Cape Town beachgoers have been warned to stay away from whales and dolphins if they wash ashore or frolic within 300m of the shoreline.

It's whale season in South Africa, a time when locals and tourists usually marvel at seeing these fascinating creatures breaching gleefully in our bays or floating calmly beneath the surface of the ocean.

A dead humpback whale has washed ashore at Long Beach, Simon's Town, Cape {town} Etc reports. Coastal management teams, SANParks and Shark Spotters are on-site, cordoning off the area with tape. Authorities urge the public to stay behind the designated barriers for safety.