Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) in the Eastern Cape is growing in popularity for its coastal and marine tourism offerings, such as ocean safaris and boat-based whale-watching excursions. This is being noticed by the Department of Environmental Affairs, who recently increased the permit allocation from one to two.
The department awarded boat-based whale-watching permits to NMB operators, AB Marine Charters and Raggy Charters.
According to Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism, the area has immense potential as a coastal and marine tourism destination because of the natural resources and prolific environmental heritage.
Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism CEO, Mandlakazi Skefile says: “This is an exciting time for Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism, which remains at the forefront of an ever-expanding marine tourism economy that is also included on the National Coastal and Marine Tourism plan as one of the six clusters to be developed over the next five years.”
Coastal and marine tourism brings about economic benefits that relate to employment and business opportunities while also supporting conservation, research and community projects. The ocean economy will unlock the economic potential of SA’s oceans, providing significant GDP growth and job creation, according to NMB Tourism. Tourism is the biggest contributor to ocean economy and coastal tourism; contributing R26 billion (€1,7 billion) to the GDP, says NMB Tourism.
Ocean safaris provide an opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the marine diversity of Algoa Bay and a chance to observe the ocean’s giants in their natural environment by opting for a boat-based whale-watching tour. There are a wide range of ocean cruises to choose from that include the island cruise, sardine run cruise, penguin island cruise or a dolphin-watching cruise, to name a few.
In 2005, Bird Island and St Croix Island in Algoa Bay were proclaimed part of Addo Elephant National Park, leading to the disposition of NMB being the only destination home to the Big Seven, namely lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, rhino, the Southern Right whale and the Great White shark. This further enables rangers to patrol the islands in an effort to conserve and protect endangered African penguins whilst allowing visitors to experience a land safari alongside an ocean safari.
St Croix Island is home to 22 000 breeding pairs of endangered African penguins, the largest breeding colony found in Africa, and supports the largest breeding colony of Cape gannets in the world, with over 160 000 birds. In addition, Seal Island, near Bird Island supports a breeding colony of Cape Fur seals.
Humpback whales can be seen in Algoa Bay between June and early January, reaching peaks in July/August and again in November/December. Southern Right whales can be seen from July to October as they enter the safety of the bay to give birth.
The sardine run occurs roughly over four weeks between mid-April and May. The sardine run attracts predators such as dolphins, penguins, seals and sharks.
Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism strongly advocates sustainable and responsible tourism to protect and conserve the natural resources. This includes viewing of species in the natural environment while in a respectful manner, versus captive spaces. The same principles apply for ocean safaris to ensure that all eco-tourism activities related to whales and dolphins are sustainable.
“Marine eco-tourism offerings in Algoa Bay are abundant, such as scuba diving, snorkelling beachfront catamaran cruises and ocean safaris, to name a few. We encourage all visitors and citizens to experience the eco-tourism offerings and keep in mind to use accredited and sustainable service providers while creating memories,” concludes Skefile.
