Cape Activities: Whale Watching
Every year, from July till November, whales (particularly the Southern Right Whale) migrate to the waters off Cape Town to mate and calve their young. Watching these giant mammals cavorting in the sea is quite a spectacle to behold and one not easily forgotten.
The best place to view whales is along the main coastal road between Kalk Bay and Fishhoek. The village of Hermanus, further up the coast is considered the whale watching capital of the Cape.
Cape Whale Watching Highlights:
• View whales close to shore
• The Southern Right Whale
• Hermanus - the whale watching capital of South Africa
• Witness whales breaching
Shore-based viewing in the region is plentiful but there are also many boat-based whale watching tours from which to choose.
Watch whales breaching (leaping out of the water), spy hopping (the act of a whale emerging from the water and viewing the environment with caution or curiosity) and slapping their fins in excitement in False Bay and along the Atlantic coast.
The most common whale to see the shores of Cape Town is the Southern Right Whale. It was considered the “right” whale to hunt because they tend to breed close to shore, are slow swimmers and their layers of blubber make them float. The name also derives from the fact that they live in the oceans of the southern hemisphere. Fortunately these whales are now protected from whaling, but they are still in danger from pollution and ships. Other whales that are sometimes spotted off the Cape’s coast include Brydes Whale and the famous, Orca or Killer Whale.
Please note that the whale watching activities are for guests staying at The Last Word.
