And what better time to do this than during the whale season, as this is the home of the Southern Right Whale. These beautiful creatures can be seen between the months of July and December when they come into the bay to mate, calve and just relax in the relatively warm water.
Hermanus, also known as the "Riviera of the South", has been said to be the best location for land based whale watching in the world. It is situated on Cape South Coast. It is also possible to take a boat trip and on such a trip you might even see three types of whales, dolphins, seals, penguins and a variety of sea birds.
However, the whales are usually so close to the shore there is no need for a boat trip. You can see them frolicking at Walker Bay, and have to wonder if they aren't watching you, instead of only you watching them. Hermanus is the only town in the world which has its own a whale crier who alerts everyone to the whereabouts of the whales by blowing a horn.
The most popular whale to be seen from Hermanus is the Southern Right Whale, given its name while still hunted as it was the "right" whale to hunt. Reason for this being that the whales float when dead, instead of drowning. They also have a large amount of oil (also known as blubber) and baleen.
Today these whales are rather looked at with awe than hunted. The estimated number of Southern Right Whales is 7000 and approximately 2000 of this total can be found on the shores of South Africa. The birth rate of these whales is 7% which means that every 10 years the population doubles.
Most of Hermanus' shoreline is rocky cliff, high above Walker Bay, thus offering magnificent viewpoints from which to observe the whales.
Every year a whale festival takes place in Hermanus during the month of September. This festival is a joyous occasion filled with music, theatre, fairs and even sporting events. People come from all over the world to marvel at these giant and graceful mammals. There is a wonderful atmosphere in Walker Bay and Hermanus during this time, where a variety of entertainment in available. From stalls, galleries and craft markets, to performers who delight in a variety of drama and comedy. Of course the highlight remains the land based whale watching!
6 comments:
So keen for the whale season!
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