Sardine Run Diving in South Africa: A Guide to the Greatest Shoal On Earth

I don’t say this lightly: experiencing South Africa’s sardine run was perhaps one of the most memorable trips of my life! Nicknamed the “Blue Serengeti,” sardine run diving is adrenaline-filled and heart-pounding — think swimming with sharks, dolphins, birds, and whales as they hunt bait balls of fish in frenzied feeding. This is not your typical liveaboard scuba diving situation, but rather a pure, wild ride of an expedition along Africa’s Wild Coast.

For those with nerves of steel and who don’t mind jumping into shark-infested waters, read below on how to scuba dive the greatest shoal on earth. An enormous thanks to Pisces Divers and Buccaneers Backpackers for this insane experience!

What is sardine run diving?

When asked about the greatest migration, many minds go to the wildebeest migration of the Maasai Mara and Serengeti plains. But what about the greatest migration underwater, and possibly on earth?

At some point during my time as a scuba diver, I learnt of the sardine run’s existence. No, it’s not got nothing to do with running or marathons. Rather, each year, millions of fish migrate up the Eastern Cape of South Africa to the South Coast of KwaZulu Natal. With these moving fish come the predators that hunt them, and the opportunity to swim with some of the ocean’s most wonderful wildlife as they chase bait balls.

P.S. Some have argued that in terms of mass, the sardine run actually outweighs the wildebeest migration. Knowing how large that migration is, this fact absolutely blows my mind.

And…what is a bait ball?

The highlight of your trip! Essentially, a bait ball is when groups of fish are herded into a tight “ball” by predators, making them easier bait to hunt. Different predators use various techniques to stun, corner, and move the fish up towards the surface and into a ball, creating a glittering mass of fish that moves almost as a singular organism. It’s quite a sight, and mesmerizing to watch.

Then out of nowhere, the peace is broken when the feeding frenzy begins. The birds start diving, their dull “thud” sounds on the water drawing the sharks from the deep blue below. Dolphins and other larger fish such as yellowfin tuna start in on the ball as well, and suddenly the water is glittering with explosions of silver scales — almost like you’re swimming in a galaxy of stars.

If you’re lucky, a whale casually pops up and engulfs the remainder of the bait ball, and just like that, it’s over.

Where is the best place to see the sardine run, and how do I get there?

This mass migration occurs to the Eastern Cape of South Africa. You can start seeing the migration from Port Elizabeth, moving upwards to East London, and then further north to Port St Johns. Expeditions will often run from these areas, along with other launch locations nearby and on the way, such as Cintsa, Coffee Bay, and Mboyti.

Unless you’re flying from somewhere in Africa, don’t expect a short journey to get to any of these locations! First, you’ll need to get to South Africa — likely Johannesburg or Cape Town, in order to catch a connecting flight. Then, you’ll need to travel to the closest airport to your actual expedition site. I chose to travel with Pisces Divers as they were based out of Cintsa — a short 45-minute drive from the East London airport. If you choose Port St Johns, expect a 5-hour drive from the nearest airport in Durban.

When is the best time to see the sardine run?

Keep in mind that the sardine run is a natural phenomena, and there is no way to control it or accurately predict when it will occur. Some years, the sardines are early/late. Sometimes, they don’t “run” at all, if water temperatures aren’t quite right. The general consensus is that the season runs (pun unintended) approximately from May to July. The fish move from the south to the north, so the following should be a helpful guideline on how to pick your locations/dates:

• May/June: Port Elizabeth, East London and Cintsa
• June/July: Coffee Bay, Port St Johns, and Mboyti

Remember, the longer you spend on the water, the higher your chances of diving the sardine run! We spent five days out at sea — two of those days were quiet, three of them mindblowing. I returned after a week-long trip and am already thinking of when to go back. The action was truly addictive.

What is a typical day like diving the sardine run?

This is the farthest thing from your typical liveaboard with scheduled dives and timed surface intervals! Instead, it’s a true expedition, where you spend the majority of the day getting a sore bum on a bumpy boat, riding up and down the coast and looking for signs of activity. Some days, you may be in and out of the water dozens of times. Others, you may not even get in if the action is too fast to chase underwater. You will be wet, cold, and salty — but the exhilaration of the hunt makes everything incredibly worthwhile.

