| | Each year Southern Right whales migrate into the coastal waters of the Western Cape to calve and nurse their young. The animals, often mere metres from the shore, provide unsurpassed whale watching opportunities between June and November. Humpbacks migrate through the region between May and December each year, while Bryde's whales are found slightly further offshore all year round. South Africa's Southern Cape Coast Between Lambert's Bay and in the west and Port Elizabeth in the east offers visitors the wonderful opportunity to watch these large whales of the sea from one of the many look-out points along the coast. Remember your binoculars, camera, sunscreen and walking shoes when setting out for a day of whale watching.
Dyer
Island Cruises in Gansbaai offer an unforgettable journey into the
realm of the southern right, Bryde’s and humpback whales. With
accomplished guides sightings are guaranteed from July to December
during the 2 and a half hour cruise around the island where other
wildlife to be spotted are fur seals, penguins, sharks, dolphins and a
variety of seabird species. Hermanus has grown from rustic fishermen's village to being acknowledged by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as one of the 12 best
whale viewing sites in the world. From its rocky cliffs, whales can be seen as close as 5 metres (16.4 feet). It is also the only place in the world where one can watch the
whales and, by means of an underwater microphone, hear their calls at the same time.
The Southern Right
whales start arriving in Walker Bay from June and have usually left again by December. Peak
whale season, when sightings are virtually guaranteed on a daily basis, are during September and October. Calving season is in August and September and the
whale population peaks in Walker Bay during October.
The Southern Right
whale was so named because it was considered to be the right whale to catch. The fact that it was rich in oil and baleen and floated when killed resulted in this slow-moving leviathan becoming one of the most hunted of all
whale species. The Southern Right whale can be distinguished from other
whales by its V- shaped blow and the callosities that appear on and around its head. The callosities are outgrowths of tough skin that form distinctive patterns on each individual.
Today the Northern Right
whale is virtually extinct. There are an estimated 4 000 – 6 000 Southern Right
whales at present, with a large percentage visiting the South African coast annually. |
