We’re now officially halfway into the year and that means Cape Town will soon be welcoming visitors of a different kind – southern right whales.
Every year from June the whales head to our coast from the chilly waters of Antartica to raise their calves. Peak calving season is over the months of July and August, but whales can still be seen through September and October. Generally they start arriving in June and leave by the end of December. There is something enchanting about watching these great, gentle beasts of the deep frolic around.
Sadly enough, this whale get its name from once being known as the ‘right’ whale to hunt – they are slow-moving and rich in oil. The ‘rightness’ of these majestic animals almost led to their extinction in the early 20th century, but fortunately they have been a protected species since 1935 in South Africa.
Ivanhoe Sea Safaris, regarded as one the leading boat-based whale watching companies in South Africa, is primed for a bumper season of whale watching. Two hours from Cape Town, just past the whale capital of the world, Hermanus, lies the quaint seaside town of Gansbaai, where Ivanhoe operates.
Visitors are given the chance to view the large mammals from Area 6 in Walker Bay – celebrated as the best location in the area from which to see the magnificent southern right whales.
Having picked up a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2015, the boat-based whale watching operator is the original pioneer of the industry in South Africa.
Visit Ivanhoe Sea Safaris to arrange an unforgettable whale watching encounter.