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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Waterfall Bluff Transkei

Waterfall Bluff, where the Mlambomkhulu (the big river) flows directly into the ocean, is simply too beautiful for words.

The Transkei coastline boasts some incredible waterfalls, but Waterfall Bluff, as it is commonly named, is just a breath taking waterfall and a must see when visiting our area.

Waterfall Bluff can be accessed either as a hike, leaving Luphuthana and heading south until the hike leads into Waterfall Bluff, or via the ocean on board our vessel Offshore 1 from a launch through the surf at Port St John’s https://offshoreportstjohns.com/shop/.

The scenery change as we get closer to Waterfall Bluff is nothing short of dramatic. It is like WOW!!!!!

There are few waterfalls in the world that flow off the top of a cliff directly into the ocean and Waterfall Bluff is home to 2 of these.

In the video below you will see the Mlambomkhulu (the big river) drops an initial 33 metres and then a further 60 metres into the ocean below.

The smaller but higher Mfihlelo Falls are found 2.4km further to the west.

Cathedral Rock is another spectacular piece of scenery close to Waterfall Bluff.

Hikers enjoy sitting underneath the ledge at Waterfall Bluff and for the adventurous, getting closer to the actual fall, sitting on the ledge and getting a good spray, is the ultimate.

A visit to our area is not complete if you have not visited Waterfall Bluff.  If you need to extend your stay to do this, it will be so rewarding.

If you choose to hike to the waterfall, it is an easy hike and will take approximately 40 minutes one way, that is if you do not stop to enjoy the stunning scenery along the way.  You will need to negotiate the river before Drifters Camp before the hike begins. Make sure that you know the tides.

If you choose the boat option, it is a half day trip leaving Port St John’s at around 07h30 in the morning and returning just after lunch.  Refreshments are provided on board Offshore 1 vessel.  We have a minimum of 4 for the trip and a maximum of 10.  It is definitely a weather permitting trip.

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Sardine run Port St John’s

The sardine run , which takes place along our coastline here in Port St John’s, is our most exciting event on the marine calendar for all of us here at Offshore Africa.

From mid May we start to pay even closer attention to our ocean here, to what we may start to see earlier than normal so that we can head out to sea to start filming.  Being the only locally based operator along the entire Wild Coast, we are always on stand by to start our sardine run season whenever Mother Nature gives us the first sign that action is on its’ way.  We are also super privileged to be able to be the last boat on this coast for any late action that may take place.

We actually call it the sardine run ocean safari as the amount of marine life in the same area and at the same time is a mind blow for all marine lovers, whether a diver, snorkeller, passenger or top side photographer.

Sardine Run

Is the same as being on a game drive in the African bush.  Each outing is different, each half an hour or less, in time, is different and we never know what we are going to see until we are back at the base.  It is the day that a person on a game drive decides not to go that everything is sighted and it is no different here during our months of June/July and even into early August.

Some ocean days are far more taxing than others by way of ocean conditions, weather and encounters. It is not uncommon to be hopping on and off the boat at least 15 times in a days’ outing as action happens.  Neither is it uncommon to be on the boat for most of the days’ outing doing top side photography.  This is what makes the sardine run so, so exciting.  No one knows what each minute is going to bring.

Just as we unpack lunch on board our vessels, thinking that we have a short break to have something to eat and drink, the cape gannets start to pull in from nowhere and we go from nothing to chaos. One wonders where all the absent birds and dolphins arrive from at moments like these.  How can the ocean go from being relatively quiet to chaos in 5 minutes one asks?

Well that is the sardine run ocean safari in a nutshell.  There are no guarantees on dates or a specific time in a day for action to happen.  That is what makes it exciting beyond exciting!!!

We hope you enjoy this short clip of our sardine run Port St John’s.

2018 bookings are open.  Come and join us for an experience of a lifetime, our passion, the sardine run ocean safari.

http://www.divingwithsharks.co.za

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There are so many incredible images that come out of the sardine run ocean safari time of the year.

Let us share just a VERY FEW of these with you.

We always say that time spent on the ocean each day is NOT just about chasing after the little silver fish with a massive reputation known as sardines, in all their versions.

It is, indeed, about absolutely everything that CAN be seen during these months, all coming together at the same time, same area, all creating excitement for photographers and Nature lovers alike.

For ocean lovers, in particular, to spend time with the humpback whales during their annual migration gives one a feeling of deep, soulful joy. To witness their tail slapping, lob tailing, spy hopping or, at times, general disinterest in us, brings a massive smile to the lips of everyone on board our boats. What a total privilege it always is to see these incredible, musical, whales.  Whether travelling on their own or in a group, many photographers have taken literally thousands of images of their antics and communicative displays.

And then there is the ever watchful Cape Gannet, the most crafty and talented plunge diver you can ever wish to meet, totally equipped to lunge itself head first into the ocean, wings tucked in, eyes appearing rather large and out of place when encountered under water. Merrily swimming along, wings flapping, looking for that meal, possibly grabbing not 1 but 2 sardines before plopping back on the surface, only to take off and try it all over again.  When seen out of the water, they have the most beautiful yellow head (adults) and blue eyes.

And ocean bird sightings are not limited to the Cape Gannets either.  We have the ever present Skua, yellow nose Albatros, a few from the Petrel family………….the list goes on.

And then there are the different species of dolphins, the most watched species being the common dolphin, which at times can be super pod in size with an estimate of 18 000 plus.

Let us not forget about the MANY species of sharks that we can expect to encounter, whether with action or not.  The most common sightings being Bronze Whaler aka Copper sharks & Dusky sharks, just to mention a very few!

Isn’t sardine run ocean safari time just too incredible!!!!!!!!!!!

Another plus is that we can expect to see pretty much anything on any given day.  We never know when it/they will appear, at what time of the day, or in what weather conditions.  Which is why we try to stay out at sea for as long as we can each day, but safety always comes first and weather conditions play a big part here. And of course our most favourite  of sayings being………………you will not see it by being on land or by sitting on the boat.  You need to get in and out of the boat each day for as many times as you have the energy to do it!!!!!

The potential sightings list goes on and on but sadly we only have one page to document all of this.

Even the beautiful scenery matches a photographers dream, linked to everything else that is going on………………………

Sardine run ocean safari time is almost upon us.

Come and join us at Offshore Africa, the only locally based operator, for THE experience of a lifetime, in Port St John’s, the home of the sardine run.

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Offshore Africa dive base………………Have you visited us at our dive base yet?

Our dive base is set alongside the mighty Umzimvubu River in Port St John’s.

We are based here all year round and we have a “home” operating base.

Our clients find it incredibly chilled to visit the dive base and enjoy being surrounded by Nature and of course a river view of note.

Our tea station and kit up area offers shark educational posters for those wanting to learn more about certain shark species.

One can read from our many sardine run boards, all about the sardine run

Just a few steps from kitting up and the boat awaits on our jetty for a river departure, down to the mouth and out to sea.

You will find our setting extremely tranquil and close to Nature.

We accept all major credit cards at our home base office.

Our office has a range of Offshore Africa clothing from caps, beanies, to long and short sleeve T shirts.

Our dive equipment shack contains

• 12 & 10 litre steel cylinders
• branded 5mm one piece back zip wetsuits
• closed heel fins ranging in size from small through to large
• masks & snorkels
• weights & weight belts
• wetsuit socks
• bibbed hoodies

We have 3 assorted size wash tubs, one has been designated for camera rinsing only.

On return from sea, enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee whilst your wetsuit is drying in the sun.  Relax on the lawn and enjoy the river views.

Come and visit us at our dive base.

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