Enjoy a once in a life time encounter with the peaceful giants of the sea, the Southern Right whale, by going on a fun filled Hermanus whale cruise in South Africa, that will fill you with awe. Undoubtedly the most enjoyable way to fill your mind with knowledge of these majestic mammals is by going on a whale watching boat trip in Hermanus. This includes witnessing the whales in Hermanus breaching (jumping out of the water), sailing (keeping its tail out of the water for an extended period), lobtailing (slapping its fins hard and fast on the surface), or spyhopping (raises and holds its head out of the water).

No two Hermanus whale cruises are ever the same, years of experience has shown. Not only will you see Southern Right Whales, but possibly also Humpback Whales, Bryde’s Whales, seals, dolphins, and even the cute little African penguin. Sightings of a particular species can unfortunately not be guaranteed, but have a look at the list below of some of the sea creature encountered on a regular basis during a Hermanus whale cruise.

Southern Right Whales

The star attraction! Every year, come June to December, Hermanus in South Africa is known as the capital of whale watching for Southern Right Whales, due to the sheer volumes of whales in the area. The whales journey to South Africa, and particularly our sheltered waters in Hermanus, from feeding in the Southern Ocean near the Antarctic, to calve, mate and raise their young till they are ready for the journey back. The adult whales do not feed on anything the entire time while in Hermanus.

Humpback Whales

Humpback Whales can be seen in Hermanus from June to September as they travel towards their breeding grounds in the warmer Indian Ocean of South Africa. Like the humpback dolphin, these whales are named for the hump they have on their backs. They grow between 12m to 16m in length and on average weigh an astounding 40 tons. Their flippers can sometimes be as long as a third of their body length, explaining why they are so acrobatic. Like the Southern Right cousins, they are often seen showing off by breaching out of the water.

Bryde’s Whales

Bryde’s whales are seen all year long in Hermanus. They are a lot more slender than other whales and even though they reach approximately the same length as the Humpback whales, they don’t often weigh more than 15 tons. Even though Brydes whales are regularly spotted in our waters, it is difficult to get very close to them. They are shy, continuously hunting and do not stay in one place for too long a period.

Dolphins

Dolphins can be seen in Hermanus’ Walker Bay all year long. The playful and spirited Common Dolphins live in pods and, much to the delight of spectators, will often follow boats for long periods of time and perform trick for their onlookers.
Everyone’s favourite dolphin however is the Bottle-nose Dolphin, being the largest and fastest of all dolphins (the Orca not included) and are often spotted jumping and surfing the waves.

Cape Fur Seals

Cape Fur Seals, named for their heavy pelt, can also be seen in Hermanus all year long. The male Cape Fur Seal is on average 2,3m in length and weights an impressive 200 to 300kgs. Females are smaller, growing to roughly 1.8m in length and weighing in at 125kgs. The female Cape Fur Seal gives birth only in our summer months and will only birth one pup. While they look very cute, a male seal’s bite can break any bone of a humans body with its powerful jaw!

The African Penguin

The African Penguin, referred to as the jackass penguin because of the donkey like brey they make while breeding, is relatively small and grows to approximately 60 – 70 cm in height and weighs roughly 2.2 – 3.5 kgs. It spends nearly the entire day looking for fish and squid and are often seen in groups as they huddle together to keep warm.

A boat based whale trip will give you the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of marine life in South Africa.