An early morning trip on the water, 19 August 2018
We got to see 3 out of the Marine Big 5 today, including a very special whale calf...
Written by Jax Bath, August 19 2018

Daily Summary.
With a westerly wind rearing it’s head, we set out on one early morning tour to catch up with some whales before the wind picked up. We launched at 7:30 and made our way towards the shallows where we hoped to do our daily YSI reading. After stopping to check the water properties, we cruised along the shore and it was not too long before we found a Southern Right mommy and calf. These two were moving into deeper water from the shallows, so we cruised parallel to them as they travelled.
This little calf is very distinctive, as it has whale lice covering the right side of the face and even some on its tail, which makes it super easy to identify. We had this pair around a couple of days back, and they seem to be a very relaxed duo. Mom will let baby swim close to the boat and check us out whilst she keeps a watchful eye from a few meters away.
We also got to see them together at the surface, as they both came up for a breath. This is always an awesome sight as it really brings home the size of these gentle giants. We spent some time watching these two before taking a quick stop at Slashfin. After this, we cruised over The Clyde and caught up with thousands of little black birds. These birds are the Cape Cormorants and they can sometimes be seen feeding on schooling fish in large numbers. We slowed down to hang in the area for a bit, taking in this spectacular sight before making our way over to Dyer Island.
On the way, a raft of African Penguins popped up, and these little guys stuck around for a while which made for an awesome photographic opportunity. The last stop of our tour was over at Geyser Rock where our Cape Fur Seals where enjoying a Sunday morning lay in. Some of the early birds where hanging around in the water, but for the most part, they were snug as a bug on the rocks. We then had an adventurous ride back to the Great White house where hot soup and heaters were waiting to take away the chill.
Daily Snaps.

A Kelp Gull in flight.

A mega flock of Cape Cormorants.

Cape Cormorants are one of 4 different cormorant species we see in our area.

African Penguins giving us a shake.

These little guys were super relaxed.

All in a row.

The Prince Port.

Hanging out.

Eager to spot some wildlife.

Mom.

The calf surfacing with the swell.

The orange on the calf’s face is whale lice. This little one has a lot of lice on his tail and face, which makes him easy to distinguish.

A close up of that face.

These whales were travelling into deeper water when we caught up with them.

Mom hung around at the surface for a while, giving us some nice views.

head shot.

Travelling together.
Guest Comment:
"Beautiful tour and amazing conservation efforts!!"
Guest Comment:
""
fantastic experience, amazing crew! :) Thank you!
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What species did we see today?
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.