The Hermanus Whale Festival does not provide you with a platform to prance around the little seaside town shouting “Free Willy! Free Willy” just because there are whales in the bay. Besides which, Hermanus has their very own whale crier who blows his kelp horn when there is a sighting.
Hermanus is a small seaside village that has grown in
size and stature to become quite a large town. The Southern Right Whale certainly has to do with the increasing popularity of
Hermanus. Known as one the best land-based whale watching areas in the world,
it’s no surprise that Herman’s Anus (crude locals refer to it as such)
continues to grow. Hermanus is still the
idyllic seaside village/town that its always been, but has become quite commercial. Definitely worth going though, but don't expect "quaint".
Hermanus is a great year round destination but the whales only pop in for a visit during the period of Jun – November when they migrate from Antarctica to calve and breed. Hermanus is a romantic destination for breeding; I'm not surprised they make their way here.
This year, the whale festival will take place between 28th Sep – 1st Oct. Bars, restaurants and markets buzz with activity and tourists flock to the shores of Walker Bay to catch a glimpse of these mystical sea beasts. Whales come in quite close to the shore, and during the 28th – 1 Oct they know that it’s festival time so they deliberately make an appearance on those exact days. They even do dances and breech to jazz music playing on the shore. They don’t really, but they’re certainly in abundance this time of year.
Why do I love whale watching in Hermanus? Because I can get seriously close to the whales. You can literally stand on the edge of one of the rocky outcrops on the rugged coastline and be within a few metres of whales breeching. There are times when I’ve felt close enough to be able to pry the barnacles off of Willy.
If you’re up for a true adventure you could always try a spot of kayaking. Hmm, whale watching from a kayak. Tempting. Renting a kayak can be done quite easily. There’s a little hut in the main market square where you’ll see the kayaks.
Here are a few insightful facts about the Hermanus Whale Festival:
- In 2011 there were over 137 000 visitors littering the town.
- This is the 21st year of the festival.
- Whales flock to the shores to mate and calve between June and November.
- It is called a Southern Right whale because it was the right whale to hunt.
- Hermanus is renowned for offering the best land-based whale watching in the world.
- When the Southern Right Whales migrate to the shores they bring with them an assortment of whale trinkets such as keyrings, stuffed toys and even necklaces. These are then sold by market vendors. This is why the whales keep coming back.
Here are a few affordable places to stay for the Hermanus whale festival.
- Book Blue Gum Country Estate via Hostelbookers
- Book Baleens Hostel via Hostelbookers
- Book Hermanus Backpackers via Hostelbookers
Misty Waves Boutique Hotel. We've blogged about this before - click here to read more about the Misty Waves Boutique Hotel.
No comments:
Post a Comment