The marine life of the Western Cape

Southern Right whale breaching

The Western Cape of South Africa is a popular region in the spring/summer seasons to watch whales and other marine life in their natural environs. Hermanus, about a two-hour drive east of Cape Town and close to the southernmost tip of the African continent, is a great place to start for whale-watching activities but there are many spots along the coast where one can spot these mighty creatures.

Hermanus is the whale-watching capital of South Africa. Sandwiched between the awesome Kleinriviersberge ridge and Walker Bay, it is a popular vacation town which draws a sizeable number of tourists in the summer. Visit in October/November when it’s sufficiently warm, there are less tourists and when you can spot the Southern Right Whales from viewing points built on the cliffs overlooking the bay. If you’re visiting in September, don’t miss the annual Whale Festival in Hermanus which celebrates the return of the Southern Right whales to Walker Bay.

Simon's Town on False Bay

If you don’t have the time to make the trip to Hermanus, you can also spot many whales from the shoreline in False Bay, close to Cape Town, in October. The road from Muizenberg to Simon’s Town winds along the bay’s shore – stop if you see a group of people along the road staring at the water; they’ve most likely spotted some whales (the closest I’ve ever gotten to a whale was close to Fish Hoek when, from the roadside, I spotted a pod of whales that were barely 20 meters away!).

For the ultimate whale/Great White-watching experience, head out for Gans Bay (Gansbaai), about 40 kilometers southeast of Hermanus. You can easily sign up for one of the boat trips or if you’re a crazy thrill-seeker, you can opt for cage shark diving to rub noses with a Great White. I went for the former and had the time of my life!

That's as close to a Great White as I'll ever get!

The boat tour will take you along the shoreline for some close-ups with the many Great Whites in the area. They can be seen floating around, riding the waves. A chilling experience indeed. Hold on tight to the boat’s railings! There were also many Southern Right and Humpback whales, as well as dolphins. It is a truly exciting and, I found, soothing experience to see these inquisitive creatures frolic in the water. The tour also took us to Dyer Island and Shark Alley (a passage between two islands filled to the brim with thousands of seals – an easy meal for the Great Whites). Dyer Island is extraordinary – a rocky outcrop with little vegetation, it’s populated with thousands of seals and penguins that produce a wonderously loud cacophony of hoots, cackles, and wails.

The thousands of seals on Dyer Island

Another great place to see a large colony of penguins (which doesn’t require a boat tour) is Betty’s Bay. There are literally thousands of them there. If you’re in the area, don’t miss the drive along the coast between Betty’s Bay and Gordon’s Bay. This spectacular drive offers many awesome views of the beaches, the mountains and False Bay. End the drive at the immaculate Vergelegen wine estate for a glass (or two) of its famous Chardonnay.

All these coastal towns can easily be combined with a drive along the popular Garden Route which winds through the coastal mountains and along the ocean from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth.

Read about my shark encounters in Malaysia.

Read other velvet escape articles on South Africa:

• Cederberg: mountain passes, safaris & San rock art
• Ten things to do in Cape Town
• A kaleidoscope of colour