Part 2 #HOT - More than a whale of a time

Hermanus, a coastal town in the southern part of the Western Cape is situated a mere 140 km / less than 2 hrs. drive from Cape Town between mountain and sea. Mostly known as a land based whale watching destination, yep the Southern Right. The truth, however, is that it has so much to offer to any visitor.  The mammals only visit between July- November and in my opinion, Hermanus will have to rethink how they brand themselves. In the meantime, I am one of many ambassadors of #HOT (Hermanus on Tour).  

 On our, i.e. #travellingmedia's,  latest  #HOT visit,  we rushed off early from the Old Madam, Windsor Hotel to Stanford, another village in the Overberg region and only 30 minutes’ drive to Panthera Africa, a 40 hectare piece of land and what a beauty she is.

She surrounds you with trees and mountains and forms a magnificent picture.  Panthera Africa is a welfare reserve or haven for captive bred big cats where the focus is on enriching their lives. I know that many people are against captivity but the education that takes place there is different to many others, with welfare and conservation at the forefront. The emphasis is on giving these animals the best life they possibly can have.

Here you can expect to see the king of the jungle, leopards, Bengal tigers and caracals. The tour gives you an overview of each of the animals, their journey and what makes them unique. Our tour guides was Lizaene Cornwall and Cathrine Nyquist, who also founded this non-profit organization.

Their heart, more than their mouth tells you that they know what their destiny is. Some of the tales they tell strikes a real emotional cord, but they preach a message that everyone can make a difference and clearly from our experience, they already have.

There are many plans they have to expand the space where the future aspiration is rehabilitation and releasing suitable captive bred lions to roam free and hunt for themselves. I am looking forward to see this.

In addition, they want to be a catalyst of awareness about the conditions these animals face in captivity and how their project can be just that. Lizaene and Cathrine believe that if we all try to do something, there is strength in our unity and for this we salute them.

Building Africa means we need to do it together.

This was a humbling experience for me.

                                                                                                               

                                   Our next soccer star - Bafana Bafana watch out!                  

The Old Madam, Windsor Hotel beckoned us a good rest for the night and the next day we met for breakfast with Mary and Frieda who co-ordinated the Hermanus FynArts.  This all-embracing arts festival includes visual arts, literature, music and award-winning food and wine.

These vibrant females do their bit for Hermanus to attract more tourists to the town and may I add, they do it voluntary. Check out their programme they had this year and make sure to book your seat for next year.

                      

Opposite the Old Madam along the Old Harbour Park, famous artists exhibited their collections in a unique manner as part of the festival.

People like these inspire me and make me glad to be part of such a vibrant South Africa.

 

After viewing the art pieces along our walk in the Old Habour, Walker way, it started raining and we had to make our way to The South African Shark Conservancy (SASC). They are situated mere metres from the sea in a beautiful brick building. This is a non-profit institution that has dedicated its research to the long-term sustainability of marine resources.

 

We were met by mostly volunteers and I could see that they were very enthusiastic hosts who were going to ensure we had a great  time.                                                                                                

For the team it was really  an educational awareness. The focus is on marine ecology where they focus on collecting data that can be used for various groups with generating adequate marine conservation and management recommendations.

They also specialize in marine biodiversity conservation, development, impact assessments, education, etc.

One of the main aims is to improve the rapid decline of Bull Sharks in Southern Africa.  It would be great to get visitors to this venue where they can have an opportunity to view a pyjama shark, even touch it. Children will love it.

So here I am at the end of part two, a truly #HOT place and given the activities you can partake in, I think it’s worth saying you can have more than a whale of a time in Hermanus.