Two Provoked Shark Attacks, BIG West and CLEAN Water Conditions Update

Two Provoked Shark Attacks, BIG West and CLEAN Water Conditions Update: there has not been much fishing going on. Some beaches are still dotted with debris and junk. Surfing in brown water is not popular. And don’t even talk diving!

Fishing

Alan Carby went down to the Sandspit in Sheppy this morning and was greeted by magnificent fishing conditions. Blacktail and other smallies were biting, and Alan got us the cool clip featured in the video above. The ocean has recovered, and although there’s still brown water pumping out of some rivers, the Agulhas and the East winds have been collaborating in a combined effort to rid us of the ANC sewage water.

After the big wind tomorrow, Natal is gonna reveal herself in all her glory.

Surfing

Surf at your own peril! Ear ache. Teeth. Even the odd submerged tree are out to get you at this time of the year. Luckily, everything is coming right and in a short while, it’s gonna be surfing every day. After the west blows tomorrow, it’s gone be peach, peach, peach.

Diving

If you have a boat or a fast car, you can escape the gloom of the brown water conditions. In a boat, you can head out past the brown water to Aliwal or Protea. In a fast car, you can get to Sodwana quick sticks.

You can find out more about diving conditions and fish being seen at the Master Watermen website.

Gallery

Some of the stills from this video…

Mozambique Cyclone Damage and Other Stories

The recent Cyclone Honde teamed up with a high-coefficient spring tide to create storm surge conditions that wreaked havoc in most places on the coastline in southern Mozambique. Barra and Tofo were particularly hard hit.

JBay Fish Report and KZN Ocean Conditions

Featuring Bruce Gold of the Brucifire Surf Retorts website.

Sardines and Sighting Maps

Check out our annual Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

Here are the links to existing and past  Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality

Brown Barrels Being Surfed in Durban, The Halocline, a Cyclone and Ifafa Flea Market #kzn #ocean

Brown Barrels Being Surfed in Durban, The Halocline, a Cyclone and Ifafa Flea Market: A very sneaky cyclone has recently been observed displaying questionable behaviour as it came in to attack – completely in reverse! It started right underneath Madagascar, played pinball down there for quite some time as it then grew into a teenager.

It vibed around down there as it built up confidence and then without warning, the young adult cyclone veered to the north and pushed hard on the pedal. Last I checked it had shot through all the roadblocks and was already past Vilankulos.

Never trust a cyclone. Especially one with a name…this one is called ‘Honde’. And is sitting sure in the middle of the Mozambique Channel today. Deciding what to do with the day…

And it’s spirited cousin up top and to the east of Madagascar, is called ‘Garance’. Between the two of these trouble makers, we can expect the waves in Durban to be firing for a week straight. And rain every day.

Luckily we are moving out of cyclone season slowly. March still holds surprises whilst we all know that April is a guarantee for wet weather. From both directions north and south, April is a wildcard.

Ifafa Flea Market

If you can’t dive, surf or fish, head to Ifafa Beach on Saturday where they are holding yet another Ifafa Flea Market 9am to 2pm.

Sardines and Sighting Maps

We have started the 2025  Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps going.

Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. Last year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! This year we have had two sailboat incidents already. PLUS, we have already logged some sardines!

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality here

Websites

umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za –  will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai Eruption: A Globe-sized Wet Blanket

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption in January 2022 was a volcanic event like we have never seen before. It captured the world’s attention with its sheer power and dramatic impact. This underwater volcano, located in the South Pacific Ocean, erupted with such force that it sent shockwaves around the globe. Triggered a tsunami that affected coastlines as far away as Japan and the Americas. And injected a huge amount of moisture into the earth’s atmosphere.

It is this moisture we are discussing today. And how the far-reaching effects of the eruption can influence weather patterns here in KZN, South Africa. Almost the other side of the world!

In Video

Watch our video right here…that considers what has been happening in rainy KZN recently…

Please pop on over to our YouTube Channel where you can Like and Subscribe!

58 000 Olympic Pools

The eruption was so powerful that it blasted an enormous plume of water vapour into Earth’s stratosphere. Enough to fill more than 58,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. This massive injection of water vapour has the potential to temporarily affect Earth’s global average temperature, a phenomenon that scientists are closely monitoring.

The eruption also created a new island in the Tonga archipelago. This island, formed by the cooling and solidification of lava, has grown significantly since its initial formation. Satellite imagery has captured the island’s rapid expansion, with the most recent activity adding another 3.7 hectares (9.2 acres) to its size. The island now offers new habitats for pioneer species such as bacteria, algae, lichens, insects, and seabirds.

Environmental Impact

The impact of the eruption on marine ecosystems has been mixed. While some substances found in underwater plumes, such as iron, can encourage the growth of phytoplankton, the hot, acidic plumes are also known to be harmful to many species of fish and other marine life. The eruption has also had significant effects on local communities, with the tsunami waves devastating small islands and forcing residents to relocate.

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption serves as a stark reminder of the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our planet. As scientists continue to study this event, we gain valuable insights into the powerful forces that shape our world and the delicate balance of our environment.

Stay tuned to The Sardine News for more updates on this and other fascinating natural phenomena.

Sardines and Sighting Maps

We have started the 2025  Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps going.

Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. Last year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! This year we have had two sailboat incidents already. PLUS, we have already logged some sardines!

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality

Diving Divas – girls only