Gansbaai, the "Goose Bay", was founded in 1881 by fishermen and named after the numerous wild geese that lived here. Until a few years ago Gansbaai, half an hour's drive east of Hermanus, was still a little fishing village with a little harbour, a fish factory and some shops and pubs. But for the last three years it's been much more lively here in Gansbaai. The place is entirely dominated by tourism and the number of inhabitants has multiplied.
The reason for this boom is Dyer Island, situated 12 kilometres off Gansbaai. The island itself falls under the administration of the Nature Conservation and is an important bird conservation area (Jackass Penguins and Oystercatchers). A huge colony of about 30.000 seals lives on the island, the favourite prey of sharks. That is why the waters around the island are teeming with sharks and there is hardly any place in the world where these predators can be watched more closely than here. Particularly strong in numbers is the giant Great White Shark (carcharodon carcharias), that can grow up to 8 metres long (3,5 metres in average).
Every day a couple of boats goes to Dyer Island loaded with adventurous travellers, diving equipment and cameras. After a 20 minute trip the boat drops anchor near the island. The sharks get allured, not fed, with bait - a soup consisting of minced fish and saltwater. After only a few minutes the sharks start circling round the boat, getting up to a few metres close. Some sharks even jump out of the water.
Each boat brings a steel cage along. It is lowered into the water amd drifts on the surface, tied to the boat with ropes. Those daring enough can watch and photograph the sharks from an underwater perspective in the safety of the cage - a lifetime experience.
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Gansbaai Accommodation | The Roundhouse
Showing posts with label gansbaai b andb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gansbaai b andb. Show all posts
Friday, October 30, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Whale Coast & Overberg » Cities and towns » Gansbaai
Gansbaai is best known for a new adrenaline-pumping sport: Great White Shark cage diving. The diving cage floats just below the water's surface and in it you come face to face with the most fearsome creature in the ocean.
The boats for this adventure, as well as for whale watching trips around Dyer Island, leave from Kleinbaai Harbour, about 4km from Gansbaai.
Despite the emerging tourist industry, Gansbaai is still first and foremost a fishing village, with two harbours and many hardened fishermen. Those without their sea legs may prefer to do the spectacular 7km hike along the coast to the caves in neighbouring De Kelders.
The population of Gansbaai is said to have been boosted by the survivors of one of the worst disasters in British maritime history. The steam troopship, HMS Birkenhead, struck a submerged rock off Danger Point in 1852, drowning 455 men and many horses. The saying "women and children first" originated from this calamity.
Today you can visit a great local brewery named after the famous ship, The Birkenhead Brewery, in nearbyArticle source
Gansbaai Accommodation | The Roundhouse
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Gansbaai Bed & Breakfast
The Roundhouse B&B is part of a total tourist experience in Gansbaai. We offer Gansbaai accommodation and bed & breakfast facilities in the undisputed best place in the world for Land Based Whale watching. This the perfect spot for a stay over when embarking on one of the famous shark cage diving excursions in the area.
The establishment is situated in de Kelders, which is the prime land based whale watching area in the world for Southern Right Whales.
The Roundhouse is a three stories high round building with a thatched roof. The house has a very modern African feel to it and every care has been taken to assure your complete relaxation and comfort rated 4* but with many 5* finishes.
The house has unique features such as a big projector screen television in the bar area and wireless hotspot internet connectivity throughout the house. This is excellent for anyone from conferences to movie buffs! The suites, which consist of a bedroom, living room and bathroom, have all the little extras such as microwave, toaster, coffee / tea facilities, bar fridge, Television, DVD player, Stereo, Hairdryer, Sewing Kit, First Aid kit, Toiletries and more.
Our breakfast menu includes delicious meals such as a full English breakfast, pancakes, health breakfast and the ever popular continental. We offer room service every day and offer laundry services if wished. For families, we offer a beautiful 6 sleeper self catering cottage just opposite The Roundhouse.
Please note that you have a stunning sea view from the top floor but all of our rooms except 1 are on the ground floor. Our new suite the Carcharias Suite will be up and running in June and has great views form the first floor. You are welcome in the lounge area upstairs at any time... After a long day out, sit on the balcony with a glass of Wine enjoy the sunset and stunning views over the bay..
Gansbaai Accommodation | The Roundhouse
The establishment is situated in de Kelders, which is the prime land based whale watching area in the world for Southern Right Whales.
The Roundhouse is a three stories high round building with a thatched roof. The house has a very modern African feel to it and every care has been taken to assure your complete relaxation and comfort rated 4* but with many 5* finishes.
