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is out on YouTube and on their social media platform.

Offshore Africa is proud to be associated with Behind the Mask and as a sponsor of 1 of BTM dive experiences as part of their signature trips for 2025.

We have already allocated the dates for the lucky winner of the Sardine run 2025 expedition and look forward to meeting him or her very soon.

https://offshoreportstjohns.com/sardine-run/

Be sure to watch the ALIVE video followed by the video below to stand a chance of winning and joining us next season.

https://behind-the-mask.com/

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is no stranger to all South Africans and in particular, to those of us that spend so much time in and under our oceans.

Zandi joined us on her very first Sardine Run experience a few seasons back and keeps coming back for more as that is what the sardine run does……it draws you back time and time again, it is an addictive time of the year, filled with such special ocean encounters and the wonder of what Mother Nature will show us each hour within a day and within each season. As Rob once said “I am too scared to miss out on something that I may never see again in my lifetime, it keeps me coming back and back again”

https://offshoreportstjohns.com/sardine-run/

Zandi is the most amazing person and a pure delight to spend time with on the boat.  Her sheer love of being in the ocean and on the ocean is so infectious. In fact we all joked that she should join the team as an in-water guide each sardine run expedition season. Well we were not really joking but the problem now is that Zandi is all over the world, promoting ocean conservation and her love of the ocean to children across the globe. All of us at Offshore Africa are so deeply proud of Zandi The Black Mermaid and all her achievements to date in promoting our oceans far and wide and in more focus, to children in our communities, of course with children being the future of our world.

With the seasons that Zandi has spent with us, https://www.waterbear.com/ decided to make a short documentary about the life and ocean love of The Black Mermaid aka Zandi Ndhlovu https://www.waterbear.com/watch/the-black-mermaid

Zandi released a Children’s book aptly named “Zandi’s song” which just recently won the 2024 SA Book Awards in the Childrens’ category. This is a must in all school libraries and we urge everyone to get their copy.

This write up is a tribute to our dear friend Zandi Ndhlovu and we urge everyone to take a look at https://www.blackmermaid.co.za/home-1 and the work that is being done here by Zandi.

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Check out the new book release  thimios.com/books by Australian author, diver and photographer Todd Thimios.

As you all know, our annual sardine run season is our absolute favourite time of the year with so much life about in our oceans, whether topside or underwater. Every day is exciting not knowing what is going to show up and when……

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Thank you to our client Philipp Oppermann for sharing these stunning images captured from sardine run 2018.

A day in the life of our winter months and the annual South African sardine run.

Come and join us during our winter months and experience the great sardine migration .

Contact us https://offshoreportstjohns.com/contact/ and join us for an experience of a lifetime

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Come and experience land, sea & air adventures with us.  Book your spot today https://offshoreportstjohns.com/the-sardine-run-psj/

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Sardine run featuring our Cape Gannets is the first part in a series about the Sardine Run with information and images that we are sharing with you.

Not only is it knowledge that is being gained, it also assists in understanding how vital the sardine run period is for many of our ocean inhabitants.

Sardine run featuring our Cape Gannets

The Cape Gannet seabird is undeniably another major predator on the annual sardine run https://offshoreportstjohns.com/product/the-sardine-run-6-nights-5-days/ and one of our absolutely favourite in water and underwater encounters.

During the annual sardine run ocean safari, so many people focus on the common dolphins and, at times, the excitement of witnessing the super pods of common dolphins. We are in awe as to the different species of sharks and of course the ever famous silver fish aka sardines, in various species. But not everyone realizes just how incredible the Cape Gannet bird is in the greater scheme of the hunt. Not everyone understands just how hugely skilled and talented these birds really are…….

To explain………..The Cape Gannet (Morus capensis) is a large seabird of the gannet family.

They are easily identified by their large size, black & white plumage and distinctive yellow crown and hind neck.  Never mind their beautiful blue eyes too.  The pale blue bill is pointed with fine serrations near the tip, perhaps because of the depth and speed of the gannets’ dive when fishing.  Gannets hit the water at speeds of between 40kmph & 120kmph.  Its’ beak has no external nostrils into which the water might be forced.  Facial air sacs under their skin cushion the impact with the water.

They are easy to identify.  At closer range, the very distinct golden crown and nape of the neck area, dark bill makes identification easy.  Juveniles and the immature birds are dark brown with a pale bill.

Cape Gannet pairs may remain together over several seasons.  They perform elaborate greeting rituals at the nest, stretching their bills and necks skywards and gently tapping bills together.

Cape Gannets begin breeding in August/September.  Both parents are actively involved in the incubation phase which lasts 42-46 days until hatching.  They use their foot webs to incubate the egg.  The foot webs, which are richly irrigated with blood vessels, are wrapped around the egg.

