On Wednesday 5 December we at Algoa Bay Marine were scheduled to take Dirk Myburgh and his team from Glenhurd Accounting Services out for a leisurely beachfront cruise, with a stopover at Shark Rock Pier, some champers and a chance to make the Pier Walkers just a little bit jealous.
BUT, the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes do go awry… this time, though magnificently, stupendously in our favour. On our way out of the Port of Gqeberha we received word that the Orca Family that we have been looking for for the whole of this week had been spotted off of St Croix so it was time to negotiate with our guests whether they wanted to continue on the beach cruise or, BONUS, go on an Orca Spotting Adventure?
Dirk is obviously a canny businessman as he quickly grasped that the ROI on seeing Killer Whales would be far greater and we were off with Kyle at the helm and Carlo observing from the top deck, both eager to see their first real live killer whales in Algoa Bay.
Approaching Brenton Island (the seaward island off of St Croix) the call came – Killer Whale 3 o’clock and the hunt was on. Not long and he surfaced again – a magnificent male specimen making his way South. The boat went silent as we observed his dorsal fin scything through the water with purpose.
Again and again he surfaced, dove and traveled under the Algoa Bay Marine Vessel. Then, for one very lucky lonely guest not on the top deck, he surfaced right next to the port stern of Algoa Bay Marine – cheeky, very cheeky.
High fives all round and we toddled off to Summerstrand to resume our Beachfront Cruise.
A very rare and special sighting for us and our guests – and only the third one this year.
Algoa Bay is blessed with the most amazing animal and sea-life – join us to appreciate the wonder of the ocean.
