A guided boat trip from the New Harbour in Hermanus out into Walker Bay, a protected nursery for southern right whales. Bryde’s whales, dolphins, Cape fur seals and seabirds share the bay with them.
Walker Bay is a protected nursery. Southern right whales come up from Antarctic waters each winter to mate and calve in the sheltered water below Hermanus, close enough that the town built a cliff path to watch them from. Going out by boat puts you level with them instead of above them.
Boats leave from the New Harbour with a guide aboard. Southern rights are the headline, but Bryde’s whales live in the bay year-round, and humpbacks, dolphins, Cape fur seals and African penguins all appear in Walker Bay. It is wildlife, so no two trips are the same and nothing is promised.
There is a safety briefing before departure, and sailings are weather and sea dependent. Hermanus is roughly a two-hour drive from Cape Town along the coast.
Highlights
- Walker Bay is a protected nursery where southern right whales mate and calve
- Season runs June to December, with September and October the peak for mothers and calves
- Bryde’s whales are resident year-round, alongside dolphins, Cape fur seals and African penguins
- About two hours on the water, departing from the New Harbour in Hermanus
- Suitable for all ages