numbers, especially from the rocky shores of De Kelders on Walker Bay. This is also the site of an old whaling station. The lookout platform and the steps leading to it are still standing. Today whales are protected in South Africa. The hinterland is known for its vast mountainous landscapes covered with unspoilt vegetation of the Cape Floristic Region (Fynbos). Despite being the smallest of the world's six floral kingdoms, the Cape Floral Kingdom, with 9000 species, is the richest. Gansbaai is home to the annual Reforest Fest in Platbos Forest, the southernmost indigenous forest South Africa. The event is focused on therapeutic measures to rehabilitate the ecosystems that were once there. The event, hosted by environmental group Greenpop and Platbos Reserve is focused on environmental action. The Reforest Fest in the Platbos Forest Reserve serves annually as a prime example of the sound wilderness engineering, driven by the social connection of exciting weekend recreation and conservation. Dyer Island, Geyser Rock and Shark Alley The original name of Dyer Island was (Island of wild creatures), so named by Portuguese seafarers in the 15th century. Dyer Island is the largest group of islands about offshore from Gansbaai and less than that from Danger Point peninsula. It is named after Samson Dyer, an emigrant from the US to the Cape Colony in 1806, who lived on the island collecting guano, which he sold to mainlanders as fertiliser. The island is home to a declining colony of African penguins ( individuals in 2015). Geyser Rock is a smaller island nearby and is home to around 60,000 brown fur seals. The shallow channel between the two islands is popularly known as Shark Alley. Dyer Island and Geyser Rock is a nature reserve and cannot be accessed by the general public. Government Gansbaai is located in the Overstrand Local Municipality, which falls within the Overberg District Municipality. The Overstrand council governs the southwestern coast of the Overberg, from Pringle Bay to Pearly Beach; its headquarters are in Hermanus but there is an office in Gansbaai. Demographics In the 2011 census, the population of Gansbaai was recorded as 11,598 people, living in an area of , giving the town a population density of . 45% of the inhabitants described themselves as "Black African", 30% as "Coloured", and 24% as "White". 53% spoke Afrikaans as their first language, 40% spoke Xhosa, 3% spoke English, and 4% spoke