What is the Sardine Run?
Every southern winter, sardines that normally live in the cooler waters off the south coast move north-east along the coast of the Eastern Cape, following a band of cooler water that runs close inshore. In some years the shoals travel as far as the KwaZulu-Natal coast. The fish are packed into vast shoals, and a whole army of predators follows them.
When the predators attack, they herd the sardines into tight, spinning balls near the surface, called bait balls. Common dolphins drive the fish up from below, Cape gannets plunge into them from the air, and sharks, seals, game fish and sometimes Bryde's whales tear through them. A bait ball can form and vanish in minutes. Being in the water when it happens is one of the most dramatic experiences in diving.
What you might see
Common dolphins
The hunters
Large super-pods of common dolphins are the key to the Sardine Run: they find the sardines and push them into bait balls.
Cape gannets
From the air
Diving gannets show where the action is. Watching them hit the water around you is unforgettable.
Sharks
Copper and dusky sharks
Copper sharks (bronze whalers) are the main sharks on the bait balls. Read more in our guide to shark diving in South Africa.
Whales
Humpbacks and Bryde's whales
Humpback whales migrate along the coast at the same time, and Bryde's whales sometimes lunge through the bait balls.
How Sardine Run diving works
Sardine Run trips are not reef dives. You spend long days at sea on a rigid inflatable boat, launched through the surf, searching for signs of action: diving gannets, dolphins moving fast, or reports from spotter aircraft that some operators use. When a bait ball or a group of animals is found, the skipper puts divers or snorkellers in the water nearby.
Much of the time you will be snorkelling, because bait balls move fast and are often near the surface. When a bait ball holds in one place, divers may go in on scuba and hang in open water beside it. There is no reef below, the water can be deep, and you need to be comfortable controlling your buoyancy in the blue.
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Long days on the water
Expect several hours a day on the boat. Bring warm, windproof layers, sun protection, seasickness tablets and snacks.
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Quick entries
When action is found, you may have only moments to get in. Keep your mask, fins and snorkel ready, and wait for the skipper's call.
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Stay out of the way
Keep to the edge of the bait ball, never swim into it, and keep track of the sharks around you.
It is never guaranteed
The Sardine Run changes every year. Some years produce huge shoals and constant action. Other years the sardines stay offshore, the water is too warm, or the weather keeps boats on the beach for days. Even in a good year, you may spend several days searching before you find a bait ball. That is why most trips are a week or longer, and why reputable operators will tell you honestly that nature decides.
Tip: Book a trip long enough to ride out bad weather, and treat everything you see as a bonus: dolphins, whales and gannets are almost certain even when the bait balls do not appear.
When and where
The Sardine Run usually takes place from about May to July, with June and July the most common months. Trips are mostly based on the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape, around towns such as Port St Johns and Coffee Bay. In years when the sardines reach KwaZulu-Natal, operators near Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks on the South Coast may also find action.
Water temperatures on the Wild Coast in winter are cooler than further north, so a 5 mm or 7 mm wetsuit with a hood is sensible. You should be an experienced diver, confident in open water and with good buoyancy control. See our South Africa dive trip planning guide for flights and practical advice.
Make a winter trip of it
Winter is also raggie season at Aliwal Shoal, just up the coast.