On 24/12/2019 at 08:00 am, Rainer skippered the Algoa Bay Marine Vessel and excited Guests on a Whale and Dolphin spotting trip to Cape Recife, leaving from GQDSAC at 08:00 am.
After our trips earlier this week both Rainer and I were hesitant of the possibility of seeing dolphins in Algoa Bay.
Leaving the harbour in a 10 knot westerly we hugged the beachfront staying in the shelter of the land in the offshore breeze.
On our way past Shark Rock Pier we elicited the help of our guests by letting them into the secret of how to spot whales and dolphins and were soon rewarded by an eagle eyed spotting by our youngest guest of a number of Bottlenose Dolphins racing towards our vessel.
Soon we were surrounded by dolphins who turned to swim in the same direction as us.
On our way to Cape Recife the dolphins surrounded a surfer who grinned in delight and threw us a double thumbs up.
Leaving the dolphins we headed for the point in search of whales. Even the flat sea did not give up a sighting of a whale blow or breach so we turned back in the rising wind and headed once more for the coast.
In line with SANCCOB a huge pod of dolphins came swimming towards us, turned and headed back towards the harbour to keep us company and slowly spread out until they were in a long line stretching from Something Good to well off of Shark Rock Pier. We were treated to dolphin’s blowing right next to the duck, teenage dolphins breaching and one splashing us right on our Port side – I swear I saw a mischievous glint in it’s eye.
Satisfied we motored back to the harbour.
The following cetaceans were spotted:
| Time | Latitude | Longitude | Species Code | Adults | Calves | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09h05 | 33°58’49.4″S | 25°40’22.3″E | BOT | 100 | 4 | Swimming |
| 10h00 | 33°59’14.1″S | 25°40’36.3″E | BOT | 500 | 6 | Swimming |
Legend: SRW – Southern Right Whale | HBW – Humpback Whale | BRY – Brydes Whale | COM – Common Dolphin | BOT – Bottlenose Dolphin | HUMP – Humpback Dolphin | ORCA – Killer Whale/Orca.
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