Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)

We meet at the Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth Harbour at 8.00 am. We board the catamaran for an exhilarating Marine Safari into the protected waters of Algoa Bay in search of Dolphins, Seals, Sharks, and the seasonal Humpback and Southern Right Whales. We will be circumnavigating St. Croix Island and its African Penguin colony.

Light refreshments and snacks are served during the cruise, and we estimate our return by 12h30 pm.

More Information:
The whale season begins in June when we see humpback whales moving along the coast as they head up the east coast of Africa towards their breeding grounds. Humpback whales can be seen in Algoa Bay between June and early January, reaching peaks in July/August and again in November/December on their return journey, with calves in tow.

From July to October, Southern Right Whales enter the safety of the bay to give birth. These whales are usually seen very close inshore, near the harbour, and most frequently along the South African coast.

Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins are the most commonly seen in the bay and can be seen in groups of 10–400 all year. These playful dolphins enjoy the shallow waters, either near the beaches or around St. Croix Island, and they tend to come right up to the boat and ride along in the bow waves. Common dolphins are also a spectacular sight. Sometimes, in groups of 1000–2000, they swim along at fast speeds. These dolphins are often spotted from January to June as they follow large shoals of baitfish which move past the bay. We also get humpback dolphins in Algoa Bay, which usually occur in much smaller groups during the summer.

St. Croix Island is home to 22,000 breeding pairs of African penguins, the largest breeding colony found in Africa (though we have lost 70% in 10 years). Here you will get a close-up encounter with these comical birds. The African penguin’s breeding season reaches its peak between March and May, when you may be able to see the chicks from the boat. St. Croix and Brenton Island are also home to the endangered African black oystercatcher, white-breasted cormorants, and Cape cormorants. St. Croix Island and the Bird Island group became part of the Addo Elephant National Park, allowing rangers to patrol the islands and protect the African penguin population. As they are Marine Protected Areas, please note that you are not allowed to go on to the islands.

There is also an opportunity to see white-breasted cormorants, Cape cormorants, Bryde’s whales, minke whales, Cape fur seals, various species of sharks, Cape gannets, and many species of seabirds, including terns, petrels, skuas, shearwaters, and albatrosses.

DISCLAIMER

The cruise operator cannot guarantee animal sightings on any cruise. The cruise operator offers guests the opportunity to view wild animals which will move around at their own will and therefore we cannot be held responsible for the movements of these animals. Guests who are taken to St Croix are guaranteed to see African penguins, and therefore no refund will be given if other marine animals are not spotted. If absolutely no animals are sighted compensation, in the form of a free ticket for the next boat trip, may be given at the discretion of the skipper.