Day three of our adventure has come! Today we left Cape Town and made our way to Stony Point African Penguin Colony at Betty’s Bay. The group got the chance to understand and observe African penguins within a natural and beautiful habitat. Unfortunately, African penguin populations have drastically decreased over the past couple decades and have been entered on the endangered mammals “Red list”. So as a group we also understand the conservation of this magnificent species as well.
After our stay at the penguin colony, we drove to Dyer Island to go on our whale-watching venture. The group got to experience, first hand, the “Marine Big 5” (whales, seals, sharks, dolphins, and penguins) all within the same gorgeous setting. Firstly, our spotter on our boat, the “Whale Whisperer”, spotted a pair of dolphins. After our boat got more centered in the bay, we reached Dyer Island. Where we saw a huge mass of seals and some African penguins, the same penguins that we got to see earlier in the day. Then our driver of our boat received a call that there were sharks within our area, an area that is know for shark sightings called “Shark Alley”. Where it is common to see great white sharks. Another boat threw chum into the water, and soon after we finally got to see a great white. Last and of course not least, we amazingly ended our sea adventure with the sighting of three Brutus “Bride” Whales, one of which was a calf (baby whale)! It was truly humbling seeing such gentle giants right in front of us.
Many of the students after the trip quickly ran to the gift shop, to get mementos of their time at sea. Soon after we had to leave to go across the beautiful African countryside to Oudshoorn in Klein Karoo. As soon as we entered our guesthouses we were graciously welcomed with a warm meal. The meal that we had was one that was new to many of the students, Ostrich! It did not take to long for the students to get to bed and wait for tomorrow’s adventure, seeing meerkats and going through caves.
Two African penguins interacting with one another at Stony Point African Penguin Colony.
A Group of African Penguins overlooking Betty’s Bay at Stony Point African Penguin Colony
An African penguin making its call, that is famously know for sounding oddly enough like a donkey’s. Making it receive the name the “Jackass Penguin”.
Two seals at Dyer Island interacting with one another.
Adventure Awaits,
Jordan
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