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Amidst an uncertain week of waiting for the Wetland Authority to grant us permission to replace our current Advantage Cruiser vessel for the Hippo / Croc Boat Cruises with the newly constructed Advantage Cruiser II, we’ve received good news from our Authority in Cape Town about our WHALE WATCHING.
Danie has been a boat-based-whale-watching permit holder for the last 10years, and over 10years tirelessly at the end of each month sent in his photographs, skin samples and logbook data of all his sightings on the HUMPBACK WHALES etc to Marine and Coastal Management in Cape Town. His efforts have been recognized and this will have a positive impact on the area of operation where Danie operates his permit - St Lucia, South Africa.
The boat-based-whale-watching permits gets issued by MCM ( Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism ) and only operators adhering to a
strict code of operation is recognized at MCM and part of SABBWWA (
South African Boat Based Whale Watching Association.
Together with top researchers from MCM , Mike Meyer, Deon Kotze,
Herman Oosthuizen and Ken Findlay, and the IWC ( International Whaling
Commission ) Danie has been chosen to be part of the research team that
will do exclusive research on the HUMPBACK whales along the North Coast
of KwaZulu Natal and be part of the Whale Disentanglement Unit.
This good news has boosted the morale of the entire whale watching
crew who have been working almost 15 hours a day over the last 4 months
to construct the new luxury vessel. The norm at ADVANTAGE Tours is to
at all times operate with vessels of high standard, and the whale
watching crew together with other members of the local community was
part of the boat construction since December, hoping to get the new
vessel on the water before Indaba and the start of the whale season.
Once Whale Watching starts within the next 2-3 weeks it will be non
stop again for these guys, as the trips depart early morning and run
throughout the day as long as we have good sea conditions.
Please visit us at the Indaba for a copy of The Trumpeter, the local St
Lucia newspaper, to get a glimpse of a mere 7 good whale tails
photographed over the last couple of years by Danie. Ongoing research
have shown that specific whales with specific markings have been
re-sighted year after year along our own coast and also along other
parts of the continent that gets used by the HUMPBACK WHALES.
WE are obviously very proud of this achievement!
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