Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 9 April
Written by April 9 2026
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa – Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 09 April 2026:
We departed Kleinbaai Harbour and were immediately treated to a special sighting of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins just beyond the harbour. It was a perfect start to the trip. Near the shark cage diving boats, a bronze whaler shark made an appearance, while a short-tailed stingray glided calmly below. Further offshore, the deep waters were quiet, and despite scanning and our best efforts, no whales were spotted today. At Geyser Rock, the energy returned with plenty of Cape fur seals filling the area, both in the water and on the rocks. We then continued to Dyer Island, where African penguins and other seabirds could be seen. After one final scan for whales in the bay, we made our way back to Kleinbaai, wrapping up a rewarding day on the ocean.
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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.
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.
