I was dressed for the
occasion and waiting to embark on an exciting adventure. Ready and eager to set
sail on a whale and dolphin-watching trip. Raggy Charters, based in Port
Elizabeth, has been in operation since 1992, and is one of the oldest Marine
Eco tour companies in Africa.
They play a vital
role in the conservation as well as the education of our South African marine life. All their
boats are SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) certified and
specifically designed for the Eastern Cape Ocean and weather conditions.
This incredible
4-hour experience is set against the stunning backdrop of Southern Africa’s coastal
waters. The trip to St. Croix Island provides enough time to experience the sheer beauty of the marine
life in its natural habitat. The ooh’s and aah’s on board were a perfect
indication of just how pleasurable the trip was.
Our excitement
grew as we ventured into the deep abyss and
got closer to the surprisingly acrobatic whales and dolphins. Their performance
in the water was spectacular and it felt as if it was a well-choreographed show
playing off in front of our eyes, just for us to see. It felt as if they were seemingly quite aware of
our presence. We watched as they breached through the water, dancing to the beat of the waves with the little ones tight at
their mother's side; watching and learning.
Nearly all
whales, particularly the humpback, are known for being very protective of their
calves. Recent studies have shown that although whales are friendly and come
across as being playful or curious towards
humans, they will protect their calves at all costs.
We learned about
their behavior and migratory patterns, the birth as well as the weaning of their calves, their
feeding patterns, and of course the impact climate change and mankind have on
their future existence.
The Southern right whales mate
and give birth in the warm waters of Algoa Bay during
the winter. (June till October) They spend the summer months in the
waters of Antarctica where the food is abundant.
The humpback whales also use the Bay from June to December to raise their
calves, getting them ready for the long journey to the North. Luckily the Brydes and Minke whales are in the
waters of the Bay all year long.
The sheer size,
beauty, strength, and force of the whales make one realize just how small and
insignificant we are as human beings.
Many of us grew up with the Biblical story of Jonah who was swallowed by a whale and despite the cynicism towards it and the vague evidence; reasons exist to believe that Jonah’s fish tale is a fact, and not at all fiction. Looking at the mere size of these animals, I truly believe that Jonah’s stay inside the whale was not that uncomfortable.
As we approached the rocky St Croix Island, we were greeted by hundreds of African penguins basking in the morning sun. Even though a lot is done to preserve them along with the places where they live from extinction, they are still at risk of becoming extinct. Ship-to-ship fuel transfer and overfishing close to the island are the two main reasons why penguin numbers are on the decline on this island. However, St Croix Island is still home to the largest colony (50% of the world population) in the small world of the African penguin.
Algoa Bay is also
known as the Capital of the Bottlenose dolphins and we were able to closely
observe these social creatures as they frolicked in the surf. Although they
come across as being friendly and harmless, they are still
wild animals and should be left in the wild where they belong. Of course, human
activity poses serious threats to these beautiful sea animals. The threats can be ocean pollution, commercial
fishing, habitat loss, military activity, and global warming, to name but a
few.
Whales and
dolphins rely heavily on their sensory ability (echolocation) to navigate themselves throughout
the ocean. Sadly manmade sound, like
the sound and navigation equipment used by vessels
and in particular military boats and submarines is a threat to the future
existence of these magnificent sea mammals.
As much as I enjoyed every minute on that boat I cannot help but feel concerned
that I may be part of the problem. These
whale-watching trips are becoming more and more popular as each day
passes. The number of people joining these trips has
exploded into the millions worldwide; it will most likely never stop as the estimated value of the industry runs in the
billions.
Maybe it is time to rethink the practice of whale watching. At a
recent International Marine Claims Conference, it was said that although whale-watching
is not as bad as whaling, it may be that
last piece that pushes a species over.
“We owe
it to our children to be better stewards of the environment. The alternative? A
world without whales. It’s too terrible to imagine.”
- Pierce Brosnan
VIDEOS BY THE LOPEZ FAMILY
