| ermanus Whale Festival, the only Enviro-Arts | | | | other whales by the callosities on their heads, a |
| festival in South Africa is held annually in | | | | broad back, absent dorsal fins and a long, arching |
| September to celebrate the return of the | | | | mouth that begins above the eye. The body is |
| Southern Right Whales to the waters of Walker | | | | dark grey or black with with some white patches |
| Bay, Hermanus which is the best land based whale | | | | on the belly. The length of the Right Back Whale |
| watching destination in the world. This is a | | | | is between 11-18 metres (36-59ft) and they can |
| fantastic addition to a South African travel | | | | weigh up to 100 tonnes. The females have a |
| itinerary (especially for those visiting Cape Town) | | | | gestational period of 1 year. |
| and is a popular attraction for families. | | | | One behaviour that is unique to this whales is |
| From early June until November, the whales come | | | | called ’sailing’, where the whales |
| so close to the Hermanus shoreline (within 200 | | | | use their elevated flukes to catch the wind. It is |
| meters) that they can be viewed from the | | | | interpreted as a form of play and is seen on the |
| strategically positioned boutique hotels situated | | | | coast of South Africa and Argentina. Another |
| along the coastline. The town even employs a | | | | interesting behavioural pattern is the fidelity of a |
| whale crier who walks through the town | | | | mother to its feeding and calving habitats. This |
| announcing the places where the whales have | | | | instinct is very strong and is passed down to the |
| been spotted. | | | | calves. |
| The Southern Right Whale is a baleen whale, one | | | | The Southern Right Whales are listed as |
| of the three species classified as the Right Whale | | | | endangered species and have been protected |
| belonging to the genus Eubalaena. There are | | | | since 1946 in the territorial waters of the |
| around 7,500 Southern Right Whales spread | | | | countries where they breed. |
| throughout the southern part of the Southern | | | | Hermanus boasts some world class hotels. It is a |
| Hemisphere. | | | | cosmopolitan town that has retained some of its |
| There has been historical disagreement on | | | | historical fishermans village heritage. The harbour |
| whether to classify the populations of Eubalaena | | | | has been restored and gives visitors a glimpse of |
| whales as one, two or three species. Morphological | | | | times past. For those looking for an adrenalin filled |
| factors indicate that there were at least two | | | | activity, shark cage diving gives you the |
| species. One in the Northern Hemisphere and one | | | | opportunity to get up close and personal with |
| in the Southern Ocean. No group of Right Whales | | | | these magnificent sea predators. |
| has been known to swim through the warm | | | | A visit to Hermanus can easily be combined with |
| equatorial waters to make contact with and breed | | | | a malaria free safari in the Eastern Cape. Some |
| with the other sub species. Recent studies have | | | | excellent family lodges/hotels include the Grootbos |
| proved this to be correct. | | | | Nature Reserve, Long Lee Manor, the beautiful |
| Southern Right Whales are distinguished from | | | | Cape Grace and the Waterfront Apartments. |