharks around the Shark cage diving boats. Incredible water visibility allowed us even to see the sharks swimming underneath the surface, as we could see all the way to the sea floor, which is a highlight in itself! Our critically endangered African Penguins were either seen in a raft or on Dyer Island, among numerous Cape Cormorants. Cape fur seals were keeping Geyser Rock, their colony, occupied and busy as always. Accompanied by several different species of seabirds, such as Cory’s and Sooty Shearwater, we encountered Bryde’s whales throughout the entire day! Early in the morning, we have been lucky too, to have encountered a small pod of Common dolphins! One of our trips was even lucky enough to come past a sunfish in deeper waters!
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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.
Common Dolphin Common Dolphin
With an 'hourgalss' patch on either side and aerial activity the common dolphin is an agile and majestic species, that may easily reach a speed of 40km/h.
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.
Sunfish