The house has unique features such as a big projector screen television in the bar area and wireless hotspot internet connectivity throughout the house. This is excellent for anyone from conferences to movie buffs! The suites, which consist of a bedroom, living room and bathroom, have all the little extras such as microwave, toaster, coffee / tea facilities, bar fridge, Television, DVD player, Stereo, Hairdryer, Sewing Kit, First Aid kit, Toiletries and more.
Our breakfast menu includes delicious meals such as a full English breakfast, pancakes, health breakfast and the ever popular continental. We offer room service every day and offer laundry services if wished. For families, we offer a beautiful 6 sleeper self catering cottage just opposite The Roundhouse.
Please note that you have a stunning sea view from the top floor but all of our rooms except 1 are on the ground floor. Our new suite the Carcharias Suite will be up and running in June and has great views form the first floor. You are welcome in the lounge area upstairs at any time... After a long day out, sit on the balcony with a glass of Wine enjoy the sunset and stunning views over the bay..
Gansbaai Accommodation | The Roundhouse
Friday, April 17, 2009
Boat Based Whale Watching
Land Based Whale watching is a must and simply impossible to miss in De Kelders. During Whale watching season (July - January) the bay is heavily populated with Southern Right Whales and Hump Back Whales. This beautiful coastline is so blessed with the shear numbers of Whales that come to the area that it has been renamed the Whale Coast.
Hermanus has been established as a large tourist attraction to overseas and home tourists for its Whales but is not however the only place or the best to view the Whales. Hermanus sits in Walker bay, a haven for these large Mammals as it is a safe shelter from the open seas and comfortable water temperature to breed. In Season there are over 200 Whales in the bay and for most of the time a majority of the Whales are on Gansbaai's side of the bay.
On the other side of Walker Bay from Hermanus stands Gansbaai and De Kelders. De Kelders is a hidden gem, not well known to the hoards of tourists that visit the area yearly. From people's experience here we are to believe that De Kelders is one of the best land based Whale watching spots in the world.
Visitors can enjoy a relaxing break away from the crowds and the commercial side of tourism and spend personal one on one time with a Whale in De Kelders. There are many kilometres of hiking trails along the coastline allowing visitors to take long walks whilst watching the Whales play only yards away.
It is not uncommon to be able to sit on a rock by the water's edge only 5-10 meters from a Mother and calf Whale. To be so close to these majestic mammals is extremely unique and this is definitely the place to visit to fulfill your dreams of being up close and personal with a Whale.
The beauty of De Kelders is that you can get close to the Whales without getting on a boat to see them. This is great for people nervous of boats or who get sea sick. The experience is still totally natural and just as special as going out on a boat to see the Whales.
The Whales are not just lying there in the water or moving along like many would think but they are playing all of the time. In season it is rare to not go through a day without seeing several Whales breaching out of the water. Below is a description of the type of things you will see the Whales doing in De Kelders.
Sailing
Sailing is when a Whale will raise it whole tail out of the water. It is unbelievable seeing this and difficult to believe how such a huge mammal can gracefully raise half of its body out of the water for a length of time. This is called sailing as it looks like the Whales tails are catching the wind like a sail. It is thought that they are doing this to regulate their temperature.
Spy Hopping
This is when a Whale lays vertically in the water and pops its head out of the water. The Whales do this several times in a row and as they can see clearly above water it is believed that they are just curiously looking out of the water to see what is going on.
Breaching
This is the most recognisable of a Whale's habits. It is a breathtaking site seeing a majestic 40 Tonne Whale launch completely out of the water and come crashing down onto it's back. The best time to view this is during October - November when the Mothers are teaching the calves to breach and you see them breaching simultaneously. If you see a Whale breach don't panic and drop your camera trying to catch the airborne whale. When they breach they breach from 5-8 times with an approximate interval of 20-30 seconds per breach.
Sun Bathing
This is seen very often and it is when a Whale lies on its back with its pectoral fins in the air waving them around. These fins are huge and it is a spectacular site.
Lob Tailing
This is very spectacular to watch and it is when a Whale fully raises its tail out of the water and slaps it hard against the water making a loud bang. The Whales do this many times in a row.
Mating
The Whales are not shy and it is not uncommon to see a group of Whales mating right against the rocks. During mating approximately 5 males try to Mate with the female and it is a fascinating site watching them rolling over each other whilst in the act.
Albino Whale Calves
3 percent of Southern Right Whales are born white and nearly every year we have an Albino Whale in the bay. This is a very beautiful and unique site.
Abundance of Whales
In peak season there are over 200 Whales in the bay and during October, November and December the winds are offshore SE which means they come from the land. This make De Kelders extremely calm and flat and the Whales tend to move across to our side of the bay. It is not uncommon to count 30-50 Whales in a day in De Kelders.
