Viewpoints on Whale Watching in Hermanus!

If you're looking to spot a whale, the first few things you'll hear people say is:

"Hermanus has the best land-based whale watching in the world" and "You're sure to see hundreds of whales breaching from the waters off the rocky cliffs to the West" or "You'll definitely see them lob tailing from the vantage point of the golden beaches to the East".

And this indeed is a fact.

Every year, like clockwork, the whales return to Hermanus for their yearly rendezvous in Walker Bay, carrying out their annual rhythms of mating and calving.

Considering what people actually understand about the Southern Right Whale - named because it was the "right" whale to hunt - the whales perspective will always be something mysterious and unknown.

What we do know is that they prefer the warmer waters of Walker Bay for a breeding ground rather than the cold waters of their usual haunt, the Arctic Circle.

According to the calendar they can be seen from July to November. What areas of Walker Bay or the time of day to expect them is hard to say. But there is one expert in Hermanus who is sure to know.

The Whale Crier of Hermanus

If you've never heard of the Whale Crier of Hermanus, it's because Hermanus is the only place in the world to have one. If you're interested in whales this is one whale expert you definitely need to meet.

Pieter Claasen was the first to lift a horn-shaped tube of kelp to his lips at age 11, sounding the first base notes announcing the arrival of the whales. Since then, his predecessor, Wilson Salukazana, has become Hermanus's second whale crier.

He answers any questions posed to him about whales...

Wilson can tell you where they come from, what kinds there are in the bay and even the names of the aerial stunts they perform. He also knows the best coves along the shore and the places where you can get within 20m of these gentle submariners.

However, his most useful service is a system for notifying whale enthusiasts by coded calls issued from his kelp trumpet.

When he sees the whales on yonder horizon, he blows his trusty horn like he was at home watching a soccer match! And the crowds come running. Two long calls for the viewing spot at Roman Rock. One short call for the Old Harbour, where you can zoom in on the whales with the telescopes provided. One long, one short and another long call for the Voëlklip lookout position.

These are just a few, but there are other spots the Whale Crier claims are even better standpoints for whale watching.

Wilson, the Whale Crier, has many whale tales to tell. If you catch him at the right time, you can hear the legends he has gathered from the past that only he knows how to tell.

The ancient whale migration patterns have remained unbroken for thousands of years...

The Moby Dick Hermanus Whale Festival

Another thing you can count on is the annual Moby Dick Hermanus Whale Festival, happening during the last week of September. Expect things to be in full swing, offering festive greetings to the whales on their return.

The festival is perfectly timed for the spring season and serves as a great way of welcoming back the spirit of springtime for both parties.

The festival centres on the towns market place. Food stalls sell freshly produced foods from the nearby farms, crafters display skilfully made earthenware pottery and assorted trinkets all uniquely crafted by hand. Restaurants bustle with activity and the pubs pour drinks well into the night.

Hermanus is for Everyone

Hermanus is a haven for crafters and musicians, quiet folks and artists. All see its mountains, beaches, wild flora, fauna and of course the whales from their own point of view.

Whether you're gazing at the ocean from the rocky cliffs to the West or marvelling at the sunsets from golden beaches to the East, the friendly people of Hermanus invite you to draw your own experiences.

The Windsor Hotel is situated on a cliff edge just meters form the sea. Providing advantageous perspectives on the Indian Ocean, it was built in 1896 making it the most well-established hotel in Hermanus. The staff at the Windsor Hotel will make your stay a seaside holiday you'll never want to leave behind.

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If you are keen for more info on whale watching in Hermanus check out the info at this Hermanus guest house.

Full Day Hermanus Tour

Leave the city and drive towards the mountains of the wine country before continuing towards the coast. Drive through the seaside towns of the Strand with its beautiful beaches, and Gordon’s Bay nestled below the slopes of the Hottentots Holland Mountains. This is a charming fishing village with magnificent views across False Bay, and on a clear day Cape Point can be seen in the distance.

Continue along the spectacular Marine Drive, which cuts along the mountain slopes and overlooks a precipitous and rocky coast. During the whale season, between July and November, Southern Right Whales are often seen along this drive.

Drive further along the coastline passing the white sandy beaches of Koelbaai and the villages of Rooiels, Pringle Bay and Betty’s Bay. This area has a wealth of flowering plants and one can visit the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, famous for the beautiful Red Disa and the flowering fynbos of the area. Take a walk through the reserve and up the slopes of the mountains to the waterfall in Disa Kloof where some of the indigenous trees of the Cape can be seen. Continue on, over the Bot River and into the Walker Bay area and the charming village of Hermanus.

For wine enthusiasts a stop is made en route at the picturesque Hemel-en-Aarde valley where the cool maritime climate creates ideal conditions for the growing of Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay grapes. Here, wine farms such as Bouchard Finlayson, Hamilton Russell and Whalehaven Wines produce acclaimed wines.

