jtresfon 2 Posted May 26, 2009 Anyone coming down to SA for the Sardine Run 2009??? Regards Jean. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
philsokol 1 Posted May 26, 2009 Hi Jean, I'll be there starting June 29 for 10 days. Getting very excited! Phil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vazuw 1 Posted May 26, 2009 Phil, you need a real job Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CamDiver 5 Posted May 26, 2009 Am planning a group trip. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seadweller 0 Posted May 27, 2009 How do I sign up I want in just got my aquatica housing and would love to test it out over there? What's best group to sign up with Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike L 0 Posted May 27, 2009 One of these years I am going to make it down!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
in_minsk_we_trust 3 Posted May 27, 2009 My wife and I can't make it this year, but..... we are already booked for the 2010 Run from Durban starting June 26th. As an added bonus we just got our World Cup tickets confirmed for June 25th. World Cup game and the Sardine Run all-in-one. I'm completely land-locked in WA right now and I cannot friggin wait! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seadweller 0 Posted May 27, 2009 what is the best group to go with for the sardine run? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Travy 0 Posted May 29, 2009 (edited) what is the best group to go with for the sardine run? Try Barry and Celia Coleman of Meridian Dive,great people.Barry is a fantastic guy and very experienced.We used him for our documentary on sharks.Otherwise you can hook up with Steve and James from Blue Wilderness,they specialize in shark dives but im sure they will get your glass right up on the Shark action.I know they got plans for the run,however they might just be busy with the Beebsters again. I myself,will hit it for a couple of days this year. Travy Edited May 29, 2009 by Travy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtresfon 2 Posted May 29, 2009 I'm trying a slightly different option... Going with Mark & Gail Addison from Blue Wilderness (who are vastly experienced and well known for their Tiger Shark outings at Aliwal Shoal), but diving out of East London instead of Port St Johns. I'll be there from 11-18 June which is early but heres hoping!!! Lastest report has the sards starting to come past East London in a bit more volume now. Regards Jean. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted May 29, 2009 FYI Jean, Viz is still bad in EL. Topside only. Keep your eye out on that cold front. There is where your fortunes lie. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paul.hunter 0 Posted June 11, 2009 Greetings All I will be down at Port St John's for the Sardien run this year from 28 June to 4 July. It would be great to meet up with others who are around in the evenings for dinner or drinks. If you are keen drop me a line Paul Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paul.hunter 0 Posted June 11, 2009 FYI Jean,Viz is still bad in EL. Topside only. Keep your eye out on that cold front. There is where your fortunes lie. I'll be in Port St John's....28 Jun - 4 Jul Paul Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted June 11, 2009 For drinks in PSJ, I suggest the Jungle Monkey OR if you guys want to watch sports on TV, the News Cafe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted June 12, 2009 Well looks like it has begun... watch the earth touch crew report on activity from the transkei: http://www.earth-touch.com/result.php?i=Wh...d-sharks-gather That stream of sharks in 25m viz is rare indeed! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JTemple 0 Posted June 16, 2009 Looks like they have some updating of their blog to do! http://www.dailynews.co.za/?fSectionId=503...50245489C468767 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted June 16, 2009 LOL They report on action in the action with marine creatures... their own adventures don't count. Rog and Barry are both fine. They were beat after swimming in that water for hours. Good thing they were in the Agulhas current and not in shore where viz is crappier and water is 3-4° colder. They were tailed by sharks quite a bit apparently but that's to be expected. They are not the first ones to be lost. Another ops lost 5 divers for 4 hours in 2006. Thankfully all found. The wild coast has huge oceanic swells and with winds, it's VERY easy to lose sight of the buoy or bubbles. You have to respect the conditions in this part of the world. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 0 Posted June 17, 2009 1st confirmed sardinops sagax baitball confirmed. It's on! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shawnh 0 Posted June 17, 2009 Down here filming out of Mboyti (north of PSJ). This week there has been lots of action but poor vis. Loads of common and bottlenose dolphins. More sharks this year than most folks recall in recent years. Everytime you jump in you see dozens of them. Good amounts of gannets as well. The Brydes whales have been showing in large numbers. On one feed we had 6 or 7 tear it up. Problem has been that up until today there has been mostly of Red Eye action. Fast moving and spread out. Feeding stretching for kilometers. Also, humbacks have been pretty scarce as well. Today things turned way up here. Water got cleaner and colder. Sardines balls were popping up everywhere. We had one ball that lasted for almost 2 hours. We were on 3 or 4 balls today. Sharks, dolphins and gannets were tearing things ups. With so much baitfish in the water, predators moved quickly from one ball to the next, so action was on then off. Humpbacks showed in bigger numbers as well with breaches all over. We spent some time with humpbacks and even a Mola Mola. Overall a great day on the run! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davichin 17 Posted June 17, 2009 One more suffering season for us readers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtresfon 2 Posted June 19, 2009 OK so I arrived back last night after 6 days diving based in East London. Apparently as of yesterday (Thursday 18 June) the main shoal was 80km south of East London and is still due to come past in the next few days. We were very lucky and had a pilot shoal arrive on the 12th. I spent 5 hours in the water on probably 6 different bait balls and had the most dramatic in water action I've experienced in 20 years of diving. The following day had similar action but the vis had deteriorated and photography was difficult. The next 4 days were absent of any real action but we still had a great time whale watching and diving on the local reefs in between searches. The sardine run really is a lottery. You can spend a lot of money and get no result, but when it happens it is just incredible. I will be back next year! I will post my shots in the next day or so but here are a few as a teaser in the meantime: A Brydes whales makes a high speed pass within 2m of photographer Daniel Botelho A gannet returns to surface after a deep dive Dolphins hunt with amazing teamwork and precision Videographer Paul Wildman captures and awesome baitball with a large Zambezi/Bull shark Photographer Mark Van Coller drops over the side right onto a large Bronzie Regards Jean. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeanB 19 Posted June 20, 2009 Fantastic Jean I loved the Dolphin shot... One year i will defo be there... Dive safe DeanB Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scubamoose 0 Posted June 20, 2009 Ouh man! This is so awesome!!! It literally hurts to see these pictures knowing I'm not able go there any time soon. Keep them coming!!! Karel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