Article Source
Hermanus has been established as a large tourist attraction to overseas and home tourists for its Whales but is not however the only place or the best to view the Whales. Hermanus sits in Walker bay, a haven for these large Mammals as it is a safe shelter from the open seas and comfortable water temperature to breed. In Season there are over 200 Whales in the bay and for most of the time a majority of the Whales are on Gansbaai's side of the bay.
On the other side of Walker Bay from Hermanus stands Gansbaai and De Kelders. De Kelders is a hidden gem, not well known to the hoards of tourists that visit the area yearly. From people's experience here we are to believe that De Kelders is one of the best land based Whale watching spots in the world.
Visitors can enjoy a relaxing break away from the crowds and the commercial side of tourism and spend personal one on one time with a Whale in De Kelders. There are many kilometres of hiking trails along the coastline allowing visitors to take long walks whilst watching the Whales play only yards away.
It is not uncommon to be able to sit on a rock by the water's edge only 5-10 meters from a Mother and calf Whale. To be so close to these majestic mammals is extremely unique and this is definitely the place to visit to fulfill your dreams of being up close and personal with a Whale.
The beauty of De Kelders is that you can get close to the Whales without getting on a boat to see them. This is great for people nervous of boats or who get sea sick. The experience is still totally natural and just as special as going out on a boat to see the Whales.
The Whales are not just lying there in the water or moving along like many would think but they are playing all of the time. In season it is rare to not go through a day without seeing several Whales breaching out of the water. Below is a description of the type of things you will see the Whales doing in De Kelders.
Sailing
Sailing is when a Whale will raise it whole tail out of the water. It is unbelievable seeing this and difficult to believe how such a huge mammal can gracefully raise half of its body out of the water for a length of time. This is called sailing as it looks like the Whales tails are catching the wind like a sail. It is thought that they are doing this to regulate their temperature.
Spy Hopping
This is when a Whale lays vertically in the water and pops its head out of the water. The Whales do this several times in a row and as they can see clearly above water it is believed that they are just curiously looking out of the water to see what is going on.
Breaching
This is the most recognisable of a Whale's habits. It is a breathtaking site seeing a majestic 40 Tonne Whale launch completely out of the water and come crashing down onto it's back. The best time to view this is during October - November when the Mothers are teaching the calves to breach and you see them breaching simultaneously. If you see a Whale breach don't panic and drop your camera trying to catch the airborne whale. When they breach they breach from 5-8 times with an approximate interval of 20-30 seconds per breach.
Sun Bathing
This is seen very often and it is when a Whale lies on its back with its pectoral fins in the air waving them around. These fins are huge and it is a spectacular site.
Lob Tailing
This is very spectacular to watch and it is when a Whale fully raises its tail out of the water and slaps it hard against the water making a loud bang. The Whales do this many times in a row.
Mating
The Whales are not shy and it is not uncommon to see a group of Whales mating right against the rocks. During mating approximately 5 males try to Mate with the female and it is a fascinating site watching them rolling over each other whilst in the act.
Albino Whale Calves
3 percent of Southern Right Whales are born white and nearly every year we have an Albino Whale in the bay. This is a very beautiful and unique site.
Abundance of Whales
In peak season there are over 200 Whales in the bay and during October, November and December the winds are offshore SE which means they come from the land. This make De Kelders extremely calm and flat and the Whales tend to move across to our side of the bay. It is not uncommon to count 30-50 Whales in a day in De Kelders.
Article Source
Friday, March 13, 2009
Gansbaai, South Africa’s Shark Alley
From Cape Town to the Wild Coast, the Cape Coast is punctuated by idyllic towns and villages, each offering a variation on Cape hospitality, and each with a peculiar angle on marine sports or venture activity. None, however, can stake a claim to adrenalin fame quite like Gansbaai, a tiny fishing hamlet situated about 2 hours drive southeast of Cape Town, famous for its shark alley, and its dense population of Great White Sharks.
Gansbaai is one of the world’ top commercial cage diving destinations. The activity is focused on Dyer Island, and in particular a narrow channel between this and Geyser rock known as Shark Alley. Dyer island supports a large population of Cape Fur Seals which in trun attract large numbers of these deadly marine predators.
There are a handful of different operators offering commercial shark diving charters, but the opportunities do not end there. Whale watching is also very fruitful along this particular stretch of coast, and thanks to the adrenalin angle there is a small but vibrant backpackers culture that is very well linked to the Cape Town and more general South African backpackers lodge fraternity.
An annual Great White Shark Festival is staged in the town in October, which, if anyone had failed to notice the fact, celebrates and draws attention to the iconic attraction of the region…the Great White Sharks.
There is much more to the area than this, though, and the usual fare of great beaches, great food and great wine are all standards of the East Coast and the Garden Route, and if you are in the market for some hard core adventure, or you are simply a lover of great nature, check out Gansbaai as you make your way up or down the coast.
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