More sardines coming: Main shoals confirmed at Haga Haga!
More sardines coming: Main shoals confirmed at Haga Haga!
Haga Haga is north of East London but slightly south of the old Transkei. And the sheer size of the shoals is what we are actually reporting today. We have our Sardine Spies jumping up and down online as they track this immense body of fish on its northward journey.
We need to remind ourselves – which we can do right here (at last year’s Sardine Sightings map), that its only just turned July! The sardine season 2022 is but a puppy and according to these trusted reports that we have just been receiving, the main show is still coming.
Predators
Humpback Whales chow sardines too! And many other predators are reported to be seen hammering these very big shoals, that are currently on their merry way. What we have seen so far is but the tip of the iceberg. Pilot schools.
Tuna lead the gamefish assault out there – they are so fast and wily. But as the shoals get herded shallower, garrick and kob are waiting in ambush. And at this time of the year, there are still the big couta around. As can be seen on https://masterwatermen.co.za. The couta’s delicious cousin – the queen mackerel, will also be lining up in attack formation.
Along with – the cetacean gang. Humpbacks and Bryde’s Whales eat up entire shoals of sardines at a time. Narrowly missing snorkelers on the odd very rare occasion! But it’s really the highly intelligent and cooperative dolphins – common and bottlenose, that do most of the herding and corralling.
Although in actual fact, the entire predator gang work together. Even the whales throw up curtain bubbles to hem the panicked shoals off completely from one side. Making it easy pickings for everyone. Teamwork.
But it’s the gannets that can really steal the shoal as they plummet down into the depths at Mach speed. And then become penguins! They swim around down there like as if they are flying in the air. Picking off sardines and wolfing them down underwater! They can hold their breaths for ages!
This has been the scene down at Haga Haga, right on the southern border of the Kei. And off Port St Johns to a lesser extent. But the operators down that way have been experiencing another great season so far – are posting flat out on social media. Giving us all a taste of what’s to come here in KZN.
Where Umzimkulu Adrenalin are standing by to get you out into this crazy action. Mask and snorkels are an option, not compulsory. Just being on the boat and right there, witnessing the even just from closeup, is way enough! We have self-catering accommodation at the Umzimkulu Marina, and a BnB and Backpackers – at Spillers House. Both right on the water in Port Shepstone.
The Sardine News by Chelsea Dog
Just before we received confirmation of the huge shoals coming past Haga Haga, Chelsea put this YouTube report together…
