So much life at sea! Marine Big 5 daily blog
Written by February 19 2020
Today’s tour was amazing and something we will cherish for ever. Just outside the Kleinbaai harbour we spotted some spouts of a Bryde’s whale. As we slowly approached the whale we could see it was actually two of them, a mother with her calf. They were surfacing a couple of times close to the boat so we could get some great looks. After spending some time with the pair, we moved on taking a slow cruise along the coast towards the shark cage diving boats. At the vessel ‘Slashfin’ we were lucky and got to see a bronze whaler shark having a closer look at the brave shark cage divers. Heading to Dyer Island we saw lots of Cape cormorants, some Swift terns and two African penguins. In the famous Shark Alley between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock we spotted a couple of Giant petrels and plenty of Cape fur seals playing in the water. Watching the cape fur seals never gets old, they always playful and active. On our way home we have been extremely lucky to find some more bird life, Cape gannets, Sooty shearwaters and not to forget the three big rafts of African penguins. The ocean was truly filled with life today, we couldn’t have asked for any better!
What species did we see today?
Cape Gannet Cape Gannet
Well documented for their aireal displays, experiences with with the famous Cape Gannet are always breath taking, and hold a special place in every photographers portfolio.
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.
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.
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.
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.