Though there is no fixed schedule, the typical day looks something like this (based off my experience with Pisces Divers at Buccaneers Backpackers):

• Wake up just before dawn
• Group breakfast (ours was prepared by the phenomenal Sal at Buccaneers!)
• Suit up: wetsuits to the waist, and warm layers on top
• Hike down to the beach for sunrise, where we rendezvous with the boat
• Don wetsuits fully; throw top layers into a drybag
• Launch the boat into the surf (ever been on a water ride at a theme park? Feelsa little bit like that!)
• Spend majority of the day riding up/down the coast, scanning for bird action. Diving gannets are a sure sign for fish below!
• Return to the beach in the afternoon
• Shower + down time
• Dinner (+ drinks)
• Bed
• Rinse & repeat!

What animals can I expect to see?

Almost everything! This is what truly drew me to the sardine run — not just the chance to watch amazing bait ball action, but the opportunity to swim with such an array of pelagics that congregate together at the same time. Think any combination of the following:

• Sardines, anchovies, garfish (walla walla) — these are the main bait balls you’ll find
• Birds — cape gannets, albatross, petrels, skuas, and more! Oh, and did I mention penguins?
• Dolphins — literally thousands of them. Mostly common dolphins, but also bottlenose and humpback dolphins as well. You’ll frequently see huge pods chasing the fish, herding them into bait balls
• Sharks — duskies, bronze whalers, and oceanic blacktips are the most common. There’s also always the chance to see ragged tooth, hammerheads, tigers, bull sharks, and even the great white!
• Seals & sea lions — these fellas are very curious. As a funny friend of mine says, “They love checking themselves out as much as I do” and often spend time gazing into reflective camera domes
• Whales — South Africa’s winter months see the arrival of whales that are journeying northward with the current. Humpbacks, Bryde’s, and southern right whales are frequent visitors. You’ll likely spot them from the boat, and if you’re lucky enough — may even get to hop in the water with one of earth’s wondrous giants

What level of experience do I need to participant in the sardine run?

Contrary to popular belief, the sardine run isn’t a solely scuba diving event. In fact, most of your time will be spent free diving, as bait balls form and dissipate so quickly it’s much easier to throw on your mask/snorkel and jump in than spend precious time donning cumbersome gear. Be mindful that there’s a chance you’ll spend all week on snorkel. If you’re lucky and are able to find a relatively static bait ball, that’s when the scuba comes out.

Though there is no set rule, most operators recommend divers to have a minimum of advanced diver certification. What’s perhaps more important is your level of fitness — on an active day, you’ll be hopping in and out of the boat countless times, swimming against current, and keeping up with fast-paced underwater activity. Therefore, the sardine run targets adventure-seekers who are physically fit to keep up, and mentally comfortable with diving into shark-infested waters!

Is it really safe to be swimming with sharks without a cage?

The answer is generally, yes. The sharks aren’t here for you — they’re way more concerned with the fish. Nonetheless, there’s always a certain element of risk in jumping in with feeding predators. The most important takeaway is that you must maintain a relatively safe distance from the bait ball — terrified fish will see you as the slowest moving predator, and may crowd around to find shelter. This poses as a potentially dangerous situation as predators could accidentally hit/bite/strike you even if they don’t mean to. When there are strong currents pushing you around and you’re trying to get that shot, it’s easy to lose track of distance, so always keep this in mind!

How cold is it really? What are the conditions and temperatures?

They call it the Wild Coast for a reason! South African winters can range from sunny, clear days with smooth sailing to overcast, windy conditions with foamy white waves. The trip showed me a newfound appreciation for Ernest Shackleton and his Antarctic crew of men, and pretty much any other explorer who spent an extended period of time on a small boat riding on the tumultuous sea!

In general, temps are as follow:

• Air temperature: between 14-25ºC (58 – 76ºF)
• Water temperature: between 12 – 22ºC (54 – 71 ºF)

Visibility is anywhere from 3-30 meters, and as a safety precaution most operators won’t allow any swimming without at least 5 meters of vis. Remember, sardines like temperatures lower than 20ºC, so you want the cold!

What gear do I need for the sardine run?

Remember that this is an extremely active expedition. It’s where you’ll want to leave that cumbersome, finicky gear at home, and strip down to the most basic essentials. The quicker you can don the bare necessities and the more streamlined your equipment, the faster you can move to get to the real action.