The hatchling is black, naked & blind, weighing only about 70g.  But within 3 weeks its body mass is one third of that of an adult.  At 8 weeks the chick outweighs the adult and this remains until it becomes a fledgling at between 95-105 days of age.

These birds are not only powerful flyers but incredible plunge divers too.  They are able to plunge dive from a considerable height and are capable of diving to 20m in depth.  In watching these birds, we often find that the higher up they plunge dive from, the deeper the food source is.  The closer to the water surface they plunge dive from, the closer to the surface the food source is.

Their breeding range is restricted to Southern Africa in islands off Namibia and South Africa.  They normally nest in large and dense colonies on flat islands or on flat ledges of the steeply sloping Mercury Island off Namibia.  The largest colony of Cape Gannets, with over 140 000 birds, is found on Malgas Island (Langebaan) South Africa.  We also have a large colony on Bird Island (Lamberts Bay) South Africa.

In all respects, the Cape Gannet is a highly skilled acrobatic hunter and is incredible to witness underwater.  Not only does it sound like a gun fire when it plunges at speed into the water, it is almost comical looking once underwater, having lost its beautiful colourful appearance and the beautiful blue eyes are almost dark in colour when underwater. Flapping its wings to chase after fish, first 1 and then another and capable of ingesting more than 1 sardine on 1 dive before popping back to the surface, makes this bird incredibly unique in many ways.

Aside from all these acrobatic and hunting techniques, they are not scared to be part of the madness on a bait ball or fast moving action, where sharks, dolphins and sardines chase at high speed to grab their meal.  They are in on the action and play their vital role amidst all of the chaos.

So take a closer look at these birds with a renewed bit of knowledge about them and their fascinating capabilities.  They are comical to watch and yet highly skilled hunters in their own right and certainly not afraid to be part of all the chaos that takes place in the water.

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Sardine Run 2018 @ 2017 rates

Sardine Run 2018 @ 2017 rates are live and out there!!!!!!!

We have held our 2017 rates for 2018!!!!!

We have just completed 43 days of an insane, adrenaline and action packed sardine run 2017 and it has been a breath taking season to say the very least.

We will start posting all our images and videos to you and we welcome all our clients to share their memories with us this year on our Facebook page Offshore Africa Port St John’s.

From Orca’s, to Mola Mola, Bryde’s whale, Southern Right whales to Bull sharks on the bait balls to Yellow Fin tuna on the bait ball action, it has been a spectacular year and it is not over for us as we will now start to capitalize on our own footage and outings as action continues in this area.

We wish to thank each and every one of our clients and crew for this epic season.  We have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with you all.

These are just a few images to start with as a memory ……………….

If you would like to see our flexible accommodation & time frame package options, click here https://offshoreportstjohns.com/?product=the-sardine-run-6-nights-5-days#packages

If you would like to join us and experience this incredible time of the year along our coastline, get in touch with us https://offshoreportstjohns.com/contact-offshore-port-st-johns/

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We would like to welcome Nigel aka “Tzulu” Dowsett to the Offshore Africa sardine run team this year as our sardine run gyro copter pilot.

We are absolutely positive that he will fit right in with all of us that have been a team for a long time now.

“Tzulu” will be doing all our aerial spotting for us this year and comes to our team with a wealth of knowledge and experience.

More about him :-

• Tzulu lives off the grid on top of a mountain in the Overberg
• Owner of The Wild Edge bush pilot retreat / Skycam aerial photography
• A grade light sport aviation instructor with 30 years and 5000 hours flying experience on ultralights, fixed wing & rotary wing aircraft
• Flew 9 years sardine run for IMAX, NAT GEO BBC WORLD
• KZN anti poaching
• Whale shark / turtle surveys
• Project Rhino, game counts
• Land Rover / Toyota driver training
• Survival instructor
• Co pilot / medic / rescue swimmer for Nokia / Hunters Air Sea Rescue
• Ski boat surf training instructor
• NSRI coxswain
• Great Barrier Reef DiveMaster / Rescue medic
• Semi submersible coxswain
• 8 years KZN Sharks Board

“Tzulu” has massive experience in marine spotting along our coastline and as can be seen from his “short” bio, you will be safe in the air with him too.

Our sardine run gyro copter team will spend a lot of time in the air for us this year and will prove invaluable in spotting on all levels.

Check out his Youtube video under the heading “The Wild Edge gyro copter rush”.

Offshore Africa will also be offering afternoon gyro copter flights time & weather permitting and once our boats are back at base.

Come and join us for an amazing time, whether air, land or sea.

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After a hugely successful day on the ocean, dropping off our clients we now head back to base.

We spent time with at least 9 humpback whales and pods of bottlenose dolphins in every bay along the way………….

a truly magical ocean safari day was had by all…………………

Check out this new image

from Offshore Africa Port St John’s.

Sardine Run 2017 bookings are open. Please get in touch if you are keen to experience this exciting event on the marine calendar.

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