Whale Route

People have been fascinated by the world’s largest animal for thousands of years. Most of this time, whales have been exploited for their meat, oil and blubber. The first recorded whale hunts date back as far as 3 000 BC. The first method people used to hunt whales was by trying to ‘scare’ whales into bays and onto land, with very little success. Later a drogue – a semi-floating object that attaches to a harpoon – was used. The drogue tired out the whale, with drag and buoyancy, giving whalers a chance to come close and make the kill. The first attempt at whaling in South Africa was in 1653, when Commander Jan Van Riebeeck sent a hooker to Saldanha Bay, but was largely unsuccessful and the Dutch dropped the idea.

Commercial whaling started in South Africa in the late 18th century and increased drastically throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Half way through the 20th century, most of the larger whale species had been depleted, and the much less profitable small minke whale was the only whale left to hunt. Whaling was thus comprehensively banned in South Africa in 1979. In the 1990’s, whale watching became popular, and has been growing ever since. Hermanus has been recognized as one of the top 12 whale watching destinations worldwide. There are a number of excellent vantage points to observe these gentle giants from, including Siever’s Point, Kwaaiwater lookout and many more.

A large variety of whale species occur in the waters of the coast of South Africa, but only two of these species are regularly seen. The most commonly sighted whale would be the southern right whale. It was named the ‘right’ whale as it was easy to hunt, rich in oil, had high quality baleen and floated after being killed. Between June and November, the southern right whales come to shallow waters between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, where females give birth and rear young in sheltered bays. They grow 15 meters long and weigh 47 tonnes. It is easy to identify them by the V-shaped spray when they breathe, short square flippers and wart-like white callosities on jaw, forehead and chin.

The other common specie is the humpback whale. They can be identified by long, narrow flippers and a single straight spray when they breathe. They overwinter on tropical and subtropical breeding grounds off the east and west coasts of Africa. The males produce melodious "songs" that can be heard over vast distances underwater. Both the southern right and humpback whales breach with a spectacular leap and crash back into the water. Another specie, the Bryde’s whale, can be seen off the east coast during the sardine run. Killer whale or orca are seen around the coast of South Africa during the summer, where they feed on whales, dolphins, seals, sharks, squid, turtles and birds.

Hermanus (originally called Hermanuspietersfontein) lies within the Cape Floral region, which has one of the highest plant diversities and endemism in the world. The Cape Floristic Region is the smallest of the six recognized floral kingdoms, and yet it is home to more than 9 000 plant species. Of these is the carnivorous Roridula, locally referred to as ‘vlieëbos’, which translates to 'fly bush'. It is largely unknown, even to the South African public, and can be found all around the region. It is the largest carnivorous plant in the world, can grow up to two meters tall, and is covered in hairs with sticky droplets, and are capable of capturing small birds.

For those who want to learn more about the various plant species, the Fernkloof Nature Reserve in Hermanus is the perfect place to go. The area includes the Botanical Centre buildings, a Herbarium and Nursery, well-kept gardens as well as several hiking trails. There are three plant species that are endemic to the reserve, and approximately 20 species endemic to reserve and the surrounding area. Visitors to Hermanus can also visit Grotto Beach, the largest beach in Hermanus, which has also been proclaimed a Blue Flag beach. Hoy's Koppie is another popular site.