Hermanus (originally called Hermanuspietersfontein, but shortened as the name was too long for the postal service), is a town with 49,000 inhabitants on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is famous for watching southern right whales during the southern winter and spring, and is a popular retirement town. The whales can be seen from the cliffs in the town centre from as early as June. They were once hunted in the nearby town of Betty's Bay, but are now protected to ensure the survival of the species. The Old Harbour Museum contains several exhibitions that explain the whaling industry, and the De Wetshuis Photo Museum houses an exhibition of photo's by T D Ravenscroft that depicts the history of Hermanus. The Whale Museum houses a skeleton of a whale and an audio-visual presentation of whales and dolphins is shown there twice daily
