Coming up close and personal with a Southern Right in its natural habitat is exhilarating. The Southern Rights seem to be as curious about us as we are about them, often friendly and playful, passing under or spy hopping next to the boat.
The industry is carefully regulated and experienced operators are allocated areas to ensure minimum intrusion on the whales. Only 2 permits have been issued for legal boat-based whale watching on the Danger Point Peninsula. The boats stay 50m away from the whales, but Right whales are inquisitive and often surface very close to the boat, providing an unforgettable close encounter.
The 2-hour boat trips depart in the morning with a possible second trip around lunch & a third trip in the afternoon. Ivanhoe Sea Safaris operates in Walker Bay leaving from Gansbaai harbour (5min by car) and specializes exclusively in whales. Normal departure time: 10h. Weather permitting.
Dyer Island Cruises leave from Kleinbaai harbour (15min by car), heads towards Dyer Island with its penguins and Geyser Island with its colony of 50 000 Cape Fur seals. The boat also passes were the shark boats operate, so you have a good chance of seeing a Great White Shark.