Knysna local skipper and owner of Ocean Odyssey Charters Stephen Pepler impressed the media with his vast knowledge, not only of the area, but the marine life in and around Knysna.
The whale watching boat, Oystercatcher, had hardly left the safety of the Knysna Estuary when Pepler informed the passengers that a pod of humpback whales had been spotted a few hundred meters outside the Knysna Heads.
Pepler explained that his company placed a whale spotter on the eastern Knysna Head. Having a whale spotter stationed in Knysna is definitely not something new.
The significance of the Knysna Heads as observation point for the migratory humpback and Southern right whales dates back as far as 1877.
According to the archives of Messrs Thesen & Co, "An envelope addressed to HJ Thesen Esq annotated 'Whaling, add plus Report' contained two pages, one a handwritten list of persons associated with the whaling industry in Norway and elsewhere and the other a typed page headed 'Pilots Report of Whales seen off the Knysna Heads' from 1877 to 1912. The pilot at Knysna was John Benn junior, assisted by his younger brother Donald.
"The location of the pilots house on the summit of Signal Hill on the eastern Heads, towering 116m above sea level, proved to be a great vantage point for the observation of migrating whales, the Southern right and humpback whales." Stephen and his wife and business partner Evelyn explained to the members of the media that the whales only travelled South with one thing in mind and that was to mate. Right on cue the whales breached to perform their intricate seduction dance. Blowing water high into the air, some rolled around exposing their enormous dorsal fins to the fascinated onlookers.
Pepler added that the humpbacks are always moving along the shoreline - sometimes hugging the coastline and some further out at sea - at around 4-6 knots. "So we know that we are not seeing the same whales with each trip. On all our trips, the crew and skipper are constantly photographing and recording the co-ordinates of the whales, as well as their behaviour and numbers."
Historical power plant
The media, some of them quite green around the gills, spent just under two hours being entertained by the marine life before returning to Thesen Island were the general manager of the Turbine Boutique and Spa, Peter Dale, was waiting to introduce them to the hotel's heritage.
While enjoying a scrumptious breakfast, Dale explained how the Thesen family had used wood waste from the timber mills on Thesen Island (then known as Paarden Island) to start a power station, which generated electricity from turbines. This power even-
tually supplied the towns of both Knysna and Plettenberg Bay with electricity documented plans and formed part of the Eskom power grid for many years.
This power station site, which was built in 1939/194, now hosts the hotel.
A magnificent humpback whale breaching a few hundred metres outside the Knysna Heads on Friday 11 October.
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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