Nelson Mandela Bay offers unique ocean safari experience

Every year the shores of Nelson Mandela Bay are home to a unique natural phenomenon that has been described as one of the greatest marine displays in the world.

The sardine run is an event which attracts a wide variety of predators together and offers an unrivalled ocean safari experience.

Every year during April and May and sometimes as early as February, vast shoals of sardines make their way past Algoa Bay up the east coast while chased by every marine predator imaginable.

By the end of June, the sardines reach Port St Johns in the heart of the Wild Coast, nearly 250km away.

Nelson Mandela Bay economic development executive director Anele Qaba said the city had some of the world’s most diverse marine and terrestrial fauna and flora species on offer within 40km of the city centre and the airport.

“This has been a key attraction for international visitors to the city,” he said.

“Almost 70% of our foreign leisure market is attracted to the city because of our wildlife experiences.

“By further developing and building on this diversity and developing products that highlight this we can ensure that tourism will keep growing and attract more and more visitors to our shores,” Qaba said.

The annual occurrence attracts camera crews from all over the world, such as National Geographic and the BBC.

What happens is that thousands of common dolphins race to scope up the sardines into a tightly packed bait ball at the surface of the water.

Cape gannets then shower down on the sardines from above while the common dolphins, bryde’s and minke whales as well as several other species are seen feeding from below.

Taking in both water and food, the predators launch themselves out of the water as the birds and sharks race to get out of the whales’ way.

A typical sardine bait ball in crystal-clear conditions where dolphins, copper and hammerhead sharks, whales and sea birds are in a feeding frenzy is in fact a rare sighting, Qaba said.

The demand for these kinds of excursions had seen the Bay’s ocean safari operators increase considerably in the last few years, he said.

“In the last year we have received an additional whale watching licence where in the past we only had one.

“The two whale-watching licences were given to AB Marine and Raggy Charters.

“One can, however, also view the action from some of the other operators that offer boat excursions and sometimes even from the beachfront,” he said.

Whale-watching operator Lloyd Edwards, who has experienced the sardine run for more than 20 years, said he offered a thrilling experience from topside on one of their two authorised motorised catamarans.

“We only offer topside viewing as we find that it allows the photographers to stick with the action and therefore not miss out on any great sightings,” Edwards said.

“Raggy Charters has put together a surf and turf package with Alan Tours for 2019.

“We are offering a five-night sardine run and big-five package. “We will spend two days at sea following the whales, dolphins, penguins, seals, sharks and other birds which are chasing these huge shoals of fish,” he said.

Qaba said the new planned Bayworld development would be another experience for those who did not have sea legs and could learn more about the marine wildlife.

A redevelopment framework for Bayworld and the Happy Valley precinct is in the works.

The new conceptual framework by the Mandela Bay Development Agency, municipality and the provincial department of sports, recreation, arts and culture aims to digitalise interactions at Bayworld and offer virtual experiences.

An eco-boutique hotel, water world, school laboratories and a dome theatre with planetarium technology are some of the proposed elements.

The school facility will host research, innovation, incubation and exploring and learning laboratories.

A conservation world will include a big new aquarium, sanctuary and rehabilitation hospital.

Pro-Dive operator Louis van Aardt, who is one of the first sardine run tour operators in the region, said he had more than 20 years of experience in the field.

“The sardine run is the biggest migration, bigger than the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti [northern Tanzania].

“We offer week and up to 10-day packages that include diving and snorkelling, but people can choose which option best suits them,” he said.

“The outings include visits to Tsitsikamma and Addo.

“Snorkelling is ideal as the sardine bait balls often move quite fast and with snorkel gear it is easy to gain quick entry and exit on the boat.

“This also allows the boat to keep up with the action.

“If a bait ball is big enough and static there will be the opportunity to enter the water with scuba and observe the action from below.”

Some of the other service providers are Big John Fishing Charters, Stampede Cruises, AB Marine Whale and Dolphin Watching and Sardine Run and Into Tours.

•  This article is in partnership with Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism. For more information to go: www.nmbt.co.za