Whale season could be sooner than expected
Whale migration seems to be in full swing and the whales tend to arrive in three groups.
Whale watching enthusiasts and ocean lovers alike will be pleased to note that the first pod of whales have been spotted on the South Coast.
This means that you can add whale watching to the long list of exciting activities that the South Coast has to offer.
Mark is world-famous for his work with great white and tiger sharks.
Ramsgate resident Brent Addison recently spotted two whales jumping south of the Ramsgate Ski-boat Club.
Brent has been diving with and following whales on the South Coast for more than 60 years, and is therefore well-versed in the area.
Whale migration seems to be in full swing and the whales tend to arrive in three groups.
The first group are female whales that travel to Madagascar, some of which have last year’s pups with them and these are the whales that we will begin to see at this point.
The second group travel to Mauritius and the third group travel to Mozambique.
Male whales will begin arriving on the South Coast around April where they tend to fight for dominance over female whales returning with its pups.
These oceanic giants are always a spectacular sight, and whale migration can be enjoyed from anywhere with a decent sea view.
Popular whale watching spots on the South Coast are the Umtentweni Conservancy Whale Deck, Ramsgate Conservancy Whale View Deck, Imphithi Beach Kiosk and the Umdoni Golf Club Whale Deck.
According to Brent, there should be lots of whales on the South Coast by mid April.
Photo by Olivia Jones Communications.
CEO for Ugu South Coast Toursim (USCT), Phelisa Mangcu had the following to say about the whale migration:
“The KZN South Coast is very fortunate in terms of its diverse marine life with visitors treated to incredible sightings of tens of thousands of migrating whales along the coastline annually.
Feeding on krill and plankton as they move northwards to Mozambique, the most common species sighted from the KZN South Coast is the humpback whale, with southern right whales also making an appearance.
“With two Marine Protected Areas at Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks, scuba divers and freedivers who take to the KZN South Coast waters are often serenaded by whales, whose songs can be heard across great distances.
These unique whale sightings, alongside the coastline boasting world-class Blue Flag beaches and some of the best bathing conditions, makes the KZN South Coast a prime tourism destination.”
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