The annual migration of southern right whales brings them to Walker Bay between June and November, in huge numbers, whilst humpbacks pass through between May and December and Bryde’s whales can be found all year round, albeit further offshore and in much smaller numbers. The geography of Walker Bay, with its steep cliffs that descend precipitously into the ocean, means that that whales come incredibly close to the shore. The cliffs of Walker Bay are laced with footpaths, many concentrated around the town of Hermanus which has become the heart of the Whale Coast: there is even a traditional whale crier sounding his kelp horn to advise of nearby sightings. All these factors make this area the best in the world for land-based whale watching. Typically when you think of whale watching, you imagine being dressed in oilskins, being thrown around in a small boat, probably with a wet and icy wind whipping across the decks. This couldn’t be further from the South African version, where you’re sat on the deck of your guest house, or perhaps sitting by the side of the cliff top path with a picnic, under a warm sun in a cloudless sky, sipping a glass of excellent local sauvignon blanc, and watching whales frolic in deep blue waters just yards off the shore.
