Dive in to the sardine run on the KwaZulu-Natal Coast, South Africa
Each winter in South Africa, billions of sardines depart from their spawning grounds at the Agulhas Bank to follow a nutrient-rich seasonal cold current up the coast. Naturally, this many sardines making a pilgrimage together is not ignored by their predators, both animals and fishermen, and by divers and photographers who travel great distances to get amongst the action. The captivating KwaZulu-Natal coastline is the heart of it all, where fishermen cast their nets from the shore and divers take to the seas, looking for Cape gannets as their ‘eyes in the sky’ for bait balls below. The sardine run offers a dynamic and unpredictable adventure for those willing to brave chilly temperatures and long days in choppy seas for the chance to get amongst one of the planet’s greatest animal migrations.
Dive with
There are a few companies to choose from and I recommend supporting locally owned. Offshore Africa have a great reputation and they also have their own spotter plane, which is a huge advantage when looking for bait balls (offshoreportstjohns.com). When booking your trip, commit to as many days as you can, in case the weather prevents you from going out on some days.
Best time to dive
While the sardines usually begin their journey north around May, the peak of their run along the Wild Coast is during June and July. Their exact route can vary from year to year, depending on where the cold current is. Though it’s a reliable annual occurrence, there have been some years when they haven’t been spotted at all, perhaps due to warmer waters near the coast that season.
Read all about it
Check out my upcoming release Ultimate Dive Sites to learn more about South Africa’s sardine run and to see my list of 50 of the world’s ‘ultimate’ dive sites. Published by Hardie Grant, Melbourne, it’s due for release on 29 January 2025.
