Watch: this drone clip captures Hermanus’ whales in 4K glory

The late winter months see thousands of tourists flock to the Western Cape coastal town of Hermanus to catch a glimpse of its returning celebrities: the southern right whales.

The mammals head back to the town’s Walker Bay to mate and calve, and put on a bit of a show for the locals. Sometimes, this show is captured by a drone whirling away overhead. And in this case, photographer Luke Maximo Bell was at the controls.

“I used a drone to capture these majestic creatures as best as I possibly could! It was an incredible experience to see them play and swim in the ocean so nearby the shore,” Bell writes on the video description.

The two-minute clip captures the whales as they laze in the bay, frolic alongside one another and spectacularly lob their tails above the wash. Set to music from Planet Earth II, and you have yourself a scene fit for a David Attenborough-narrated documentary.

Have a look at the clip (in 4K as well) below.