Whale Watching Lookouts in Hermanus!
If you’re looking to spot a whale, the first thing 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 coming out of the waters off the rocky cliffs to the west” or “You’ll definitely see them launch from the vantage point.” point of the golden beaches of the East”.
And this is indeed a fact.
Every year, like clockwork, the whales return to Hermanus for their annual meeting at Walker Bay, carrying out their annual mating and calving rhythms.
Given what people really understand about the southern right whale, so named because it was the “right” whale to hunt, the whales’ perspective will always remain something mysterious and unknown.
What we do know is that they prefer the warmer waters of Walker Bay as a breeding ground rather than the cold waters of their usual spot, the Arctic Circle.
According to the calendar they can be seen from July to November. It’s hard to say which areas of Walker Bay or what time of day to expect them. But there is an expert in Hermanus who surely knows.
The Hermanus Whale Crier
If you’ve never heard of the Hermanus Whale Crier, that’s because Hermanus is the only place in the world to have one. If you are interested in whales, this is one whale expert you should definitely know about.
Pieter Claasen was the first to put a horn-shaped tube of algae to his lips at the age of 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 all the questions he is asked about whales…
Wilson can tell you where they come from, what guys are in the bay, and even the names of the aerobatics they perform. He also knows the best coves on the coast and the places where you can get within 20m of these tame divers.
His most useful service, however, is a system for notifying whale enthusiasts via coded calls issued from his kelp trumpet.
When he sees the whales on the horizon, he blows his trusty horn as if he were at home watching a football game. And the crowd comes running. Two long calls to the overlook at Roman Rock. A short stopover to Old Harbor where she can get up close to the whales with the telescopes provided. One long, one short, and one long call to the Voëlklip lookout post.
These are just a few, but there are other locations that Whale Crier says are better vantage points for whale watching.
Wilson the Whale Crier has many whale stories to tell. If you catch him at the right time, you will be able to hear the legends that he has collected from the past that only he knows how to tell.
The ancient migration patterns of whales have remained intact for thousands of years…
Moby Dick Hermanus Whale Festival
Another thing you can count on is the annual Moby Dick Hermanus Whale Festival, which takes place during the last week of September. Expect things to be in full swing, offering holiday greetings to the whales upon their return.
The festival is perfectly timed for the spring season and serves as a great way to welcome the spirit of spring for both parties.
The festival is centered around the town’s market square. Food stalls sell food freshly produced from nearby farms, artisans display skillfully made earthenware pottery and assorted trinkets, all uniquely crafted by hand. Restaurants are buzzing with activity and pubs for drinks until late at night.
Hermanus is for everyone
Hermanus is a haven for craftsmen and musicians, easygoing people and artists. Everyone sees 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 rocky cliffs to the west or marveling at sunsets from golden beaches to the east, the friendly people of Hermanus invite you to draw your own experiences.