Photography Practical with the Humpbacks!

Having been at Marine Dynamics for a few weeks now, I have had the privilege of being part of the crew on both the commercial touring boats. Slashfin; the shark cage diving vessel and Dream Catcher; the eco tours boat. The Eco Tour focuses on trying to show people the remarkable Marine Big 5: Penguins, Seals, Dolphins, Whales and even perhaps the awe inspiring Great White shark.

My first photography lesson on Dreamcatcher was splendid! It started off as a beautiful day to be out at sea. Although the ocean was a bit choppy, the weather was great. We cruised along the coast to see if we could spot a few dolphins surfing the waters, a bashful humpback dolphin was quickly spotted doing a bit of fishing in the area.

Next, was our stop at our Shark cage diving vessel; Slashfin. There, we were lucky to see some Bronze Whaler Sharks circling the boat with curiosity and entertaining the divers in the cage. Our adventure continued to the famous Dyer Island, where we caught a glimpse of the African Penguins that live on the island; waddling along on the rocky surface. At this time, there was commotion on the boat, one of the crew members spotted a breaching whale! As our skipper sped through the choppy waters, you could feel the excitement aboard the boat.

One breach, then another and another! It was a feeling of sheer astonishment, two Humpback whales were having some fun while we gazed, took photos and soaked in the moment all at the same time. It’s something that one has to experience at least once in their lives. We left the whales and went on to view the Cape Fur Seals on the other side of Dyer Island.

We spent some time in Shark alley watching them play around the boat as well as take naps in the sun. This then concluded the trip and we headed back to Kleinbaai harbour, feeling absolutely incredible. What an amazing experience, I feel so lucky to have been a part of this adventure on board Dreamcatcher, little did I know that my next few trips were going to be even more amazing still. I have gotten to see more whales including the Southern Right as well as more Humpback whales on successive trips.

It really has been an over-whale-ming experience!