Windsor Hotel
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Whale Viewing in Hermanus
If you're doing some investigating into whale viewing in South Africa, one of the first few things you'll hear people say is: "Hermanus has the best land-based whale viewing in the world" and "You're sure to see hundreds of whales breaching from the waters off the rocky cliffs to the West" or "You'll definitely see them lob tailing from the vantage point of the golden beaches to the East". Hermanus is known as the "heart of the Whale Coast" and is recognised by World Wildlife Fund as the best land-based whale viewing area in the world.
Whale viewing in Hermanus is so excellent due to the fact that every year, like clockwork, the whales return for their yearly rendezvous in Walker Bay, carrying out their annual rhythms of mating and calving. Considering what people actually understand about the Southern Right Whale - named because it was the "right" whale to hunt - the whales perspective will always be something mysterious and unknown.
What we do know is that they prefer the warmer waters of Walker Bay for a breeding ground rather than the cold waters of their usual haunt, the Arctic Circle. Whale viewing in Hermanus is at its best between the months of July and November. What areas of Walker Bay or the time of day to expect them is hard to say; but there is one whale viewing expert in Hermanus who is sure to know.
The Whale Crier of Hermanus
If you've never heard of a Whale Crier, it's because Hermanus is the only place in the world to have one. If you're interested in whale viewing in this town the whale crier is definitely the right person to talk to.
Pieter Claasen was the first to lift a horn-shaped tube of kelp to his lips at age 11, sounding the first base notes announcing the arrival of the whales. Pieter's predecessor, Wilson Salukazana, is the town's second whale crier and his cries now alert the town when whale viewing opportunities present themselves.
He answers any questions posed to him about whales...
Wilson can tell you where they come from, what kinds there are in the bay and even the names of the aerial stunts they perform. He also knows the best coves for whale viewing as well as the places where you can get within 20m of these gentle submariners. However, his most useful service is a system for notifying whale viewing enthusiasts by coded calls issued from his kelp trumpet.
When he sees the whales on yonder horizon, he blows his trusty horn and crowds of whale viewing enthusiast from around the town come running. He blasts two long calls for the whale viewing spot at Roman Rock, one short call for the whale viewing spot at Old Harbour, where you can zoom in on the whales with the telescopes provided and one long, one short and another long call for the Vočlklip lookout position.
The ancient whale migration patterns have remained unbroken for thousands of years and Wilson, the Whale Crier, has many whale tales to tell. If you catch him at the right time, you can hear the legends he has gathered from the past that only he knows how to tell.
The Moby Dick Hermanus Whale Viewing Festival
Another thing you can count on is the annual Moby Dick Hermanus Whale Festival, which is held in the last week of September, at the height of the whale viewing season. Expect things to be in full swing, offering festive greetings to the whales on their return.
The festival centres on the whale viewing opportunities as well as the towns bustling market place. Food stalls sell freshly produced foods from the nearby farms, crafters display skilfully made earthenware pottery and assorted trinkets all uniquely crafted by hand. Restaurants stir with activity and the pubs pour drinks well into the night.
Hermanus is for Everyone
Apart form the magnificent whale viewing opportunities on offer, Hermanus offers something to everyone.
Hermanus is a haven for crafters, musicians and artists. All see its mountains, beaches, wild flora,
fauna and of course the whales from their own point of view. For more information on the attractions
on offer in Hermanus,
Click here.
Whether you're gazing at the ocean from the rocky cliffs to the West or marvelling at the sunsets from golden beaches to the East, Hermanus will delight you. An amazing location for whale viewing, the Windsor Hotel is situated on a cliff edge just meters form the sea. Providing advantageous perspectives on the Indian Ocean, it was built in 1896 making it the most well-established hotel in Hermanus. The staff at the Windsor Hotel will make your stay a seaside holiday you'll never want to leave behind. Book whale viewing accommodation in Hermanus here.