Humpback whales: Ocean’s summer spectacle
Some of the best whale watching can be done at a whale deck in Pennington.
The South Coast is a popular summer holiday destination for many reasons – one of which is its beaches and also being able to go whale watching.
Around this time of year, humpback whales migrate northwards to have their calves, before returning close to shore to protect their young ones.
Earlier in October, a few mid-South Coast beaches had to temporarily stop to beach activities due to these magnificent creatures coming a bit too close to shore with their young. It did however give locals a truly spectacular ocean spectacle.
This year, there has been a noticeable increase in the whale population which has resulted in even more activity, with whale sightings becoming an almost daily occurrence along the coastline.
Wayne Harrison, a marine mammal tour guide based on the South Coast, said the whale numbers are increasing 10% year-on-year.
“The early spring months, with dominant winds, make the whales more boisterous which is why we’ve seen so much breaching recently,” said Harrison.
“We’re likely to see more and more whale activity on the KZN South Coast in the coming years.”
A female humpback gives birth to a calf every one to three years and they grow to about 15 metres in length, and weigh between 35 to 45 tonnes.
Whale watching can be done at numerous locations on the South Coast with some of the most popular sites being in areas with whale decks including Impithi Beach Kiosk in Pennington, Umdoni Golf Club whale deck, Umtentweni Conservancy whale deck and Ramsgate whale deck.
“Whales have been the talk of the town this season with locals and holidaymakers treated to a bumper humpback whale migration in 2022,” said Phelisa Mangcu, CEO of South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise (SCTIE).
“It has been an incredible couple of months for viewing whales on the South Coast, with visitors catching sight of these massive, playful animals in action, from the shore, in the sea and even from the skies.”
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