The Sardine Run has arrived and Buffalo City Metro at the epicentre of one of the greatest migrations and feeding frenzies on Earth.
On Sunday and Monday, the ocean roiled with balls of Sardinops sagax from beyond the metro’s Western Breakwall to Nahoon Reef and off Rainbow Valley, said Southern Cross Cruise skipper John Barry.
But posts and videos showed the full run appearing from Port Alfred, to Kwelera, and at Coffee Bay, with shoals netted along the South Coast.
But the main shoals are off KuGompo City, with pilot shoals arriving on the South Coast, said The Sardine News editor Sean Lange.
On Monday, The Sardine News reported from Wild View Cottages at Coffee Bay that “sardines are all over the place. The birds are going bananas. Thousands and thousands of birds diving. Absolutely crazy. Whales out at the back.”
According to Windy.com, a triangular patch of ocean suspected of hosting the migration has shifted south from opposite Port St Johns and is now circulating 40km off KuGompo City.
The hot Agulhas current coming down the coast has sheared away from the coast at Glenmore and is circling around the apparently cooler triangle and rejoins the coast at Kaisers Beach.
It is in this triangle that many of sardines have been seen.
Barry said the great arrangement of marine life was happening, there were thousands of animals in the ocean and air – whales, dolphins, sharks, Cape fur seals, and the sky was filled with birds, many of them gannets dive bombing and sitting on the water.
“Where ever you looked, the ocean was alive. There were baitballs all over.”
There was one rare avian visitor who charmed Barry: “We saw a giant petrel. These are deep sea birds and don’t often come to the coast.”
There were more birds for watchers to identify: a number of Wilson’s storm petrels and subantarctic skuas. We also saw four humpback whales and a number of Brydes whales, who feed on sardines.”
“The ocean was alive wherever we went on Saturday. We needed that one big south-westerly blow and a seven metre southerly swell to push them in and up against the coast and into the shallows,” he said.
He said there were a number of boats carrying divers.”
He said they had taken scores of people on their boats to witness the migration.
“People got so excited. They could not believe it. They were just amazed.”
Thousands of birds were diving, common dolphins were schooling the sardines into baitballs where they were being taken by all manner of predators from smaller gamefish species up to whales.
Sean Price of Buccaneers Lodge and Backpackers said they had hosted dive crews and their international guests for four weeks.
“It’s been fantastic. We have had a solid year.”
Staff had been up early to feed everyone and make them packed lunches before they went out for their launch off Chintsa beach.
They were excited to host African filmmakers from the Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) who were developing marine cinematography skills.
“They came and did a documentary. I saw some of the footage and it was really good.”
The resort celebrated a 14-year collaboration with Pisces Divers from Cape Town and enjoyed more than 60 visitors over a four-week period.
Prior to the big arrival on the weekend, the divers had also seen a lot of anchovy baitballs.
“Saturday was a big day. The water was so clean so visibility was good. They saw a southern right whale, and a healthy number of Brydes whales, and hundreds of “commons” (common dolphins) were schooling (creating) the baitballs.”
“It has been such a happy time. Long days with early starts and ending with a lakka dinner. They go to bed quite early because they are knackered.”
Lange said that even though no sardines were seen at Scottburgh on the South Coast he and other followers of the run believed two shoals, one off Port St Johns, and a “much larger shoal” at KuGompo City, were on their way.
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