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Posted on Thursday August 1, 2013

July has been a great month for boat based whale watching in Hermanus.

The past month has had 100% sighting success with whale encounters on all of our whale watching trips. The number of whales in the bay are steadily increasing with the last aerial whale count estimating more than 30 southern right whales in the bay. Southern Right Charters has also enjoyed spectacular humpback whale sightings on a number of our tours during July.

Below, find a photo blog on whale watching compiled by Southern Right Charters throughout the month.

For more information on our whale watching tours or to make a booking contact us or call +27 82 3530550.

Spot the Right Whale in Hermanus

Whopping Big Whales

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Re-Sighting time…. With some bad Wx for the day,

Re-Sighting time….
With some bad Wx for the day, - a gap for some admin

Heres a new resighting for the season –
We visually confirmed the match using her partial grey markings on her back, as well as her callosity patterns.

Last seen here in Walker Bay in 2021 – with a fully brindle calf and now again in 2024 – this time with a ‘normal’ black calf.

A 3yr calving interval would indicate she’s one healthy mum, and – considering we’re at the tail end of the season – when looking at her – she’s still pretty fat! (a compliment in the whale world!!)
#citizenscience #whalewatching #hermanus #southernrightwhale #ocean #marinelife #southafrica #capetown #tourism #whale

In other news… With expansions, and internationa

In other news…
With expansions, and international marketing on the horizon, and our continual commitment to growing within the industry – we’re opening up a couple of spots to join our team.
Dedicated, Hard working, not scared of long hours, keen for a challenge, great team player – this sound like you?
Then send your CV & Cover letter to the E-mail in the Ad, and lets get chatting!
Cheers

Resighting time again. Another one for 2024. Here

Resighting time again.
Another one for 2024.
Here we have an excellent example of the “brindle effect” and how it changes as the whales age.
This brindle adult (brindle, - referring to the lighter brown colorations on her back) was last seen in the Hermanus area in October 2021 with a calf.
Now, back in 2024 with another calf in tow. – an excellent example of a Southern Right Whale in great health. With an optimum 3 year calving interval.

She can be easily identified by the patterns on her back as seen here.

Her calf in 2021 as can be seen here was black, however her 2024 offspring being pretty much fully brindle/white in appearance.
It gets confusing – so stay with us ….
There is a Very high probability that her 2024 calf is a male (like 93% + chance) because of the high amount of brindle effect HOWEVER – not impossible to be a female.
The white calf, as it is now – will darken with age becoming light grey in colour.

To our knowledge, there are now 3 brindle 2024 calves in walker bay at the moment, giving great sightings to onlookers.

#whalewatching #whales #southernrightwhale #ocean #marine #marinelife #cetacean #hermanus #capewhalecoast #southafrica #tourism

Southern Right Whale Resighting. Second one for th

Southern Right Whale Resighting.
Second one for the season so far…..
This one, easily identifiable by the brindle markings across her back.
Last seen in Walker Bay in September 2022, and now in August 2024.
This whale, is a large adult and on both occasions seen alone.
Whats interesting is that with the brindle markings, which as can be seen are in a V / partial V shape pointing forward (highlighted in the insert zoomed image) we can determine that this whale is a female.
The pigmentation pattern occurs as a result of the presence of both the dominant and recessive alleles of the gene. This is because the dominant allele is not completely dominant over the recessive allele, this results in a combination of the two pigmentation patterns. This pigmentation can only occur in individuals with the gene combination Xx.
Whales with this V shaped, partial grey, pigmentation are, therefore, always female.
Why – is a lone adult female here every 2 years and not the 3 – 5 year calving periods expected.
And further more – without a calf at all on both occasions? Perhaps a failed pregnancy…
No real way of knowing factually, but great insights all the same.
#hermanus #capewhalecoast #citizenscience #resighting #southernrightwhale #whaleseason #whalewatching #southafrica #tourism #whales #ocean #marinelife

Heads up for whale season 2024 Species rich water

Heads up for whale season 2024

Species rich waters of Walker Bay, seldom disappoint!

As we near August and with it the peak months ahead for Southern Right Whales in Walker Bay, as always - each year is a lottery of guessing just how many whales will grace us with their presence.
If this whale lottery were to be a predicted game, on the back of 2023’s bumper year, predicting a much lower count for this year would be an easy thumb suck for most informed people!

True to form, unprecedented low numbers of Southern Right Whales in the area for the first 3rd of the season has been on the cards.

With numbers of whales visiting our shores a known variable of the whale migrations. Calving / mating intervals & maturity of population stock for sure playing a roll & likely food source availability also a factor.

However, the ocean seldom disappoints.

Lately, we have been seeing Southern Right Whales daily (albeit lower numbers).

Humpback whales have also been making their presence known with high frequency sightings – much more than we have experienced in recent years.
With a number continuously feeding in the cape waters – staying for prolonged periods in the area.

With identifying Humpbacks done through the ever-efficient @seafariapp & @happywhale_official – a method of uploading an image of the underside of their tails and it being compared on their global database – so far this year we’ve had a very low hit rate of matches, with only 3 humpback whales known in the system

This low match rate would indicate a completely different segment of the population is passing at the moment, which – is a great thing and indicates a larger population than perhaps thought.

Brydes whales have been a constant so far, as well as some Killer Whale action in June when we encountered the infamous duo Port & Stbd, entertaining the boat with some lobtailing!

So a mixed & varied bag for the season so far – comparable to that of 2016 (our last season where we experienced lower numbers of whales).

Lets see how the season progresses as we get into the thick of it over the coming weeks. . . . .

Playful. Powerful. Precise. Make no mistake, this

Playful. Powerful. Precise.
Make no mistake, this doesn’t happen every day on a whale boat, but when it does….
The feeling, when being close to these displays of energy literally hits your core.
Today was a great day out there! #ocean #marinelife #yft #capeofstorms #whales #whalewatching #whaleseason #hermanus #capetown #southafrica #tourism #southernrightwhales

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