Each year, from May to July, a huge annual migration of sardines along the east coast of South Africa creates an underwater feeding frenzy – and tourists from around the world come to see the incredible phenomenon.
“Welcome to the most spectacular show on Earth!” says Robert from Mozambique Experience, who has been guiding the Sardine Run since 2007.
The sardines “get trapped in cold water currents pushing north along the coast,” says professional underwater cameraman Simon Hilbourne, who filmed the spectacle.
"Myriad predators descend on the sardines picking them off one by one.
“From the air, Cape gannets rain down on the water's surface whilst schools of sharks and pods of common dolphins attack from below,” says Hilbourne.
“We also witnessed an unusual spectacle where a humpback whale joined the feeding frenzy, slowly cruising through the bait balls trying to engulf as many sardines in its mouth as possible.”
The Mozambique Experience team, who were at the sardine run on a different trip from Hilbourne, also saw birds diving, seals, dolphins darting through the water, sharks cutting through the sardines and even a Bryde’s whale passing through.
“The few days of wind and waves seemed to be the best for the action,” says Robert.
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