by Gordon Hoey

Created on: January 12, 2009   Last Updated: January 29, 2010

Surf and turf in the animal kingdom.

If part of the African adventure is about its wild animals, surprisingly perhaps,whale watching should be high on the agenda. In South Africa it is a national pastime. If you want to get close up and personal with whales, South Africa is the best place in the world for it. Go on safari in Africa trying and spot the Big 5 is a thing of the past, now it is go for the Big 7 and include whales and dolphins.

In a land so rich in flora and fauna, with so much wild life to study, one could expect whale watching to be at the bottom of the priority list. How wrong you would be. In season, between July and October, thousands of locals and tourists flock to the coasts to spot the Southern Right Whales, as they swim close inshore.

One the best places to watch whales in South Africa is not in the traditional haunts around Cape Town or the Garden Route, rather the lesser known De Hoop nature reserve.

Situated on the Southern Cape coast a couple of hours drive from Cape Town and quite literally in the back of beyond, this nature reserve is home to a rich and diverse bird life, abundant animal life, unusual fynbos (natural moor or heath like vegetation) with around 1500 fynbos plant species in the reserve, of which 50 of those are totally unique and found nowhere else in the world to, in season, the best whale watching around.

Drive in to the park and receive your complimentary drinking chocolate and mug, a nice touch as it does get pretty cold at nights and it is pleasant to sit round your camp fire, having your braai (barbecue) and drink the chocolate. The accommodation is basic. The huts are all fine though for a short stay, open fireplaces, cookers and hot water for the showers are all available. Right outside your door there will be various antelopes, zebra, baboon, the odd ostrich and of course the birds. However, in season, it is the whale watching which overshadows the rest. Drive to the end of the reserve, past the imposing dunes and walk down to the cliff tops. There, in such abundance that the eye does not know which way to look, are whales doing what whales do, porpoising, lob tailing, slapping, spy hopping and of course the most spectacular of all whale spotting sights, breaching, where the whale launches itself almost completely out of the water, vertically, to come crashing and splashing back down again. You could, I am sure, see the smile on the whale's face as it completes the splash-back into the water. Calves with mother's protective flipper around them are a particularly poignant sight. I have spent several days following such antics and I never tire of it. It is truly a magnificent spectacle.

Two other points of interest are the Potberg Mountain, about six hundred meters high and just a few miles beyond the camp gates. Its a good day's climb up and over the top. Follow the Klipspringer trail which is around 6 kilometres and wander open mouthed through the fynbos which at this time of then year is splendid in its riot of colours.

For the more discerning of visitors there is the aptly named Lekkerwater (lovely water) house, nestling amongst the dunes. The hut sleeps up to 10 in comparative luxury and is the only hut where you can watch the whales from inside. Expect to pay a premium to upgrade to Lekkerwater from the 20 or 30 bucks per night for the regular hut.

Go and enjoy.

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