The eco tent at the Hermanus Whale Festival was a real winner this year with many interested visitors. The Dyer Island Conservation Trust/Marine Dynamics team was there, for their tenth year, and had excellent engagement with children and adults alike.
“The displays encourage children to understand our marine species and how scientists study them. As such, we had some shark fin matches, as well as matching of whale callosities. Our team of marine biologists was on hand to answer everyone’s questions. We hosted talks on sharks, penguins, marine pollution and solutions. We entertained with a fun penguin dance.” “Many ‘surfed’ our wave of change made from recycled plastic bottles and sponsored by our corporate donor Volkswagen SA. The images of plastic in our ocean are a wake-up call to all of us. Our fishing line bin and storm drain net projects go a long way to mitigate injuries and possible death of our marine wildlife” said DICT educator Pinkey Ngewu.
Well done to the festival organisers. Many families enjoyed the vibe of the festival while spotting the southern right whales, enjoying the sheltered Hermanus bays. At this time of the year, the whales use the bays for mating and calving.”
Blue, one of eight of the Gansbaai promoting penguins was also in attendance. Visit Blue at the Great White House ,find the other seven penguins in Gansbaai and you could win a trip with Dyer Island Cruises.
Early counts indicate the festival was visited by approximately 100 000 people.
Save the dates for next year 24-27 September 2020.
