On two beautiful autumn days we drove east from Gordon’s Bay along the southern Atlantic coast to photograph wildlife and explore neighboring towns

Highway R44 – As we drove east along this curvy, coastal highway with many pullout spots, we stopped several times to appreciate the beautiful views and look for colorful birds, whales, and other sea life. On our return drive we saw many dolphins swimming to and from the old harbor in Gordon’s Bay. 

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Stony Point Nature Reserve– We went to this park to see the African Penguins, formerly called Jackass Penguins because of their donkey-like braying call. This species of penguins is only found in South Africa and Namibia. As we walked along the boardwalk in the protected penguin area, we watched quite a few penguins lounging in the sun or walking toward their nesting area. A few of them returned from a swim and the waves rather abruptly deposited them on the rocks. In addition to the penguins, we also saw several dassies, geese, sea gulls and cormorants. 

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In the photo below the circular building is perched on the rocks at the edge of the nature reserve. Conservationists believe the structure served as a watch tower for whaling ships.  The man in the shelter would alert the harbor and factory staff that a ship was approaching the harbor. The building may have also served as a lighthouse. 

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Hermanus– This seaside village is called the Riviera of the South Cape Coast because of its mild weather and year-round sunshine. Many visitors kayak, shark cage dive, fish, hike, and shop while in area. And the most popular activity is whale watching, either from the town’s cliffs, coastal roads, or a boat. Several species of whales travel to Africa’s southern coast during the winter months to breed and give birth. The Southern Right Whales are the most common type to be seen in Walker Bay at Hermanus, with numbers ranging from 60 to 100 of these mammals each year. 

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We looked for whales from cliffs and roadsides during our two coastal trips in April and May, but we didn’t see any, unfortunately. That is not surprising since the whales are usually in the area from June to December.  We hope to see at lease one whale during our second month in the Gordon’s Bay area in early winter. 

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One fun fact we learned is that until 1902 the village was named Hermanuspietersfontein. The postmaster wanted a much more manageable name so that year he shortened it to Hermanus. No local or federal government approval needed!