A Marine Big 5 Tour with Marine Dynamics

“There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more.”

—Lord Byron (Spotted in the restroom at Marine Dynamics’ offices.)

You’ve heard of the Big 5 of Africa, but have you heard of the Marine Big 5? We’ve been on many African Big 5 safaris but never experienced a Marine Big 5 safari.  So, we went on a tour with Marine Dynamics to find out what it’s all about.

What is the Marine Big 5?

The Marine Big 5 comprises whales, sharks, dolphins, seals, and penguins.

Our experience

Our booking was made a few weeks prior to the tour date. The day before the tour, we received a WhatsApp message to confirm the address and time. The optimal time is determined based on weather conditions and may differ from the original time booked. An online check-in link was also sent to us.

We were to meet at the Marine Dynamics offices in Gansbaai at 09h15. The drive from Arniston took just over an hour. We were welcomed, registered, and offered tea, coffee and muffins. Sonja, one of the guides, spoke to us about the company and what to expect. She reminded us that sightings were not guaranteed.

A safety briefing was then screened. We were kitted out in life jackets and handed waterproof jackets, after which we took a short walk to the Kleinbaai harbour, where we boarded our boat, the Dream Catcher.

It was a sunny day and the waters were calm. The boat was quite full, with many of our fellow passengers being foreign tourists. We sat on the top deck from where we had a great view. Boat crew came around during the ride to hand out glazed ginger and mint, foods believed to alleviate sea-sickness. We were also given floating kelp from the kelp forests to touch and feel (and even bite and taste – as some of our group did!)

Bronze Whaler Shark

The first of the Marine Big 5 that we saw were some Bronze Whaler Sharks circling in front of a shark cage diving boat. We observed them for a while then proceeded to Dyer Island, a marine nature reserve and breeding ground for 1800 Ac and numerous other seabird species, including Cape Cormorants, Roseate Terns and African Black Oystercatchers. The island was covered with birds and we saw several species.

African Penguins on Dyer Island

Our next destination was Geyser Rock Island, a small island in the Dyer Island Nature Reserve Complex, and home to a colony of 60 000 Cape fur seals. We saw hundreds of seals, on the island and in the water, in the area known as Shark Alley. It was fascinating to watch them.

Cape fur seals

By this stage, we had seen 3 of the Marine Big 5 and listened to the informative commentary from the guides at the sightings. It was late January and whale season (June to December) was over. Although we had moved to deeper waters, we had no expectations of seeing whales and were sailing around when one of the guides spotted one.

Bryde’s whale

This was my first time seeing a whale in the ocean and I was beyond excited. It was a Bryde’s whale, a species that lives in warmer waters. Some of the species migrate seasonally while others don’t. So, although the Southern Right and humpback whales had returned to Antarctica, the resident Bryde’s whales were still around. They grow up to 14.5 metres, which was approximately the length of our boat. This one was moving rapidly, and as we followed it, we periodically spotted its fin. We also learnt how to identify whale footprints – a circular area where the surface of the water is smoother than the surrounding water, indicating that the whale had been there.

After an exhilarating 2.5-hour trip, we returned to the harbour and Marine Dynamics’ offices, where hot soup and rolls awaited us.

About Marine Dynamics

Marine Dynamics is an award-winning marine ecotourism company based in Gansbaai in the Western Cape of South Africa. Their motto is ‘Discover. Protect. Educate’ and they do this through ecotourism, research, conservation and outreach projects. Part of the Cape Country Routes Collection, Marine Dynamics actively contributes to marine research, conservation and education projects, and is certified by both Fair Trade Tourism and Blue Flag (the Foundation for Environmental Education, coordinated by WESSA Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa).

A conservation fee is levied on every booking which goes towards the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, and there is a dedicated marine biologist on every trip providing insights about the marine species and recording conservation data. The company knows their environment well and provides the best chances of seeing the Marine Big 5 in the most ethical manner. A video of each trip is available for purchase.

For more information and to book, visit Marine Dynamics.

Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world. Although she has been to 50 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.