Plan your trip
WHEN TO GO
June to November is best. This year’s Hermanus Whale Festival is on 28–30 September. Algoa Bay (PE) and Durban’s Bluff have whale-welcoming celebrations too, but these are usually in June.
WHERE TO GO
Whales swim all along the SA coast, from the West Coast to Sodwana Bay. There are large gatherings of southern rights around the Cape, while humpbacks head up to KZN in large numbers. Bryde’s whales can be seen all year round. Killer whales are unpredictable – it’s not impossible to see one from a boat in False Bay or Algoa Bay. ‘If you do, thank your extreme good fortune,’ says Dave Hurwitz of Simon’s Town Boat Company.
NEED TO KNOW
There’s nothing quite like being approached by a whale and seeing it up close. Most whale-watching hotspots offer boat-based tours (see map opposite). According to marine scientists, boats can be disruptive to cetaceans due to noise as well as invasive behaviour, so if you’re opting for this, make sure to choose an ethical operator. (Don’t be shy to ask to see their whale permit; not many of these are handed out, and they are currently under review.) The SA BoatBased Whale Watching Association has a list of a dozen responsible operators along the SA coast (sabbwwa.org.za). WhaleTime also lists KZN operators and provides a Code of Conduct you can hold boat owners to (whaletime.co.za).
DO THIS
Learn about whales in Durban. WhaleTime’s one-hour tours at the Port Natal Maritime Museum are run by community guides, and include the history of whaling. R10 pp. Book on 031-322-9598, sodurba.co.za Later this year WhaleTime will also offer boat-based whale tours from Wilson’s Wharf. Visit Whale House Museum in Hermanus. Appreciate the size of whales by standing below the full-size southern right skeleton (a young female that washed up on the rocks at Onrus River in 2003). Entry R20 adults, R5 kids. 028-313-0418
Go sea kayaking. A remarkable experience because you’re lower on the water and it’s completely silent. It’s also cheaper than the boat tours. There are operators in Paternoster (083-795-4198), Cape Town (kayak.co.za), Hermanus (walkerbayadventures. co.za) and Plettenberg Bay (dolphinadventures.co.za).
Walk around Walker Bay.
The 12km Cliff Path in Hermanus is free, and it’s lovely (except where you have to walk along the main road because rich people have blocked access to the coast). Across the bay, De Kelders is also a prime viewing site, as is the adjoining Walker Bay Nature Reserve; R40 pp, capenature.co.za. Also try Franskraal’s coastal promenade on the other side of the Gansbaai peninsula. Walker Bay Adventures does a full-moon whale walking tour – hear the echoes of their sounds in the bay and maybe see phosphorescence effects in the water. R700 pp.