As the swells rocked the boat, I attempted to balance while holding my camera steady enough to focus on the southern right whales in the far distance. It turns out I am a terrible photographer at sea and after experimenting with what I could get I followed the advice I often give others, I put my camera down and enjoyed the moment. I opted for whale watching in the Western Cape on a marine big 5 boat safari in the hopes of seeing whales, as well as penguins, seals, sharks, and dolphins.
While Hermanus is probably the most popular base for viewing the whales (they have a whale crier who signals when whales have been spotted), I opted for the tranquility of Grootbos Private Nature Reserve a two hour drive from Cape Town. And while I came for the whales, I was surprised to learn that this was prime blooming season for the fnybos.