The gear you should bring on your own, with links provided to what I use/recommend:

• Waterproof windbreaker — I can’t stress how important this is! You’ll be spending a lot of time in it, so a quick-drying, waterproof windbreaker is an essential piece of clothing you’ll want for the trip
• Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunblock)
• Drybag — also essential. I used this 30L one and loved it for the backpack style shoulder straps!
• Camera equipment (see below for specifics)
• Binoculars
• Mask + snorkel — you can always rent it, but I always prefer having my own since you know it’s reliable

Gear you can also bring on your own, but that you can probably rent from your operator if necessary:

• Wetsuit
• Vest
• Fins
• Booties (+ diving socks for close-heeled fins)
• Gloves (less for the cold, and more for protection. For multiple days, you’ll be gripping rough ropes while launching the boat and during bumpy rides)
• Hood
• Dive computer
• BCD + regulator
• SMB (surface marker buoy)

I wore a 5mm wetsuit with a 2mm vest, but honestly would recommend 7mm for those cold water temps. When you’re in and out of the water multiple times a day, it’s easy to get chilly. And remember, sardines don’t generally “run” until temps are below 20ºC, so pray for the cold!

What camera gear is best for the sardine run?

A DSLR in a housing is your best bet for high-quality images. You’ll want a camera that is powerful enough to track and focus on fast-moving animals with a high shutter speed, and a wide-angle zoom lens to capture all the action.

If all that is too complicated/expensive, one of the best options is to go with a GoPro mounted on a waterproof selfie stick. Seriously. You’ll be much more mobile/streamline, and won’t have to worry too much about finicky camera options.

I shot on the following system, which I would highly recommend:

• Canon 5D Mark III
• 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM lens — the wide-angle allows you to capture everything, and the zoom gives flexibility for framing shots
• Nauticam housing set up with appropriate dome ports. When it comes to underwater photography, Nauticam truly is the gold standard. Reliable and extremely ergonomic, you can breathe easy underwater knowing your expensive equipment is in good hands
• Strobes, preferably with a fast recycle time. Keep arms simple — the last thing you want to be doing underwater is tinkering with complicated gear. Though I brought mine just incase, I didn’t even get the chance to use them, as most of our action was on the surface!
• GoPro Hero 6 with underwater housing for extra protection and when you go down on scuba
• Selfie stick — the extra length and simplicity works wonders!

P.S. Buy underwater gear at Mozaik UW Cameras and get a free strobe (up to $200 value) on your first order 🙂 For my full list of camera gear, see this page.

Do yourself a favor and program your camera to custom functions, with the following settings for capturing the action:

• Aperture around f/8
• Shutter speed 1/125 or faster
• ISO Auto
• Continuous shooting / AI Servo to track moving subjects
• Back-button focusing — this is is a LIFESAVER when you have a gazillion glittering scales messing up your focus!
• RAW, for flexibility in editing

And most importantly, make sure you are comfortable with your equipment. Knowing your gear like second-nature comes in very handy when your adrenaline is rushing and you’re in the middle of a feeding frenzy.

Some final thoughts on fish and friends

Upon arrival, one of our wise guides (who later became a dear friend) told us a story about someone he knew. This person’s life goal was to see what was featured on the BBC’s The Greatest Shoal On Earth — a perfect bait ball in crystal clear waters, with dolphins/sharks/birds/whales all at the same time. What he quickly discovered was that the documentary was filmed over the course of several years. He vowed to come back every season for a decade, every single holiday that he could. In 2018, he was on year seven.

The truth is that the sardine run is a total roll of the dice. You can maximize your chances by deciding on the appropriate location, timing your visit, and choosing the right operator. After that, it’s up to Mother Nature.

While the goal is to see the legendary bait ball, the trip is what you make of it. Enjoy the chance to see breaching humpbacks and incredible oceanic wildlife from the surface. Soak in the glorious African sunrises/sunsets and feel the crisp wind in your hair. Take the time to get to know other like-minded divers on the trip — you’ll be spending ~8 hours on a small boat with them each day! Who knows? You might just make some lifelong friends along the way — I know I did.

And with a little bit of luck, you’ll get to witness one of the most exciting events on earth and under the sea.