Wrapping up the month, 30 September 2019
Written by October 2 2019
Today we wrapped up the month of September nicely with some very nice Marine Big 5 moments. We started off the morning with a nice surprise encounter with a group of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins. These coastal resident dolphins are endangered, so it’s always a pleasure on the rare occasions that we get to encounter them. Another surprise encounter today was with a humpback whale on the second trip. At this time of the year most of the humpback whales have already migrated through our waters, so it was nice to be able to meet this subadult individual close to Geyser rock. The remainder of our Marine Big 5 encounters were with Bronze whaler sharks, African penguins and Southern right whales. The day ended very nicely with one of these Southern right whales leaping out of the water three times in a row. What a nice way to end the month!
Photos from today
Juvenile Southern right whale
Southern right whales close to shore
Breaching Southern right whale
Southern right whale head with callosities
Southern right whale with white markings
Indian Ocean humpback dolphins
Humpback whale
Indian Ocean humpback dolphins
Cape fur seals
2 adult (black and white colouration) and 2 juvenile African penguins
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Cape Cormorant Cape Cormorant
One of the most famous species of Cormorant in the Western Cape, the Cape Cormorant is well known for it's beautiful turquoise eye and impressive size.
