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No sardine report 29 June 2017

No sardine report 29 June 2017

Well it’s a no sardine report for today the 29 June 2017…things have gone quiet up and down. Sporadic appearances of shoals of Banana Beach and Umzumbe mean they are still about, just swimming down deep where it’s safer? Maybe it’s the excellent surf and calm conditions that are allowing them to take refuge like this.

Except of course Port St. Johns! Sardines everywhere out deep. Where ace operators – Offshore Africa – are right in on the action. Rob Nettleton and his team have been doing the sardine run experience for over a decade now, and really have their finger on the pulse. They are an integral part of The Sardine Report each year.

Together with the fabulously talented (and brave) Janine Marx, have been getting some of the most amazing and noteworthy footage.

THESE IMAGES WERE FROM TODAY!

Sardine report 29 June 2017 Imagery by Janine Marx
Sardine report 29 June 2017 Imagery by Janine Marx

These guys down in Port St. Johns are so serious about sardines, they even have a Gyrocopter scouting from the skies each day possible.

Sardine spotter "Tzulu"Dowsett will be piloting this awesome machine as he searches the seas for sardines and their predators
Sardine spotter “Tzulu”Dowsett will be piloting this awesome machine as he searches the seas for sardines and their predators

But aside from the sporadic but inspiring few nets thrown last week – it has gone sardine run characteristically quiet for now.

Don’t panic however. This happens. And now things can get really exciting as elusive shoals slip through the proverbial net, and surprise the crowd by popping up way further north than expected.

Our Natal Sharks Board spy Jay Steenkamp is also out and about – he even has an aeroplane at his disposal – and is most times the very first with the news, as he was in Scottburgh, last week. He patrols the entire coastline from Durban all the way to the Eastern Cape for sardines each year. He has been very quiet today.

Log back in soon or stay tuned to the horizon near you!

Sponsored by Pelagic Fishing Gear available at http://fishingsfinest.co.za

Special offer from Pelagic and Fishing's Finest
Special offer from Pelagic and Fishing’s Finest
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Final no sardine report 2016

Lucky Star South African Sardines spotted off Umzumbe

Final no sardine report 2016

Well, it looks like time to sign off for this years broadcast of the sardine report 2016 here in South Africa this year.

Although Offshore Africa down in Port St. Johns had their usual spectacular season, others further north never caught a whiff of the sardines.

Debbie Smith and Rob Nettleton who run Offshore Africa our of the Umzimvubu in Port St. Johns, deep Transkei, do sardine run trips out to sea and get their clients right in the middle of the sardine and predator action. This year was no different and some spectacular encounters were made.

Further south down in Mdumbi, Robbie van Wijk reports being lambasted by more southerly bad weather. Huge swells with foamies breaking out on the horizon today. His sardine reports kept us well entertained, as can be seen by featured image.

Jay Steenkamp in the Margate area even has access to an aeroplane in his search for the elusive fishies. Working for the NSB, his finger is right on the pulse. But this year he spent surfing due to the lack of sardine action.

Thanks to the crew above and we will keep you posted – next year.

Sardine Report 2016
Sardine Report 2016
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No sardine report 25 July 2016

No sardine report 25 July 2016

Jay Steenkamp patrolling down south to Port Edward and beyond reports that the surfing has been fantastico and they have all been getting shacked. Roosta in Umzumbe reports the same clean powerful swells gracing their underground. But no mention of sardines. Scattered baitballs of other types of smallies up and down, but no sardines.

He also reports that the hard rains that have been falling, have flushed out all the smaller rivers and that the ocean is now a mess. The featured image was shot by Jay at St. Michaels a few minutes ago.

No sardine report 25 July 2016
No surfing, fishing or diving today. No sardine report 25 July 2016

Check out Jason Heyne’s comprehensive weekly spearfishing reports to really learn what is going on under the water off our coastline. He reports in every Friday and we usually have it on thesardine.co.za by Saturday morning, depending on the Friday night :-).

Debbie Smith reports in from out on the edge off Port St. Johns, that their sardine run is still running and that they were encountering baitballs and predators on almost every launch. But the weather has brought the team at Offshore Africa a well deserved chance to regroup and recover from their high adrenalin activities.
More about Offshore Africa, and Diving With Sharks.

And below is Debbie Smith’s Instagram feed portraying the lekker life they are all living right now in and around Port St. Johns as the sardine shoals get them and their guests right into the thick of it.

http://divingwithsharks.co.za/dwsblog/instagram-feed/

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