Humpback whales, southern right whales and bryde whales
South Africa is a truly top destination when it comes to whale watching. Once the Antarctic summer is over, humpbacks and southern right whales leave the icy waters in search of food and warmer waters that can serve as nursery grounds. Some animals linger long in a sheltered bay to give birth to their young and to mate. Others follow the warm sea current further east, reaching the waters around Mozambique, Madagascar and the Comoros. Also, there are groups that follow the west coast toward Angola. Truly the entire coastline of South Africa is basically terrain for whale watching, but peak times vary considerably from destination to destination. Fortunately, the bryde whale or bryde fin whale is not a migrant: it shows up year-round in many places. It is an insanely impressive scene when the bryde whale hunts a school of fish from below: its distinctive pointed mouth suddenly towers high above sea level and fish desperately jump in all directions to escape this trap. Birds flock here to take advantage of the floundering fish. Then there are the many species of dolphins, including the killer whale. This killer whale is not a whale, but as the largest of all dolphins, it makes an immense impression. Where the world can't find you....
Whale capitals Hermanus and Plettenberg Bay
The various species each have their own migration calendar and pace, making various locations along the coast of South Africa the real top destinations at different times. Both Hermanus and Plettenberg Bay claim to be the whale capital of the country, but ultimately it depends on your travel planning which place comes out on top. For impressive sightings, you don't always have to go out to sea: there are many excellent cliffs and viewpoints where - armed with binoculars - you can watch humpback whales and southern right whales perform their antics. Also at De Hoop Nature Reserve, Mossel Bay, Knysna, Cape Agulhas, Sodwana Bay and Thonga Beach you can - in the right season - go on a whale safari and often you have good chances to see whales from land!
