Sardine Run Diving Adventure

If BBC TV’s Nature’s Great Events Sardine Run, narrated by Sir David Attenborough (screened tonight, Wednesday 4 March), has fired your imagination then why not plunge the warm waters of South Africa for yourself with Dive Worldwide to witness this extraordinary phenomenon first hand?

Each year, around June, one of the most amazing spectacles in the animal kingdom takes place off the KwaZulu Natal coastline. Millions of sardines migrate north, following cold winter currents toward the warm Indian Ocean, a gigantic smorgasbord attracting thousands of marine predators - dolphins, sharks, seals and game fish, even occasional Orcas and whales. The resultant feeding frenzy drives the shoals to the surface where they fall prey to dive bombing avian predators.

During the Sardine Run it is possible that you will get to see Humpback and Brides Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphins, Bronze Whalers, Dusky Blacktip and Bull Sharks, sailfish, tuna, Cape Gannets, skewers, Storm Petrels and, albatross. Although trips can be arranged from Aliwal Shoal, Dive Worldwide recommends the Port St. Johns area where, historically, the chance of sardine encounters is higher.

Dive Worldwide’s 10 day Sardine Run Adventure (click for full itinerary) costs from £2319 pp (two sharing) which includes flights, transfers, 7 nights’ B&B (lodge), 5 days’ diving (up to 3 dives per day), tanks and weights. Trips depart 14, 21 and 28 June and 5 July.