A whale of a time

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PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The past week has seen unprecedented activity involving humpback whales in the bay of Plettenberg Bay, making a splash of things.

The town was abuzz with messages from people watching from the shore, but there were only a handful of tourists who got up close to see the spectacle.

"It has been a really awesome season this year, but the past week has been incredible," said Ashwynn Baartmana, commercial passenger vessel skipper for Ocean Safaries. Baartman said there were more than 20 whales at a time cavorting in the middle of the bay.

"I could still see lots offshore. They're everywhere... ." The humpback whales were breaching and lob-tailing.

"South-easter pumping and sea wild. Whales breaching like crazy. I've never seen so many in one spot before," said Plett resident Noel Shaw. Baartman said that is what whales do.

PHOTO GALLERY: Whales frolicking in the waves

"They do that for fun and also to get rid of gooseneck barnacles as they've just come from tropical waters where they collect the barnacles," said Baartman. Barnacles are marine crustaceans that attach themselves to whales and live the life of marine hitchhikers.