Of course, everyone is familiar with the African Big 5. But have you also heard of the Marine Big 5? They’re found across the waters around South Africa. However, the best place to spot them is right here in False Bay, just a short drive from Cape Town! If you join Cape RADD for an Ocean safari, you’ll get a morning filled with excitement and contribute to science as we take our boat Top Banana out for a spin.
The Marine Big 5
You’ll probably know the African Big 5, the most dangerous animals to hunt in the bush. These consist of the Lion, the African Elephant, African Buffalo, Black Rhinoceros, and of course, the ever-elusive Leopard. However, the Marine counterpart is not based off dangerous game, but rather the most charismatic animals you’ll encounter on an ocean safari. And best thing is, most of them are only found in South Africa!
The Marine Big 5 includes; the African Penguin, Simon’s Town’s local celebrities, the Cape Fur Seal, the Southern Right Whale, the Common Bottlenose Dolphin, and the elusive Great White Shark. When we head out with the boat, we visit some major spots in False Bay. We will pass some of the seal islands in the bay, and explore the kelp forest for a snorkel. And while we’re out, we will hopefully run into some of the other members of the Marine Big 5. Going in the period between July and November will increase your chance of seeing whales, as it will be peak season then! However, there are always whales around in False Bay, so you might even spot one outside peak season.
Marine Big 5
Citizen Science and the Cape RADD Ocean Safari
While aboard the boat, we’ll collect data for Cape RADD’s wildlife monitoring projects. At reefs or kelp forests in False Bay, we’ll drop a BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video). This setup includes a bait canister and camera, recording all ocean life attracted to the bait. The BRUV helps monitor wildlife abundance at various spots, revealing what’s in the depths. And it beats having to dive down and spend an hour watching the same spot ourselves! After we return to our Ocean HUB, we will review the footage together and see what pops up. This is usually an excellent way to see some of our smaller endemic shysharks or catsharks in action, together with an abundance of fish!
Join our Ocean Safari!
Are you keen to see what’s hiding out in False Bay and want to discover it with your friends? Well, now’s your chance! Ocean Safaris can be booked throughout the year with Cape RADD! Check for availability and pricing on the booking page, and you can reserve your spot directly. If you want to spend more time in the water, there’s the possibility to join us for a Citizen Science Dive or Snorkel Experience. On these, we will enter the magical African sea forest and search for our endemic shysharks while contributing to population research.
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