Because of its shallow, sandy beaches this area is where many of the Southern Right Whales come to mate and calve. Whales often come very close to the shore in Hermanus, and there are some excellent vantage points from the cliff paths that run from one end of town to the other. After lunch at one of the seafood restaurants in the village, there will be time to browse at the many stores and craft markets in the town.

Return to the city over the Hottentots Holland Mountains, driving through the apple growing regions of Grabouw and Elgin, and stopping on the spectacular Sir Lowry’s Mountain Pass for beautiful views of the Cape Peninsula.

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Guest House Hermanus

Hermanus - The World's Best Whale Watching Destination

Hermanus Accommodation - Bed & Breakfast

Hermanus: the best land based whale watching in the world. Hermanus town looks over the protected shallow waters of Walker Bay where the Southern Right Whales come to mate, calve and rear their young. Between June and December every year you can sit on the rocky cliffs overlooking the bay and watch the whales breaching, sailing, bobbing or just frolicking around in the waves. August is peak time for calving and August and September are the months you will find the most whales in the bay. An incredible site that cannot be missed!

Boat based whale watching is offered from Hermanus where one can get within a few metres from the whales. The Whale Show is offered, a unique whale and dolphin audio-visual presentation that runs twice daily (10h00 & 15h00) at the Whale Museum - A worthwhile show that provides you with detailed, fascinating information on our gentle giants.

Not too far from Hermanus is the Great White shark cage diving mecca, Gansbaai. Six nautical miles away is Dyer Island, possibly the best place in the world to view these magnificent predators. The island is a bird sanctuary and a breeding site for the African penguin and many other coastal birds. Adjoining it is a second, smaller rocky island called Geyser rock, which supports a large seal population. Separating Geyser and Dyer is a channel aptly named "Shark Alley", arguably THE prime spot in the world for encountering the Great White shark. The cage diving is an exhilarating experience and a "must do"

Blue Gum Country Estate kindly invited me to come and stay for the weekend. Accepting the offer with glee, I disappeared from the hustle and bustle of the city driving only 2 hours to arrive in the Overberg region. Blue Gum is situated on the slopes of the Klein River Mountains just outside Stanford only 20min past Hermanus. It offers a luxury country lodge feel, superb service, great food and beautiful surroundings. After arriving in the late afternoon, I was invited to the cosy lounge area to enjoy tea and scones with jam and fresh cream.

Unfortunately I chose the worst weekend to get away. The weather turned really grim and 3 consecutive cold fronts bringing massive amounts of rain, hit the western cape. Thousands of people were left stranded, homes washed away particularly in the poorer rural areas. The Klein River, which Blue Gum Lodge overlooks, came down in flood and completely washed the bridge away between us and the outside world! I must have arrived at about 16h00 and by 17h30 water rushed over the bridge preventing the remaining guests from joining us for the night. They were forced to retreat to Stanford.

Rain belted down during the night, thunder and lighting created a dramatic atmosphere. The guests huddled inside around large cosy fireplaces after a great 3-course dinner, the friendly staff offering nightcaps. I got chatting to a fun English couple, Douglas and Nicky who were visiting the area hoping to go Shark Cage diving. Much to their disappointment this was called off due to the bad weather. Douglas was celebrating his 40th birthday this day so we enjoyed a couple drinks over a game of Trumps, a card game introduced to us by Douglas. Louise the lodge manager joined us and merrily served us more and more tequilas and Jagermeister as the night went on. I retreat to my luxury spacious room before things got too out of hand!

In the morning we heard about a back route out from the lodge to Stanford that travelled through farmlands at the base of the mountain, a rough gravel road crossed by 3 little rivers that tested our off road driving skills in our low laying city cars. Nic, the owner of the lodge, led the way in his pickup truck assisting us where possible. The largest river at one point was approximately 25cm deep at its deepest point and about 6m wide, all very well if you were driving a 4x4, but most of us weren't! After a couple of knocks and bumps and much adrenalin racing through our bodies, we made it! Only to return again later in the afternoon once we had enjoyed our days excursions.

Blue Gum offers a number of activities although all weather dependant, such as horse riding, mountain biking, quad biking, tennis, hiking and boat cruising on the Stanford River. The Birkenhead Brewery is just down the road. From Wednesday to Friday at 11h00 and 15h00, one can enjoy a tour of the brewery and learn how the beer is made. The tastings can be enjoyed everyday at the restaurant and it is nice to combine it with a pub lunch. After enjoying the good service at Blue Gum, I was disappointed with the service here though.

I returned to the lodge for an afternoon nap, happy to see that the rivers had subsided a bit making the road a little less of a challenge. At 18h00 I awoke with a knock on my door. Delicious snacks and an aperitif were brought to me. What a nice surprise! I sat in the quietness of my room enjoying cheese and biscuits and fresh fruit served with white sherry while looking onto the beautiful Klein River Mountain.

Although Blue Gum Lodge is a lovely place to get stranded, we were all hoping that the rain would ease off. If more rain fell, even the back road would become a problem. All the rivers subsided nicely by the morning, I checked out and said my farewells to everyone at the lodge and commenced my journey home.

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