The Marine Big Five

1. Whales

Whale Watching Boat Trip in Hermanus, South Africa

Annually, more than 3,000 Southern Right Whales migrate from their frigid feeding grounds near Antarctica to mate, give birth, and nurture their offspring in the protected coves and temperate waters around South Africa’s coastline. They reside here for around six months, from June to December. At this time, there is a notably high density of whales in Walker’s Bay, often breaching near the shore or expelling water from their blowholes. Consequently, the cliffs and coastal paths of Hermanus and De Kelders provide some of the finest land-based whale-watching globally.

At the conclusion of September, Hermanus conducts the Hermanus Whale Festival, an annual communal celebration commemorating whale migration, with activities, displays, and a focus on education and environmentally sustainable pursuits. In Hermanus, one can partake in a 45-minute whale-watching trip to properly comprehend the immense magnitude of these remarkable beings from an aerial perspective.

The whale migration attracts these gentle giants to the entire coast of South Africa, not solely the Western Cape, making it advisable to observe the sea whilst traversing the nation’s renowned coastline during the appropriate season. One may embark on a whale-watching boat tour or, if fortunate, get an intimate encounter while kayaking.

2. Dolphins

Surrounded by dolphins in Hermanus, South Africa

Indo-Pacific Bottlenose, Common, and Humpbacked dolphins frequently inhabit the South African coastline. They typically do not explore depths over 30 meters, which accounts for the frequency of human interactions. Humpbacked dolphins, characterised by the prominent hump beneath their dorsal fin, are a reclusive species that often avoid boats and human interaction. The other two species frequently engage in and appear to enjoy the encounter, gliding and splashing alongside, frolicking in the wake of the boats that have come to locate them, and generally fulfilling their curiosity regarding humans.

Plettenberg Bay, situated along the Garden Route, is a renowned destination for dolphin observation, offering various vantage points for shore-based viewing of these marine mammals. They are also observable from the coastline in Cape Town, with Simon’s Town and False Bay offering an excellent vantage point. Alternatively, you may approach dolphins more closely via a boat excursion dedicated to dolphin watching or through sea kayaking. Swimming with dolphins is prohibited in South Africa; therefore, refrain from engaging with operators providing this activity. Dyer Island, located off the coast of Gansbaai, is home to a resident pod of Humpback dolphins, a critically endangered species. Fur seals inhabit this region, thereby attracting sharks and establishing it as a marine safari hotspot.

The yearly sardine run, a vast movement of millions of silvery pilchards, transpires from May to July as they travel northward along the east coast of South Africa’s southern tip. The sheer enormity of this event generates a feeding frenzy along the shoreline, a spectacle that is now a tourist attraction in its own right – over this two-month period, it is possible to watch large pods of dolphins following the migration! An estimated 18,000 dolphins, predominantly Common dolphins along with some Bottlenose dolphins, primarily collaborate to corral sardines into substantial bait balls measuring 10–20 meters in diameter and extending to a depth of 10 meters, as the small fish cluster for protection in numbers. These balls are ephemeral, enduring for a maximum of approximately 10 minutes; nevertheless, once the fish are aggregated, other predators, including sharks, game fish, and birds, capitalise on the opportunity to feed. Truly one of nature’s best performances!

3. Seals

Swimming With Wild Seals In The Ocean

The sociable and lively Cape Fur Seal is native to Namibia and South Africa, and it is the sole resident seal species in South Africa. These seals exist in the millions and inhabit vast colonies in this region of Africa, representing among of the most significant concentrations of animals outside the Serengeti and Maasai Mara reserves in East Africa. A significant colony is currently located at Kleinzee, on South Africa’s west coast, consisting of over 450,000 people. Additional, smaller aggregations exist around Gansbaai, Hout Bay, Plettenberg Bay, and Cape Town.

Geyser Rock, located near Dyer Island, hosts a colony of around 60,000 Cape Fur Seals, which serve as the primary feeding source for the notorious Great White Shark. Geyser Rock is predicted to yield 10,000–12,000 seal pups annually; however, not all will survive beyond their first year. In False Bay, where they may encounter shark-infested waters, seals utilise various anti-predatory strategies, including swimming in large groups, harassing nearby sharks, darting to create confusion, and employing their remarkable agility and strategic positioning to evade capture.

