Whales, dolphins and seabirds everywhere! Marine Big 5 Daily Blog
Written by April 3 2021
We had a beautiful Saturday out at sea with no wind and lots of sunshine and the most amazing sightings, it is hard to find the right words to describe all the different wildlife encounters we had through out the day on two trips. Both trips started off with hundreds of African penguins out in the bay where also other seabirds were seen feeding. In the same are we also manged to find the usual shy and elusive Bryde’s whale. Back along the coast and heading past Uilenkraalmond we spotted on both trips some of the Endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins very close to the shore. On the second trip we got surprised by a humpback whale close to the river mouth and made a stop before getting to the dolphins. The whale was very curious and approached our vessel while we were just drifting along. Closer to Dyer Island and saw plenty of Cape cormorants and a few more penguins. Heading into Shark Alley we already saw that Geyser Rock is empty but the nearby waters around were packed with playful Cape Fur seals.
What species did we see today?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Humpback Whale Humpback Whale
One of the best-known whale species, they are renowned for their acrobatic behaviour and complex melodious song as well as extremely long flippers and are a special favourite of Dyer Island Cruises guests and crew alike.
