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PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The Southern Right Whales ("right" because they didn't sink when they were harpooned), once one of the most ruthlessly hunted of all species of whales, have been saved from extinction. From June to December every year, hundreds return to mate and calve in the shallow water of Walker Bay, recognised by the World Wildlife Fund as the world's most spectacular vantage point for whale-watching.

These animals, 8 to 10 times the size of a bull elephant, are slow swimmers, reaching only 9 km/h at top speed. However, they are surprisingly agile and tend to show off in the following spectacular ways - often as close as 50 metres from the shore:

• Blowing: A sound made when expelling air through the two blowholes near the top of the head, accompanied by a spout of condensed water vapour.
• Breaching: Leaping clear of the water surface in an arching back flip and falling back with a resounding slap, from 3 to 8 times in succession.
• Lobtailing: The repeated slapping of flukes and tail on the water, causing a loud sound.
• Spy hopping: The head and body are lifted vertically as far as the flippers above the surface, enabling them to see what is happening around them above water.

Wilson Salukazana does his rounds along the coastline between 10:00 and 16:00 from June to December. He is always willing to answer questions, give interviews and allow tourists to photograph him. "And things get really crazy," says Wilson, when he lifts his kelp horn and the now famous sound reverberates through the streets of Hermanus. He may also be reached via the Hermanus tourism bureau. So when you see a guy with a funny feather in his hat, blowing a weird looking kelp horn, it is the whale crier alerting everyone to the whereabouts of the whales. The feather, incidentally, is a whale tail.

The great white shark is the world's largest known predatory fish, reaching lengths of about 6 metres (20 ft) and weighing 2,250 kilograms (5,000 lb).

Due to a number of geographical reasons, Dyer Island - 12km off-shore from the coastal village, Gansbaai, 20 minutes' drive from Hermanus - has become known as one of only two unique areas in the world where the chances to view the great white shark, rises exceptionally high.

Here we find one of the densest known populations, where much research on the shark is conducted and some of the world's best documentaries on these fascinating creatures have been filmed. The island supports a colony of 40,000 Cape Fur Seals - the reason the Great Whites stay here. Other wildlife species such as Cape Gannets, Cape Cormorants, Jackass penguins, whales and dolphins are also likely to be sighted.

Weather permitting, boat trips to the island take place daily all year round, where great white sharks are attracted with specially-formulated bait. They are surface feeders and can be observed and photographed right alongside the boat.

For the more adventurous, great whites can also be observed at very close quarters from the inside of a custom-made, securely structured, galvanized steel cage. It does not require a scuba certification - only snorkelling experience is needed.

Great White Shark cage diving is strictly regulated by the authorities and conducted in an ethical way in accordance with international standards.

The Cape Floral Kingdom

In a climate moderated by the sea, the coastal mountains of the Cape have one of the richest floras in the world. There is no other place on earth where so many different species can be seen growing in such close proximity.

'Fynbos' (literally "fine leaf") is the term given to this collection of plants that covers an area of less than 90 000 square kilometres (the size of Portugal) and hosts 8 600 plant species. Roughly 70% are endemic to the area - that is, they are found nowhere else in the world. To put this in perspective, the British Isles, three and a half times larger, have only 1 500 plants and fewer than 20 of those are endemic.

So special is the Cape Floral Kingdom that it has been designated as one of the earth's six plant kingdoms and is in quite a league of its own. It contains 526 of the world's 740 erica species, 96 out of the world's 160 gladiolus species, 69 proteas out of 112, and over 600 heaths, with just 26 in the rest of the world. Many of these are threatened with extinction.

Nearby Nature Reserves

Hermanus has its own nature reserve at Fernkloof, with a 60 km network of graded trails which can be explored on foot, on horseback, mountain-bike or in a 4x4. These provide the opportunity for people of all fitness levels to go out and enjoy some exercise and fresh air.

The Harold Porter Nature Reserve (40 km from Hermanus) on the scenic coastal drive to Cape Town, stretches from the top of the Kogelberg mountain range to within 10m of the sea, encompassing a whole river system. Ten hectare has been cultivated as a magnificent garden with streams, ponds, and winding pathways in an exquisite fynbos setting while the remainder is managed as a natural reserve.

The fynbos environment has a complement of animals. Grey rhebok, Cape grysbok, klipspringer, baboon, mongoose and dassie are present in small numbers. Although not as rich in bird-life as other areas in South Africa, 92 bird species have been recorded. Species most likely to be seen include the Cape Sugar Bird, Sunbirds and the Rock Thrush. Raptors include the Jackal Buzzard and Black Eagle.

Over the years the Hermanus Golf Club has become one of the most popular golf courses in South Africa, reputed to be one of the finest and most beautiful 24 holes of golf. The course is set in magnificent scenery with views of the sea and a backdrop of the mountains - close enough to the coast to be termed a links course, but with a very definite parklands feel to it. Wildlife and natural Cape flora are attractive features and the many trees provide the beauty for ideal golfing terrain.

Fifteen minutes drive from 138 Marine Guesthouse, is the acclaimed Arabella Golf Estate, voted the number two golf course in South Africa and the top golf course in the Western Cape. It is also featured in Golf Digest's USA's Top 60 courses outside of America in 2007.

The course is diverse with links, parklands and coastal aspects within it. Features of the course are its wide fairways with plenty of bunkers and water hazards, and well-kept "bend grass" greens.

The Arabella Golf Club has been the annual home to the Nelson Mandela Invitational charity golf tournament from 2003, hosting the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Samuel L Jackson, Ronan Keating, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Tim Clark, Lee Westwood and Sam Torrance.