Hermanus – whales, wind, and a coastline that never sits still
Arriving in Hermanus
Hermanus greeted us with salt in the air and a wind that didn’t bother disguising itself. Our guesthouse, The Whale’s Tale, sat high above the water, with huge windows facing the ocean — the kind of view that makes you pause mid-sentence. Waves crashed against the rocks below, steady and rhythmic, as if the whole coast was breathing.
From the doorstep we joined The Coastal Walk, the cliff path that twists along the shoreline. Turquoise water, jagged rocks, and a wind that kept insisting on conversation. It felt wild in the best possible way.
Lunch at Fick’s Pool
The path eventually led us to Fick’s Pool — a wooden deck built right into the cliffs, with white umbrellas, sea spray in the air, and the Atlantic rolling in beneath us. We had a slow, delicious lunch, the kind that fits perfectly into a day with no real plans.
And then came the dassies: round, slightly grumpy little creatures that look like guinea pigs with opinions. They wandered between the rocks as if they also worked there.
An early start in Gansbaai
The next morning started before dawn. No breakfast at the guesthouse — we had a whale boat to catch 45 minutes drive from Hermanus. Instead, we stopped at Gansbaai Coffee Company, a tiny café with a green roof, warm paninis, and some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. They got us fed, caffeinated, and back on the road with time to spare.
Why Marine Dynamics?
We chose Marine Dynamics because we wanted a tour operator that gives back. Their trips directly support the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, which runs long-term research and conservation for whales, sharks, penguins, dolphins, and seals. They’re Fair Trade Tourism certified, science-based, and focused on protecting the ecosystem — not just showing it off.
A simple choice, really.
Shark cage boats – fascinating, from a distance
On our way out we passed one of the shark-cage diving boats. Divers slipped into the metal cage while crew members tossed ropes with fish heads to draw the sharks closer. Seagulls shrieked overhead. The water churned. The energy shifted — tense but electric.
It’s not for us. But watching it from our boat was thrilling enough.
Into the bay – whale watching
Out on the water, our guide talked about estuaries, migratory birds, tides, and how the coastline functions like a nursery for marine life. And then — unmistakably — dark shapes in the waves ahead.
Southern Right Whales.
A mother and her calf drifting just below the surface, rising and dipping in slow motion. Time stretched out. Boats went quiet.
Southern Right Whale.
Geyser Island – chaos, comedy, and thousands of whiskers
After the whales, we moved toward Geyser Island — an explosion of noise and movement. Hundreds, maybe thousands of Cape fur seals sprawled across the rocks, barking, arguing, sunbathing, or torpedoing through the water around us.
One sat on a high rock like a king holding court. Impossible not to smile.
Hermanus – in one breath
Hermanus is a place where nature leads and you follow.
Where the wind edits your plans.
Where lunch happens on a cliff, dessert is a dassie staring at you, and mornings begin with paninis in Gansbaai and end with a whale breaking the surface right beside you.
This is why we travel.
