Harry Stone visited De Hoop Collection last weekend and snapped some stunning pictures during the Wine, Whales and Music event. Held annually, this weekend celebrates local wines from the Overberg region; frolicking Southern Right Whales in the Bay; as well as the sounds of classical music as five members from the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra perform at De Hoop.
The weekend also included an Interpretative Marine Walk with guide, Pinky, whose bubbly personality and knowledge of the intertidal rock pools, made it a fun and informative expedition. But, what would a trip to Koppie Alleen be without the whales? Arriving around June each year, the Southern Right Whales become a common sight in the De Hoop Marine Protected Area with up to 75 whales spotted in a single sighting during the season’s peak at Koppie Alleen. Aerial trips along the coastline reveal many more – 600 whales call the De Hoop coast home during the whale season. (Read Peter Chadwick’s article for more on the Southern Right Whales of De Hoop Marine Protected Area.)
Answering questions and sharing her passion for the marine world, PHD student Katja Vinding Petersen of The Whale Coast Cetacean Project gave a presentation to guests down at Koppie Alleen. Katja’s enthusiasm is contagious, and The Whale Coast Cetacean Project continue to do research on whales and dolphins, initially with a focus on Pearly Beach, and Kleinbaai, they have expanded their interests to include Walker Bay and De Hoop. You can download their brochure here to learn more about their on-going projects.
If you missed out on this year’s event, why not join our mailing list and stay up to date with all our news? If you haven’t already liked our Facebook page, you can do so here.