Seals are elegant dancers in the aquatic environment. They exhibit an appealing curiosity, swimming near vessels and surfacing to explore. They exhibit playful behaviour and occasionally engage with divers and snorkelers.

4. Sharks

Cage Diving with SHARKS in South Africa!

The Great White Shark is the most formidable and awe-inspiring predator in the ocean. Regrettably, because to adverse publicity, it has endured unwarranted persecution and is currently a threatened species. South Africa hosts one of the greatest populations of Great White Sharks, with an estimated 2,000 of the 5,000 remaining globally.

The Gansbaai region, particularly Dyer Island, is regarded as the global epicentre for shark diving, providing opportunity to see, interact with, even cage dive alongside the Great White Shark. The shark-diving sector in this region undoubtedly contributes significantly to the education and research concerning these wonderful species; nonetheless, there exists some contention over the ethical implications of cage diving specifically. Sharks are drawn to ‘chumming’ the water, a process involving a potent mixture of fish parts, bones, and blood that stimulates their acute olfactory senses. This is unnatural and, sceptics contend, conditions sharks to associate feeding with humans. Subsequently, those individuals enter the water alongside them.

A mature Great White can exceed 6 meters in length and weigh over 3,000 kilogrammes. Their very refined sensors enable them to perceive the electrical impulses emitted by their prey, including fish, seals, and even dolphins. A prevalent technique for seal hunting entails the shark approaching the seal from below, accelerating towards the surface at speeds reaching 40 km/h (25 mph), and striking the seal mid-body, which frequently propels the shark partially or entirely out of the water, occasionally exceeding 3 meters in height. Boat tours are available from Simon’s Town to observe this remarkable behaviour; however, there is ongoing debate regarding the ethical implications, as decoys are occasionally employed to stimulate the sharks’ breaching activity.

Regardless of your perspective, encountering a colossal and formidable creature up close and observing its remarkable size and might is an unforgettable experience.

5. Penguins

How to See Cape Town’s Penguins

The African Penguin, colloquially referred to as the Jackass Penguin because to its donkey-like bray, is native to South Africa and Namibia. These penguins attain a height of up to 70 cm and weigh between 2 and 5 kg. Although they may appear awkward on land, they compensate in aquatic environments, demonstrating remarkable agility and speed, occasionally surpassing dolphins and seals.

The African Penguin is currently classified as an endangered species. All penguin breeding areas are currently safeguarded, with multiple organisations diligently striving to prevent their deterioration. The Dyer Island Conservation Trust is focused on rehabilitating and safeguarding the island’s penguin population. Visitors to the area can explore this colony and gain insights into the diverse conservation strategies implemented to protect these endearing animals.

For an intimate experience, you may visit the colonies at Boulders Beach in Simon’s hamlet, Cape Town, or at Stony Point in the charming coastal hamlet of Betty’s Bay, located on the opposite side of False Bay from the city, farther down the coast towards Hermanus. Boulders Beach imposes a nominal entrance fee, which contributes to avian conservation efforts and regulates the influx of tourists at any given moment. Upon passing through the gate, you will encounter a beach inhabited by a resident colony of more than 2,000 penguins. Boulders is an exquisite beach, characterised by its pristine sandy shores and numerous colossal granite boulders, dating back 540 million years, available for exploration. The pristine, transparent water is cold; nevertheless, if you are prepared to endure it, you may have the fortune of swimming with the penguins. Betty’s Bay, the lesser-known yet probably superior colony to visit, boasts a greater population of penguins and less tourists than Boulders Beach, along with a nominal entrance fee. Both sites feature wheelchair-accessible boardwalks, providing a discreet yet proximate view of the penguins’ nesting and breeding habitats. The optimal times for bird observation are early morning or late afternoon, coinciding with their return from 20-kilometre fishing excursions.

Observing the amusing behaviours of these whimsical birds for an hour or two is undoubtedly a highlight of any visit to the Western Cape. They merit inclusion on the must-see wish list, among the other members of the Marine Big Five.