our coastline to send the sardines northwards. History indicates that after a robust cold front the water temperature drops and we could be in for the perfect conditions which move the sardine shoal – normally in excess of ten million individuals – to travel approximately 1 000km, from the cold Cape waters to the Transkei. As local and international


T


Having been an avid follower of the biggest shoal on earth for the past ten years, yet from the beach only, my dream recently came true after receiving an invite by African Watersports to dive and experience the phenomenon firsthand in the Eastern Cape.


divers and fishermen track these shoals of sardines, an armada of whales, dolphins, sea birds, seals and sharks also follow them. The shoal is often more than 7km long and 2km wide and can continue for a couple of weeks, sending pockets of sardines up the coast. We are fortunate that this migration marathon happens every year along our coastline. The long and winding road


through KwaZulu-Natal and the old Transkei was just enough build up to the final destination of the picturesque Mbotyi River Lodge. The name means ‘Place of Beans’, but it is also a place of personalities, mysteries and breathtaking landscapes. The first


he sardine run started slowly this year as we awaited a cold front which passed through


owners of Mbotyi River Mouth Trading post received a grant in 1922 to build there. It is also a place of myths and mysteries, with a rumour that is was the hiding place of the notorious Andre Stander. Mbotyi River Lodge is all


about great service, comfortable accommodation, excellent food and a multitude of activities. A regular day starts with a continental breakfast and ends with a delicious, hot dinner. Coffee and tea is also available throughout the day. Our dives where done


with the world renowned African Watersports. At the helm of the operation is Walter Bernardis, along with the able assistance of his wife Sandy and son Mark. They are the veterans when it comes to launching in these wild waters and we felt really comfortable with their combined experience when going out into the Wild Coast’s waves. They also had a very capable dive master on each boat as well as a medic on 24-hour standby. Finding the so called ‘bait


balls’ in the big ocean would be almost impossible without help from an eye above. We relied on the experience of a micro light


pilot, Larry, who spotted and directed us by radio to the exact spot to experience the nucleus of these bait balls. A typical day would consist


of an early breakfast followed by arrival at the beach at about 7am. The launch is strictly at 7:30am, and what a rush! There is a serious shore break with huge waves arriving in sets of seven without much of a break to quickly duck out to sea. I really started to worry when I heard that our boat was named Oceanos, the same as the ocean liner which sank off the Wild Coast in 1991, not too far from our launch site. Once the launch was


successfully completed by all three boats, we headed to quieter water further in. We met up with the micro light – a.k.a. Jack Sparrow – which scans a radius of 20km of ocean for the elusive bait balls. Once spotted, the boats head in that direction and the first to arrive will dive first. The DM jumps in first and directs the boat and the first two divers. The action is fast and furious


and often unpredictable. We were told that it’s very important to stay away and keep a safe distance from the ball itself and to never enter the ball for our own safety. We


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