Logging and Slapping

The Southern Right Whales in front of our Cape Point Route office in Glencairn were “logging” and “slapping” today. Logging is when the whale is basically “hanging out” and resting – no cruising, no movement forwards, just chilling out at the surface of the water with a fin showing above the water or exposing a bit of skin above the surface!

There was a little slapping going on too and let me tell you this does not mean bashing the other whale on the head! Slapping occurs when the whale lifts its flippers and lets them crash onto the surface of the water in a slapping motion!

Lobtailing is usually a more common behavioural pattern and that is when the whale goes upside down with its head under water and it’s tail is exposed and then slammed onto the surface of the water. Although this is more common behaviour for Southern Right Whales I think the ones in front of our office were tired from ‘showing off’ this weekend for all the visitors to the Cape Point Route!

Whales are plentiful in False Bay at the moment– so much so that there was a temporary closure of Boyes Drive (scenic road between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay) due to traffic jams from whale watchers!

Like breaching, no –one knows for sure why whales lobtail and slap but it has been suggested that it is a form of non-verbal communication. Some scientists have suggested that is a form of foraging as the slap is so loud that that it frightens fish into a tight school making it easier for whales to feed on them!

Our only problem with this theory is that Southern Right Whales don’t eat fish! (Humpback whales do though!)

Southern Right whales are baleen- feeding whales that use a comblike strainer of baleen plates and bristles to ensnare tiny morsels of food as they swim – so they literally skim the water by swimming slowly with their mouths open and are constantly eating – zooplankton, krill and other tiny organisms.

If you want to get up close and personal - book a whale watching boat trip. Trips leave daily from Simon's Town Harbour at 9am, 12 noon and 14h30 (weather dependent)
Cost is R800 for adults and R500 for children for the 3 hour boat trip.

Bookings: 021 782 9356
Email: info@capepointroute.co.za

IMAGES:
Courtesy of D. Hurwitz - Simon's Town Boat Company and E. Sittig - Germany