Early the morning of Saturday 29th September, Mark, Sharon, Janet and I took a ride out to Hermanus to do some whale watching. Hermanus is recognised as one of the best land based whale watching destinations in the world and plays host to thousands of visitors who flock to the seaside resort during this time of the year. The Hermanus Whale Festival is held annually to celebrate the return of the Southern Right whales to the waters of Walker Bay and also the arrival of Spring.
The southern right whale is known for it's powerful act of breaching, or leaping clear of the water, which it may repeat up to ten times in a row. Usually visible on its head and snout are callosities, patches of rough skin covered with whale lice and white barnacles. Right whales gained their name from whalers, who considered them the “right” whale to hunt for both blubber and whalebone. Despite having once been hunted to the brink of extinction, the population of the southern species of right whale has recovered significantly.
Whale Festival marine Southern Right whales
No comments:
Post a Comment