As
Cape town enjoys the winter rains and Table Mountain
towers above her like a giant Emerald, the whales in
the meantime have secretly appeared as if from nowhere.
The leviathans, on their annual holiday from the Antarctic,
are popping up all along the coast and wallowing in
the dozens of bays and coves around Cape Town
and the south coast. So, if you want to see whales up
close and personal, NOW is the time to visit Cape
Town! Cruise SA has an number of very exciting options
for you to get REAL close to some Southern Right Whales:
WHALE VIEWING OPTION 1:
Interact with whales from the only licensed whale viewing
boat in Cape Town, the Whale Rider. Trips depart
thrice daily from Simonstown Wharf for a 3 hour tour
of False Bay where, besides whales, one can see dolphins,
seals, pelagic birds and, on the odd occasion, Great
White Sharks.
Cost is R450/person.
WHALE VIEWING OPTION 2:
Enjoy close encounters with whales from the comfort
of Terra Firma. Hermanus, a quaint seaside village
an hour down the coast from Cape Town, is the Southern
Right's most favourite holiday destination. The
bonus for the Homo Sapiens is that the cliffs
of Hermanus are directly above the whales - they are
literally at your feet!
One can also languish in the luxury of your room in
On the
Cliffs Guest House and watch the frolicking
Cetaceans from the comfort of your bed.
If
anyone wondered how the Southern Right Whale got
its name...during the dark days when it was open
season on whale hunting, this great black baleen (plankton-feeder)
whale was deemed the best to hunt since after it was
harpooned the massive carcass tended to float rather
than sink. Therefore it was considered the right whale
to kill. As a result the Right Whales virtually became
extinct. Today the Right Whale of Antarctica - the Southern
Right Whale - has slowly begun to make a comeback but
it's Northern cousin still teeters on the brink of total
annihilation.
The
beauty about Cape Town is that even though it's winter
it's still a fantastic place to travel to. We Capetonians
used to call this the Secret Season, but we think someone
has let the secret out because these days July (the
middle of winter) is challenging December (the middle
of summer) as the best time to visit. Perhaps because
Cape Town looks her best, all draped in green vegetation
and with blooming Watsonias, Proteas and Arum Lilys.
Or is it because the weather is quite good for winter
where temperatures are mild to warm and there are still
way more sunnier days than cloudy days. But after some
serious investigation Cruise South Africa has discovered
the real reason why there are so many visitors to our
city - the wine.
If
you don't know by now, we will tell you - the Cape region
produces some of the finest wines in the world, thanks
largely to the unique climate and a handful of French
refugees in the seventeenth century who just happened
to be the country's best winemakers. Cruise South Africa
has witnessed a remarkable increase in our most popular
day tour - the Tour de Vignerons du Cap (or "tour
of the winelands" for the Anglophiles). South Africa
is famous for its wines which we export all over the
world, but at some small wine estates nestled in the
valleys deep in the mountains are wine producers that
do not sell their wine outside the walls of their cellars.
We have found that these small estates are producing
some of the finest wines in the business but shhhhhhhhh,
its a secret. Here are some fine examples:
1.
Rickety Bridge Paulinas Reserve
This is Cruise SA's favourite blend and a visit to the
estate is a regular occurance on our wine tours.
Vintage 2001 - Gold Acolade from Winemaker Magazine
and its complex taste includes layers of black fruit,
green pepper and spice flavours that linger. Cedar and
cigar box, soft mouth feel with classic structure. In
a word AWESOME!
This wine is rare and has only been sampled by a select
few.
2. La Petit Ferme Pinotage.
This quaint vineyard in Franschoek - a small town of
French heritage (they even celebrate Bastille Day which
is in July) - happens to be one of South Africa's top
5 restaurants. In fact 3 of the top 5 are in Franschhoek
making it the gastronomic capital of South Africa. Coupled
with the finest cuisine, La Petit Ferme produce their
own wine which is only sold to patrons of the restaurant.
In other words, this wine is only sold on the farm and
only when you dine at the restaurant - it does not leave
the premises! Pinotage is a uniquely South African cultivar.
It's a hybrid. A combination of Pinot Noir and Cinsault
grapes. The result is a nectar of sublime indulgence.
La Petit Ferme is the culmination of our Winelands Tour
where guests can also feast their eyes on the wonderful
mountain views of the Franschoek valley.
July
is also the birthday of South Africa's most famous being,
Nelson Mandela. Happy 88th Madiba!
NEWSFLASH:
Next month South Africans celebrate Women's Day
(9th August). Cruise South Africa is dedicating the
August issue to Southern African travel exclusively
for women
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