Follow these top tips on your morning exercise: Heaviside’s dolphins are endemic to the cool Benguela water of the west of southern Africa. Keep a look out for humpback whale blows on the horizon as well – these large whales have recovered in numbers and can be readily spotted year round but with a peak from November to February on the west coast where they are often feeding in spectacualrly large ‘super-groups’ of up to hundreds of animals. Orcas have a varied diet, ranging from fish, squid, and sea birds to seals, dolphins and small whales. We started the day off right with brilliant blue skies and not a cloud in sight. Adult females are larger than the males. Please note, business details can change. Want to go whale watching in South Africa? veer right... Everyone in Cape Town knows Red Hill up above Simon's Town. Southern right whales can be distinguished by the callosities (rough patches of skin covered in barnacles) on their heads as well as their long arching mouths and characteristic double blowhole. These include Bryde's Whale, the Humpback Whale (which is the one that 'sings') and the Killer Whale, more commonly known as the Orca. During the summer months the southern right whales move south to the cold and stormy waters of the Antarctic where it feeds. And, we'll send you a R200 voucher to use on your next booking. Most people get to Peers Cave, above the dunes of Fish Hoek, in a fairly dignified manner, albeit a steep one. The effect that the sounds have on other marine animals is dramatic, prompting whales and other dolphins to flee the area, and penguins and seals to head as quickly as they can for land. SA-Venues.com © 1999-2020. They are seasonal feeders, eating in winter and living off their blubber in the breeding months in the north. We got to travel with multiple groups of 1s and 2s including 3 large males and 3 females each bearing a youngster at their side. Although the humpback whales are the best "singers", Southern Rights do produce low frequency sounds to communicate with one another. Waken to the sound ... Rocklands House offers the perfect weekend getaway or holiday retreat. Read more about our commitment to responsible eco-tourism here. The peak season is from July to December, and southern right whales are pretty much guaranteed between August and November. During the two-hour trip, you will see a variety of bird species, including African penguins, as well as Cape fur seals. Little is known of the reproduction of Bryde's whales. WhenBest during daylight hours in Whale Watching Season. Boasting outstanding False Bay vie... Edwardian Town House on 186a Queens Road is a beautiful home offering comfortable self catering accommodation in Simons Town. False Bay. To fully immerse yourself in the whale experience, visit Hermanus during the first week of October when the seaside town hosts an annual whale festival—a celebration of all things cetacean. About 3% of calves are born white, but this usually becomes grey after a few months. The flippers are broad and well-rounded at the tips. Opt for the higher vantage points along the False Bay coastline such as Cape Point, Boyes Drive between St James and Kalk Bay, and Clarence Drive between Gordon’s Bay and Rooi Els. They have a short, rounded head with a very short beak containing 10 to13 large conical teeth in each jaw. Callosities on this whale’s head are clearly visible. Whale watching in Cape Town: All you need to know! With a mountain range as its backbone, Cape Town offers some of the most spectacular hiking routes in the world. Before you decide on a hiking route up Table Mountain, take a look at these tips to keep yourself safe an comfortable on our trails. Booking is advised. Like the Bryde's whales, they are rorqual whales with throat grooves running from the chin to the navel. False Bay Not only famous for penguins and leaping white sharks, False Bay formerly hosted several shore based whaling stations targeting southern right whales. Their dorsal fins get larger as they grow older, and are their most distinguishing characteristic, sometimes reaching 2 metres high in mature males. We had reports of the L12 family group on the west side of San Juan Island just near False Bay. They are not particularly fast swimmers, nor do they dive deeply, usually remaining under water for a only couple of minutes. Humpback whales reach puberty after 4 to 7 years. Dusky dolphins are very acrobatic with somersaults and backflips being part of their repertoire and making them identifiable from a distance. All three apartments offer modern ba... Seagetaway Superior Apartment is situated less than an hours drive from Cape Town and Cape Town International Airport. The parking area and promenade at Queen’s Beach is excellent for humpback and Southern right whales. Did you know? South Africa may be known for its Big Five, but the marine wildlife is just as impressive! The calf suckles from a pair of teats, sometimes consuming 600 litres of milk a day and growing 2,8 cm a day. Find and book hotels and accommodation in South Africa. Alex Vogel: This Cape Town based amateur naturalist loves wildlife watching so much he commissioned his very own app to document sightings. For more information, visit Sea Search Research And Conservation, or find them on social media. Another dead 12-metre Bryde’s whale was found in False Bay near Cape Town last week after becoming entangled in octopus trap ropes. The gestation period (pregnancy) of the southern right is twelve months, she bears her calf in the spring in the warmer waters of southern African bays. Ask anyone in Cape Town and they’ll tell you about their favourite place to grab a mouth-watering bite of fleshy fish and…, Cape Town’s rainy winter weather is unlike anywhere else in South Africa, where winters are dry, dusty, and freezy cold. Find and book hotels and accommodation in South Africa. We eventually found a pair, just chilling off Strandfontein Beach. The calves are about 4,2 metres long when they are born, and they are suckled for about 10 to 11 months. The Hide Away Cottage offers self catering accommodation within walking distance of Fish Hoek beach. There is, after all, a fairly logi... Clovelly Beach in Fish Hoek is well known by locals and is a favourite spot for an early evening stroll or relaxing on the beach in the early mor... FIND / South Africa Accommodation / Western Cape Accommodation / Cape Town Accommodation / False Bay Accommodation, When would you like to stay? 200 years short beak containing 10 to13 large conical teeth in each.. 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