Imagine an ocean that comes alive right before your eyes: millions of silver fish, swift pods of dolphins, majestic whales, and seabirds wheeling overhead. It is a spectacle that takes the breath away even from the most seasoned traveller.
In late June and early July we headed to South Africa to witness one of the most spectacular underwater wildlife events on the planet — the Sardine Run. This remarkable phenomenon occurs every year when millions of sardines migrate along the eastern coastline of the continent, driven by cold Antarctic currents. The shoals sometimes stretch for dozens of kilometres, turning the ocean into a living, shimmering river. Following in the wake of this migration, a full-blown hunt breaks out in the water, with dolphins, sharks, seabirds, and even majestic whales all joining in.
Each morning after breakfast we headed out to sea for five to six hours to take in this extraordinary spectacle. Although we brought scuba gear with us, most of the time all you needed was a mask, snorkel, and fins to get a full view of everything happening beneath the surface.
Conditions for watching the run differ from year to year: water temperature and visibility depend heavily on the currents. Closer to shore the water is usually colder and murkier, as this is where the main sardine corridor runs. Further out into open water it becomes warmer and clearer.
On this expedition we did not witness the classic moment when dolphins herd sardines into tight bait balls. What we did see, however, were enormous pods of dolphins! We would spot them from the surface, manoeuvre the boat into their path, leap into the water, and find ourselves immersed in a stream of hundreds — even thousands — of dolphins. This incredible experience lasted about 30 to 40 minutes each time. It was fascinating to observe how different individuals reacted to our presence: some swam past indifferently, some paused nearby out of curiosity, while others cautiously gave us a wide berth. Many members of the group named this one of the most vivid and emotionally powerful moments of the entire journey.
During the same period humpback whales were migrating from Antarctica — one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal, covering more than 8,000 kilometres. Whales typically travel without stopping and rarely linger near the shore. To watch them we had to venture out into open ocean, where the water is clearer and warmer. One family of whales stood out in particular: they were accompanied by a sea lion who never strayed far from the surface, making it easy to track the whales even when they dived. This allowed us to observe them from very close range.
Beyond the underwater adventures, in the evenings we enjoyed leisurely boat trips through picturesque coastal channels and sampled fresh oysters harvested by local fishermen. It is worth noting that South Africa is renowned for oysters considered among the finest in the world. All in all, the trip was packed with experiences and thoroughly rewarding, though it did demand a reasonable level of physical fitness. The encounters with wildlife we had will stay with us forever and will keep drawing us back to these waters.
All photos from the journey can be found here.
Join us on our expeditions and you can look forward to equally thrilling adventures in every corner of our planet. The schedule of upcoming trips can be found here.
