Sardine Run
Indulge your spirit of adventure and explore the Garden Route, Karoo and Eastern Cape.

Every year along the South African coastline shoals of sardines congregate and migrate up the coastline to spawn on the Kwa-Zulu coastline. This migration attracts a mas of marine predators which follow the shoal, feeding off it constantly.

Flocks of Cape Gannets, thousnad of Common Dolphins, sharks, Sailfish and gane fish all join in on the feeding frenzy. In the middle of this the Humpback Whale migration north to tropical waters also passes through making the congregation of marine life a divers and marine photographers dream event.

In conjunction with Blue Water Adventures, AMD Odyssey offers dive oppertunities on the Sardine Run. Based in East London in June and July, tours extend 60 nautical miles north and south of East London.

Departing just before sunrise (approx 06h30) every morning, the boat heads out in search of the nearest shoal of sardines. Cape Gannest are the best indicators as they fly towards the shoal.Closer to shoal the dolphin activity pinpoints the location of the baitball. Packs of Common Dolphins herd a baitball of fish which becomes the center of a feeding frenzy.

It is on the edge of this activity that we dive in. Depending on the size and stability of the bait ball we either freedive of enter with SCUBA gear. Thn the sho begins. Gannets diving, Bronze Whaler Sharks darting in and gulping mouthfuls of fish, Game fish darting in and feeeding on the sardines while doplhins dash in and pick a mouthful at a time. If you are lucky a Sailfish or Dorado will blitz thruogh with their irredescent colours.

Then as quickly as it started, the sardines split up and disappear everthing blends into the ocean and all that is left are glinking scales drifting down.

Back on the boat we scan again for the Gannest and race off to the next bait ball. About midday the feeding activity slows down and that is when we can dive in and swim with the Humpback Whales. Swimming at a constant pace northwards, the boat speeds ahead, divers enter the water and wait for the whales to swim past. If you are in the right place at the right time you will be astounded at how gentle these leviathans are as they pass mere meters away from you. Every now and then one does pause, turn around and come to inspect you before cruising northwards.