Sardine Run

[catzndogz22]

Did the trip with Nic last year. It was fantastic. Our DM and boat captain, Debbie and Drew, will be back this year. They are absolutely top notch! They know how to strike the perfect balance between safety and the adrenaline rush you were seeking when you booked the trip. Like any trip focused on wildlife, the shoal may or may not show up in the numbers you're hoping for, but there will be plenty of "action" regardless.

The cycle safari is fantastic too. You won't see many animals while you're cycling, so make sure you do a game drive from a jeep at least one (or more!) afternoon/evening.

 

[smfcpacfp]

The cycle safari has been cancelled.

We are going on two game safaris, one right after the Sardine Run and one after our second scuba diving trip and then another safari before we come back to the states .

I am getting a little nervous, excited and dreading the plane rides. I was 455 miles from home at a film festival this weekend (Thursday thru Sunday) and was planning on leaving early Sunday morning. I went out to start the Corvette and nothing. As it turns out the battery shorted out and I finally got home at 8 PM tonight (Monday) and I have to be at the airport at 5:45 PM tomorrow, and I haven't tested my camera yet and one of my suitcases is missing. Are these omens? I hope not.

We leave from our airport (Marquette, Michigan) to Minneapolis, MN. to London to Johannesburg to Durban.

We get to Durban on Thursday at 9:35 AM, 32 hours (10,400 miles) after we start. I am usually a horrible sleeper on international flights.

catzndogz2: Does the resort where we stay have Internet?

Jolo: I will call you sometime on Thursday.

 

[catzndogz22]

Mbyoti Lodge (pronounced im-boy-kee) does have internet - sort of. I didn't use it when I was there, but some of the others in my group did. As I recall, they reported that the connection was VERY slow. Before I left the US, I told friends, family, and coworkers that in terms of accessibility, I might as well be on Mars. On a side note, I gave my brother a detailed contact list of who to notify (i.e. boss, dogsitter, etc.) in the unlikely event that I didn't return lest I should be eaten by the fauna I went to observe.

That's a bummer that the cycle safari got cancelled. You'll definitely see more animals on a traditional jeep safari, but I assume you'll miss out on the part about sleeping on cots under the stars -- which was awesome.

 

[jolo]

Welcome to sunny South Africa we are having floods at the moment temperature 18c not ideal for sleeping under the stars

 

[jolo]

Well guy's thats it! looks like the sardine run is over for another year there is nothing around think it was the heavy rains and floods that drove them deep, normaly it works in 2 year cycles so next year should be good. I also think it will start early first or second week in June but you never can tell with these slippery characters.
If you are thinking of coming out for next year's run contact me john@guinjatabay.co.za I can help you with accommodation and dive bookings, also with any help or advise on South african and Mozambique diving and accommodation

 

[smfcpacfp]

Well, I have to report that the Sardine Run adventure with the SEAL organization was a success, from my point of view. We were able to launch on 9 of the 10 diving days. We saw four bait balls on about 50 trips into the water and one was exceptional.

On this occasion, the Cape gannets were sitting on top of the water, tightly bunched which was odd. We stopped to see what was happening and the sardines were jumping out of the water. The bronze whaler sharks had driven them to the surface and were cruising the surface with their mouths open like in the movie jaws. The gannets didn't have to dive to get the sardines, they just dipped their heads. Some gannets were walking on the heads of the sharks! We waited a bit to jump in given the behavior of the sharks and when we jumped in their were a hundred or so sharks, but no dolphins. The bait ball was gigantic and classically shaped like a tornado.

The other bait balls were pretty traditional with the gannets diving and the bait ball being donughted by dolphins, mostly common dolphins with the bronze whalers hanging around underneath the bait balls. We saw thousands of dolphins and many humpback whales, some breeching.

Would I do it again? No. Too much effort with little reward.

Was I happy I did do it? Yes it was a very different adventure.

After that we went to the Phinda Private Game Reserve to do some game watching. Very classy place.

Next we went to Rock Tail Bay (staying at the Rock Tail Lodge tree houses) and did some traditional scuba diving for a week (pretty good) and finished up by going to Mkuze Private Game preserve for some additional game watching another very classy place. We (my wife and I) were in SA for a month.

My overall impression of South Africa was that it is a very beautiful place with very nice people. I was very happy that I went and I would recommend it to anyone. South Africans are proud of their country, but I see it as a place of contrasts with a large black population, very few having achieved middle class status which makes it a potentially dangerous place.

 

[Deefstes]

Nice report, thanks. But where are the pictures?

 

[jolo]

Are you comming to South Africa for the 2009 sardine run if you are contact me john@guinjatabay.co.za skype justsharks

 

[jolo]

Have fun peta