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HERMANUS WHALE CRIER
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  Hermanus Whale Crier: Villages
in the UK have town criers; Hermanus has its very own whale crier, and, what’s more,
Hermanus lays claim to the only whale crier in the world. The popular town, connected
directly to the Mother City by the R43 and N2, is famous for whale watching, and the whale
festival at the end of September attracts thousands of visitors.
It’s no surprise then to discover the whale crier whose job it is to alert everyone
to the whales’ whereabouts. And, should you need details to help you recognise him,
other than the huge black and white ‘whale crier’ sign around his neck and his
constant bugling, he’s the guy with an odd looking feather in his cap.
Actually it is a kelp horn that Godleck Baleni (known as Zolile), successor to Wilson
Salukazana the second whale crier who retired a couple of years ago, carries. And there is
a whole series of horn blows that he gives to indicate different points along the
coastline and the number of whales spotted. It took a great deal of skill and practise to
master the horn, and people familiar with it know from the blow alone whether it is a
Southern Right whale, Humpback or Bryde in the bay. Godleck usually notes these on the
board around his neck, to make it easier for you.
The first whale crier in Hermanus was Pieter Claasens whose incredible knowledge and
armour plated indifference to his fellow residents’ mockery and teasing, endeared him
not only to visitors but to the world’s media, resulting in his becoming one of the
major attractions in Hermanus. He was made an honorary town crier of Britain on invitation
to attend an annual town criers’ competition in Topsham.
Look out for the whale crier every day from June to December as he does his rounds between
10am and 4pm. |
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 Overnight at Hermanus Accommodation or
find an hotel in
Hermanus.
Also consider Cape Whale Coast
accommodation or find Whale Coast Hotels. |
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 There are many
activities on offer in Hermanus besides the obvious attraction of whale-watching including
the Old Harbour complex which offers the visitor an insight into Hermanus' past as a
Fisherman's village, the Hermanus Whale Crier and … why not browse through the day
tours on offer and ... Hermanus Tours
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 Being the whale
watching capital of the Southern Hemisphere the seaside town of Hermanus is undoubtedly
most famous for its whales. There are, however, numerous other excellent reasons to visit
this small, picturesque town. The area in and outside of Hermanus is dotted with excellent
beaches ... Hermanus Beaches
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 See a map of the popular resort town of
Hermanus indicating highlights and landmarks, popular suburbs of Hermanus, the Fernkloof
Nature Reserve and general location of Hermanus. Hermanus offers the best land-based whale
watching in the world and is a must-see ... Hermanus Map
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 Hermanus Photographs: View photographs of
Hermanus taken by amateur and professional photographers. Famous as the best land-based
whale-watching destination, Hermanus offers the photographer excellent photographic
opportunities from whale sightings to scenic landscapes ... see Hermanus
Photographs
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 Hermanus Whale
Festival: The Hermanus Whale Festival, the only Enviro-Arts
festival in South Africa, is held annually to celebrate the return of the Southern Right
whales to the waters of Walker Bay, our magnificent environment and the arrival of Spring!
Hermanus, known as the best land based ... ... Hermanus
Whale Festival
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 While most
visitors to Hermanus have many things to do on their itinerary, most involving the whales
that have made this town famous, there are many other activities on offer. One of these is
surely the abundance of excellent and well maintained hiking trails through the many
reserves that ... Hermanus Hiking
Trails
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« Western Cape Nature Reserves
| South
Africa Game Reserves » |
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