
Humpback whale
From June to November, humpback whales stream past Cape Vidal on their winter migration from the cold feeding grounds of the Antarctic to the warm breeding waters off Mozambique. They pass remarkably close inshore.
On a calm day you can watch them breach and tail-slap from the top of a dune, armed with nothing but your eyes and a flask of coffee.
When and where to see them
The high dunes above the bay and the cliffs at Mission Rocks are both fine vantage points through the winter months. For a closer look, boat-based whale-watching trips launch nearby in season, and we can point you to the operators.
More marine life

Dolphins
Working the backline at first light

Leatherback turtle
One of the largest reptiles alive, nesting on these beaches

Loggerhead turtle
A summer nesting visitor to Cape Vidal's beaches
