Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 30 July
Written by July 30 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 30 July 2026:
Throughout the day, we headed into deeper waters, where we spotted Southern Right whales, the elusive Bryde’s whale, and Humpback whales! Bronze whaler sharks were seen nicely, even underneath the surface, due to incredible visibility within the Shallows. Stopping by Dyer Island, we scanned the island on the lookout for some of the critically endangered African Penguins hiding between the rocks. The Cape fur seal colony on Geyser Rock was as lively as always, with young seals following the boat up and down Shark Alley.
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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.
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.
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.
Humpback Whale Humpback Whale
One of the best-known whale species, they are renowned for their acrobatic behaviour and complex melodious song as well as extremely long flippers and are a special favourite of Dyer Island Cruises guests and crew alike.
