Viewpoints on Whale Watching in Hermanus! -

Home
>
Outdoors
>
Viewpoints on Whale Watching in Hermanus!

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.

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/thingstodo/6126275.htmlcid=0ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNGwfdTL55OpnxKKoa42VLzqgqcNngbOutdoors/b Report: Nov. 22/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHouston Chronicle,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By BINK GRIMES and WILKINS WEATHER For the Chronicle Guide Mike Segall of Reel Threel Charters reported good catches of redfish, croakers and sand trout on b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/sports/stories/2022922896.htmlcid=1273126814ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNHTJ4awsPDmR4qeAVI5jSsgkVOt7wbOUTDOORS/b: Deer hunters on the right track/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fKennebec Journal,nbsp;MEnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By TRAVIS BARRETT, Staff Writer 11/22/2008 THE PERFECT STORM: Tracking deer takes the â€œperfect stormâ€ of factors. Temperatures drop, snow begins to fall and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/sports/stories/1905230311.htmlcid=1273126811ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNHDtkLMT5jXvAwj2hn5qVMklLtYBAbOUTDOORS/b: Searching for big trees/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fKennebec Journal,nbsp;MEnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1AUGUSTA -- More than any other state in the country, Maine is blessed with trees -- and the Maine Forest Service is looking for the largest specimens. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dl-online.com/articles/index.cfm%3Fid%3D39497cid=0ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNHMCVHEkE9Axr675H2clXTGXIx43wEducators, industry, DNR: get kids boutdoors/b this winter/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDL-Online,nbsp;MNnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1How do you get kids involved in ice fishing? Teachers from the Battle Lake and Nevis school districts and members of Ice Team, LLC, set out to answer that b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.news-press.com/article/20081122/LIFESTYLES/811220400/1013cid=0ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNEHYqenAOVSC9SIBpINijuVSTwVyACouple takes traditional word game boutdoors/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe News-Press,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Mary Beth Breckenridge â€¢ McClatchy News Service â€¢ November 22, 2008 LAKE TOWNSHIP, Ohio â€” For Jane and Keith Crane, Scrabble is an boutdoor/b sport. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20081121/FEAT03/811210304/1021cid=1272878775ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNGqV0HK3dMuSQ9Ejj33KEi2wBvKmwEnjoy warmth, comfort boutdoors/b with ... Fire pit/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fJackson Clarion Ledger,nbsp;MSnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1While the couple generally uses the chimenea - a gourd-shaped boutdoor/b fireplace with a chimney-like smoke vent - after the kids go to bed, they also have a b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/34901799.htmlcid=0ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNHkJDRpWtoBDtAKfybiEdlxaT8q-gLove the boutdoors/b? â€˜Big Dogsâ€™ adoption event has you in mind/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Antonio Express,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The adopt-a-thon will include breeds known for their love of boutdoor/b activities, including retrievers, shepherds and cattle dogs. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/9fa39990-b75b-11dd-8e01-0000779fd18c.htmlcid=0ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNF899WveXIDQgL_ExbqI3evtkyq0wMen are wearing their slippers boutdoors/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fFinancial Times,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b a silk dressing gown for elegant evenings at home â€“ think Prince Albert or NoÃ«l Coward â€“ has taken a fashionable step forward into the great boutdoors/b. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-myturn24-2008nov24,0,228921.storycid=0ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNEnE5Sf6aVaF0hyIpqu-mpLmJM8MQSeasonal affective disorder follows writer#39;s bicoastal move/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLos Angeles Times,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I flew to Los Angeles and spent a December weekend dining boutdoors/b and watching sunlight sparkle like static on the Pacific. Living beneath Ohio#39;s gray b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sj-r.com/features/x776455476/Outdoors-calendarcid=0ei=klYoSYGhIqiY6AP3l6HrAQusg=AFQjCNE5Ki69aKwUc2SUA6hMt9xJntxWiAbOutdoors/b calendar/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe State Journal-Register,nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Staff Report * The Sangamon Valley Sierra Club will host a program on preserving scenic and historic portions of the Horse Creek and Brush Creek b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

outdoors - Google News