Georgina Vermeulen- Searching For her Dream
As a huge shark enthusiast, I originally came to South Africa to follow my life-long dream of seeing Great White Sharks. However, once here I realized that there is a lot more to this amazing country than sharks. In particular, the Overberg region offers a lot of incredible activities for nature lovers
As a fellow nature lover and marine enthusiast, over the next few weeks I am going to share with you some of the best activities to do in the Overberg region to help you plan your next adventure….starting with the animal side of things.
African Penguins
Stony Point Nature Reserve is home to the endangered African penguin and is still one of my favourite places to take our volunteers. It is one of two land-based colonies and is situated on the picturesque coast of Betty’s Bay. You can also expect to see other species of bird on the reserve such as crowned cormorants and bank cormorants, as well as the very adorable rock hyrax which is commonly known as a Dassie.
For information on how to get to the reserve visit their website.
Whale Watching
Both Gansbaai and Hermanus offer some of the World’s best whale watching. While we can see species such as Bryde’s whales and humpback whales, the main attraction to these areas are the majestic southern right whales. The season to come see these gentle giants is typically from June to late November. The best thing about these animals is that you can watch them from land as well as from a boat.
For information on boat-based whale watching visit the Southern Right Charters website.
Stingrays
Situated only 4 kilometer’s away from the southernmost point of the African continent, is the very beautiful Struisbaai. Not only does this place have the longest stretch of white sandy beach in the Southern hemisphere, it is also home to the largest species of marine stingray – the short-tail stingray, which can reach widths of over 2 metres. These graceful animals are usually attracted to Struisbaai harbour when returning fishing boats throw scraps over the sides.
So, head down to Struisbaai for some sun, sea and stingrays!
Horse Trails
Pearly Beach Horse Trails in Gansbaai offer horse rides exploring the pristine Pearly Beach coastline. They have a range of relaxing trails and cater for both novice and expert riders. For those bird enthusiasts, you may also see some of the diverse coastal species while on the trails. Weather permitting, one of the most unique experiences Pearly Beach Horse Trails offer is to swim with the horses. What a spectacular way to feel connected to both land and sea!
Contact the team to find out how to make your bucket list dream come true.
Shark Cage Diving
Finally, we come to the reason I originally came to South Africa…. Great White Sharks. White Shark Projects in Gansbaai have over 30 years experience in the shark cage diving industry and are committed to the conservation of sharks and their environment. As well as providing a life changing experience of great white shark cage diving, you can expect an educational element to your day, with one of our marine biologists on board to provide information about these very misunderstood animals.
Your next adventure is waiting for you! Book your shark cage dive today!
These are just a few of the incredible activities to do in the Overberg area from the animal side of things. Stay posted as next week I will be sharing more of the region’s beautiful nature with you….
For more information on what the region has to offer – Contact Overberg Tourism Bureaus!
Written by Georgina Vermeulen
Marine Biologist at White Shark Projects
Published 13th April 2022
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