Hermanus (Hermanuspietersfontein) Whale Spoting and Beaches

Hermanus (originally called Hermanuspietersfontein, but shortened as the name was too long for the postal service), is a town with 80,400 inhabitants (2011 census) on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is famous for southern right whale watching during the southern winter and spring and is a popular retirement town. 

The whales can be seen from the cliffs in the town centre as early as June and usually depart in early December. They were once hunted in the nearby town of Betty's Bay, but are now protected to ensure the survival of the species. The Old Harbour Museum contains several exhibitions that explain the whaling industry, and the De Wetshuis Photo Museum houses an exhibition of photos by T D Ravenscroft that depicts the history of Hermanus. The Whale Museum houses a skeleton of a whale and an shows an audio-visual presentation of whales and dolphins twice daily.

Hermanus lies along Walker Bay on the south coast of the Western Cape. It is located about 115 km southeast of Cape Town and is connected to the Mother City by the R43 highway (or coastal R44 scenic route) and N2 motorway. The R43 continues to Cape Agulhas, the most southerly point of Africa. Hermanus is 40 km from Gansbaai, a famous spot where one can dive amongst the Great White Sharks. It is also notable that Hermanus still boasts a historic railway station building without a railway line. The founders of the town decided not to lay any tracks as this would have made Hermanus more commercial and felt that Hermanus needed to stay a small Fisherman's Village. To this day the locals still refer to it as "the village."

Facilities

The Space Science Directorate of the South African Space Agency, previously the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory (HMO), is a research facility of the National Research Foundation, and forms part of the worldwide network which monitors variations of the earth's magnetic field.
Hermanus Yacht Club is a popular yacht club in the Western Cape amongst the yachting community. It hosted the Laser (dinghy) 4.7 worlds in 2007
The Hermanus Golf Club in Eastcliff is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the country.
Hermanus is also famous to locals for its historic Windsor Hotel, Marine Hotel, various fishermen's cottages and old harbour.

Beaches

Grotto Beach is the largest beach in Hermanus and has also been proclaimed a "Blue Flag" beach which ensures its preservation as a world heritage site. Other beaches include Voëlklip, Onrus, Kammabaai and Langbaai.

Whales and whale-spotting

Hermanus has since August 1992 the world’s only Whale Crier (the first being Pieter Classen 1992-1998, then Wilson Salukazana 1998-2006, Zolile Baleni since April 2006 ) who sounds his kelp horn to announce where whales have been sighted. Zakes Mda wrote 2005 the novel The Whale Caller in which the Whale Crier of Hermanus is the main character, a man who gets enthralled by a Southern Right whale he names Sharisha.

Whale festival

Hermanus hosts an annual whale festival at the end of September, to celebrate the returning of the southern right whales to this bay during the calving and mating season. Prior to this main whale festival a "Kalfiefees" (or "Calf Festival") is held, to welcome the first whales (usually in August). Both festivals are characterised by food and craft stalls, environmental presentations and South African drama productions..

Around the town

The hinterland beyond the town is largely wild and mountainous and there are many remote areas of hills and wild ravines covered in pristine Cape 'Fynbos'. The rising thermals rising around the rugged heights of the Fernkloof Nature Reserve attract para gliders from all over the world.

Craft Markets

Various art/food/craft markets are held in and around Hermanus every weekend. In the centre of town is the Lemm's Corner Market where you can buy anything from clothes, art and food. The Food & Wine Market is at Hermanuspietersfontein in the Hamel-en-Aarde Village. The Hermanus Country Market is located at the cricket fields.