Marine Big 5 Daily Blog 23 May
Written by May 23 2024
Whale Watching near Cape Town, South Africa Welcome to Gansbaai, home of the Marine Big 5.
Trip Summary 23 May 2024:
We started a bit later today trying to avoid most of the rain, but nature had other plans for us. Nonetheless, we had an absolutely fantastic time out at sea and had a real feel of an adventure. We started our first trip and joined the shark cage diving vessel to see some Bronze whalers and then headed to the island system to enjoy the playful Cape Fur seals. We also got very lucky to see some African penguins out in the open water.
The second trip started with a bang! We came across not one but three(!!!) Humpback dolphins right outside of the harbour. They can be a little tricky to spot sometimes, but we got some incredible views right next to the vessel. And once again we saw some Bronze whaler sharks, some Cape Fur seals and again a raft of African penguins.
Trip 1
Trip 2
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What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.