Southern Rights and Great Whites, 5/5! Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 16 June
Written by June 16 2022
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 16 June 2022:
Such a perfect trip for all aboard Dream Catcher today! We had a spectacular start to our trip when in the shallow coastal waters we spotted the distinctive dorsal fin of a Great White shark who we were able to take a closer look at. Over at our shark cage diving vessel, we were privileged to see a second Great White shark and a Short-Tail Stingray by the boat! As we headed into deeper waters we came across a pod of the endangered Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphins whom we stayed with for a short while. After this, we headed to Dyer Island where we were able to take a close look at some endangered African Penguins on land. Over at Geyser Rock, we enjoyed the company of our ever-inquisitive Cape Fur Seal colony! We came across numerous groups of diving birds while out in deeper waters including; various Tern species, Cape Gannets, Sooty Shearwater, Cape Cormorants, Sub-Antarctic Skuas and a Giant Petrel! It was here that we spotted our first whale species of the trip. A rather shy Bryde’s whale made a few appearances for us, after taking a deeper dive. A little further out we also came across a very active Southern Right Whales who loved showing off it’s fluke to us. We stayed with this whale for sometime until we began making our way back to the harbour!
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Great white sharks Great white sharks
Gracious, beautiful, misunderstood - three words used by guests of Dyer Island Cruises after witnessing South Africa's most infamous marine species: The Great White Shark.
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.
