Whale watching from the cliffs in Hermanus and boat-based whale watching in Walker Bay.
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Voëlklip, Northcliff,Kwaaiwater, Eastcliff, Hermanus Central,Westcliff,Onrus,Sandbaai,Vermont, Fisherhaven, Chanteclair and Hemel en Aarde.
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Things to do Visit the beaches....
Soak up the sun or go for a long stroll on one of many beaches. Hermanus has kilometers of beach and sheltered coves, so however busy the summer season is, there is always a secluded cove or stretch of beach where visitors can escape the crowds. More......
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Day trips from Hermanus Pearly Beach....
A fisherman's and diver's haven. It's biggest attraction is the beautiful white unspoilt sandy beach which is perfect for sunbathing. More......
The seaside resort of Hermanus in Walker Bay offers the best whale viewing from land in the world. A cliff path stretching from one side of the town to the other, hugs the coastline for about 12 km giving whale watchers unlimited opportunities to study the gentle giants in the coves below or lolling just beyond the breakers.
From the path or from rocky outcrops just off the path, whale watchers can get within 20m of whales cruising in the coves. Benches all along the cliff path provide comfortable resting and watching spots. Start at Gearing's Point which gives a panoramic view over the bay. A telescope situated alongside at the Old Harbour makes it possible to survey the entire bay and the whales and dolphins at close range. Next to the telescope is an information plaque which provides additional information on the whales.
The whale seen most frequently in the Walker Bay area is the Southern Right Whale, but other species do make an appearance occasionally. The whales start arriving in May in order to calve and to mate in the shallow water. Peak time for whales at any one time is October, but many can still be seen in November, tailing off in December.
Humpbacks migrate through the region between May and December each year, while Bryde's whales are found slightly futher offshore all year round. Occasional sightings of Killer Whales have been made.
Dolphin species which may be seen in the region include the endemic Heavisides dolphin, Bottlenose dolphin and Common dolphins.
The first Whale Crier in the world is not only a major attraction but keeps visitors informed as to where the whales can be seen when he does his rounds every day. The sound of his kelp horn has become a characteristic of the charm of this seaside resort during the whale season.
A whale watching hotline provides visitors who wish to travel to Hermanus and environs with up to the minute information on the whereabouts of the whales ( 0283122629 ). Walker Bay is one of the favoured bays for Southern Right Whales to calve and mate and between September and November sitings are practically guaranteed on a daily basis.
Boat-based whale watching in Walker Bay
When boat safaris were proposed for Walker Bay in 1994 and again in 1996, there was an outcry amongst locals. Southern right whales regularly swim to within metres of the shore, earning Hermanus international recognition as one of the premier sites for land-based whale watching in the world.
Whether or not boats in the bay disturb the whales, many feel that allowing craft amongst the whales will harm this reputation.
This debate came to an abrupt end in September 1998, when Sea Fisheries announced that permits for boat-based whale watching had been issued to 13 applicants in various 'concession areas' along the South African coastline. Walker Bay falls within the boundaries of two such areas. While only one boat is allowed to operate within each area, some feel this is the thin edge of the wedge that will open the door to large-scale boat-based whale watching.
Advocates of the new permits say the legal operators will adhere to a strict code of conduct and will participate in research on the whales. In addition, it is said, in protection of their own livelihoods they will begin to police the waters against illegal, and often unscrupulous, operators that have proliferated of late.
A limited number of permits have been issued for legal boat-based whale watching at Hermanus, Gansbaai and Kleinbaai.The industry is carefully regulated and experienced operators are allocated discrete areas. Groups of passengers are taken out to the whales in a ski-boat for 1-2 hours keeping 50 meters away but avoiding cow-and-calf pairs (which usually move away of their own accord). Some whales are inquisitive and may surface 3-4 meters of the boat, providing an unforgettable close-up encounter.
While on these trips huge schools of dolphins, seals as well as many types of sea birds are often encountered.
 "Whales - So close you can touch them")
 "Whale - Up for some fresh air")
 "Whale - Rolling on its side")
 "Whale - about 20 meters from the cliff")
 "Whale watchers")
