Social media have been buzzing lately about the return of the whales in the Overberg
“Whoopee! The whales have returned!,” said William Stephens, owner of De Hoop Collection at De Hoop Nature Reserve. “This is always a time for celebration when the whales return to the beautiful coastline at De Hoop, and we could not be happier to welcome them.”
Last year was a great year for whale sightings according to the UP Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit. The results of its aerial survey from Hermanus to Witsand revealed a total of 568 cow/calf pairs of southern right whales, totalling 1 136, marking a historic high in observed cow/calf pairs along the South African coastline. Jean Tresfon, well-known marine conservation photographer who undertook the official aerial survey with the UP Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit’s Dr Els Vermeulen, said the highest concentration of whales, 236 mothers with calves, was at Koppie Alleen.
“There’s no doubt in my mind this year’s whale sighting numbers will be as impressive as last year’s,” said Stephens.
On Wednesday two Southern Right Whales were spotted in front of the Windsor Hotel in Hermanus, and over the weekend visitors and residents of Hermanus spotted whales in front of the Marine Hotel.
