Tag: Humpback

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Humpback Whales in Durban Already for Sardine Run 2025

Humpback Whales in Durban Already 28 April 2025

Humpback Whales in Durban Already for Sardine Run 2025

Humpback Whales in Durban Already for Sardine Run 2025: after all the excitement of the Durban Skiboat Club Festival, we then had a brace of humpback whales enter the fray.

The following diagram I got whilst working with the erstwhile Dr. Oz Goffman, as he maps out the family trees and DNA sequences of these mighty ocean roamers. As you can see, there are distinct separate populations hanging down south. Dr. Oz knows most of these guys by name, and he has been tailing them around the southern and Indian oceans for decades.

What you can deduce from this diagram and its relevance today is that these whales do not necessarily have to go to Hermanus first to start their migration up north to Mozambique and Madagascar. Nope, they can hit the coast anywhere, coming in at a square ninety degrees to the coast.

Interestingly, Durban got them first this year! They must have been reading that Sardine News and getting way too excited way too early in the game!

Humpback Whales arriving Durban very early this 2025
Humpback Whales arriving Durban very early this 2025
Durban Sunrise in April with Cold Front Clouds Looming as the Ocean Recovers
Durban Sunrise in April with Cold Front Clouds Looming as the Ocean Recovers
Humpback Whales in Durban
Humpback Whales in Durban

These whales are on a migration up this way to give birth and nurture their young in the safety of the bland tropical waters as opposed to the predator-filled southern oceans where they normally hang out. Adults teaching their whale pups to smash the water with their fins and tails can be observed through the delightful wintertime time that the humpbacks are here for.

But they also eat sardines! Read all about that right here. Or watch the movie right here…featuring sardine aficionado Kevin Touhy right on the sardine scene down in the deep Transkei Wild Coast. Get in touch with Kevin to check in to his lovely cottages and rondavels over this coming sardine season. I am heading down there soon too!

Sardines and Sightings

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 – log your municipalities transgressions here

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Diversity scuba experience in Tofo

Diversity scuba experience in Tofo

For sheer diversity scuba action, there is not much like the waters of Tofo and it’s surrounding reefs.

Manta Rays consistently lure divers to visit the area. Their underwater antics match their flying ability as they leap through the air in a barrel roll, jumping for sheer joy, or to shake the odd parasite.

Whale Sharks – gentle giants that they are, have been putting up with scores of enthusiastic bubble blowers since the days of independence here. Although down in numbers, encounters do still happen weekly.

Dolphins are far more reliable. There is a resident shoal of hungry hump back dolphins off Tofinho, adding to the diversity scuba or snorkeling portfolio. Common dolphins abound as they patrol far bigger zones than their humped back cousins.

Hump back whales however only pitch in winter time, nursing their calves and avoiding over enthusiastic males.

Orcas, or killer whales also come in winter. Their sole purpose us to feed on the Humpback Whale calves?! Greedy buggers.

Dugongs, as rare as they are, can be encountered all round Tofo. In fact, local spearfisherman Dave Charley swam into a mother and calf off Tofinho Point, just south of Tofo, a few years back.

Game fish are plentiful here, with resident schools of huge kingfish owning the reefs. Marlin are often encountered, and tuna abound.

To experience any of the above, check out diversityscuba.com or contact Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com for advice and direction.

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