The Heritage Day long weekend at the end of September sees thousands of eager whale watchers  embark on a pilgrimage to Hermanus - the land based whale watching capital of the world.

Here, they eagerly jostle along the cliff paths with binoculars and long lenses, pointing and oooohing as these great beasts leap and splash their gigantic bodies out of the clear blue sea to breach and fluke and lobtail and skyhop. These massive mammals intrigue and fascinate us with their haunting calls and immense power.

But here’s the thing………..whales are very intelligent, but they can’t read calendars so they just loll about in the bay EVERY weekend in September, and October, and even in November before their babies get big enough to swim all the way down to the Antarctic where supplies of krill are more prolific.

So pay us a visit any time between now and the end of the whale season, and you will be rewarded by their evocative calls and jaw dropping displays as they leap out of the water in playful glee. You may not get the music and concerts, the fun and the games but you’ll still get the whales, without the crowds!