Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 11 November
Written by November 11 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 11 November 2024:
Today we had some spring temperatures and just a light wind from the east. After launching from Kleinbaai harbour we headed along the coast to the shallower waters and passed the shark cage diving boats where we got lucky and saw multiple Bronze Whaler sharks. Just a bit further down the coastline close to the reef system, some trips encountered a pod of the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins who seemed like feeding on some small fish. Moving along we headed to Pearly Beach, a holiday town, where we spotted the southern right whales. We had several individuals in the bay and got some great views of them. Arrived in Shark Alley we saw plenty of Cape fur seals swimming while others were sunbathing on the beaches of Geyser Rock. The males on the island were aware of other males trying to fight over their females and kept a close eye on their harem. We spotted a few penguins, thousands of Cape Cormorants and Greater Crested Terns at Dyer Island.
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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.
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.
