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Sardines in Mdumbi

Sardines at Mdumbi

Sardines in Mdumbi

Sardines in Mdumbi: the ocean is alive and something is definitely up today…

Welcome back to the Sardine News
and a lekka good morning from the Sardine News
welcome back
we’re gonna kick off with the Roosta before the sun
at Banana Beach on the KZN
South Coast a wonderful day
no wind
no swell it’s just gonna be fantastic for surfing
diving and fishing small waves for surfing for sure
but out the out further back out in the deep
there’s a couple of waves coming through
a low tide in the midday
and high tide in the mornings these days
and now we’re gonna flip on over to Adam up in Durban
as the sun’s coming up
Adam and the guys were out at sea last week
and they recorded water down to like 21
and although the forecasters are still saying 23
and 24 and stuff
the Natal Sharks board good for something
they at least got the temperatures
on their daily reports right
and they are averaging a like 22
22
even lower in some places so the water is definitely
definitely cooling and so it could be
that the are there
are there the upwellings from the East blowing
or maybe it is the counter current
sneaking up on the inside
because as I showed you yesterday on the Windy analysis
that counter current was skinny
but it was definitely
reaching all the way up to Port Shepstone
and maybe even to Durban on the inside
okay and then this is Alan this morning in Port Stephen
chasing the sun too
so today we’re chasing the sun and sardines
talking about sardines
there are definitely sardines in Umdumbi
Robbie saw a shoal this morning coming through
probably a pilot shoal cause it wasn’t too big
and it was getting hammered to pieces by dolphins
and gannets and then Kevin got a proper confirmation
as we have already from the GoDive guys
that there are loads and loads of sardines
off East London
still travelling north like a hell of a lot
so I think we’re gonna have to go to windy
and have a look what’s going on okay
so there’s sardines in both of those cold patches
up here by us and then on Friday
that’s tomorrow I believe
look how there’s a big connection there
between the holothurians
so the sardines can definitely sneak through now into
in cold water and get up there to us
up into Notre Dame
the sardines will get through all the way up the inside
and who knows what might happen
but okay thank you
windy.com
for allowing us to use these magnificent tools
that you guys can also
check it out it’s free
hey windy.com
you just go there and on the right hand side
it says more layers
and you just dig through there and dig through
you can find sea temperatures
currents the whole lot it’s amazing tool
thank you Windy alright
and thank you all for liking and subscribing
if you join the channel
you will become a member of the HOTLINE
and none of these other weird groups that pop up
on WhatsApp and they use my material
they rip my stuff off and then put it on their groups
ha ha ha ha we put a stop to that
we managed to turn the situation around but okay
like subscribe and join the channel Ciao Ciao

Freedom O Clock Gallery

We are going to be based at Freedom O Clock (Mncibi – north bank of Mdumbi) in July for a couple of weeks if anybody is also keen on chasing sardines, shad and rock salmon! Get in touch with me, Sean, on +27793269671 or use the big old WhatsApp button floating about somewhere on this page.

Sardines and Sightings

Join the Sardine News HOTLINE for 2025 and Neva Miss a Single Sardine! We first upload to YouTube, and then progressively up to the rest of the social platforms (Facey, X, etc) as the bandwidth allows.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN as a Member on YouTube, and receive all these perks too…

Member of WhatsApp Sardine News HOTLINE, access to restricted content on thesardine.co.za, LIVE Broadcasts from the Beach during the sardine run. And direct contact with the Sardine Spy network team.

You can also get around the season in a real fun way by checking out our annual Sardine Run Maps. This is a real groovy way to follow the progress of the sardines each year.

You can even 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

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Perfect Day in May

Perfect Day in May

Perfect Day in May: it’s on! For fishermen, surfers and divers! Small swell, hardly a breeze, sunny skies, warm water that’s almost clean…! And there are gamefish jumping all over the place.

Surfing

Durban is really small as the 1.5m south south east swell tries to wrap around the piers and get in there. There is still not much tide, just over half a metre or so.

The south and north coasts will fare better with this swell direction.

Diving

After many near misses, hopefully today we will see some shore diving from the spearos. Who have been having a great time – but only out deep! Here is the Bear Report from yesterday…

Fishing

Here we have Alan at Shelly Beach this morning, thank you Alan!

Ian Logie’s exciting report of gamefish jumping around after the freshly arrived sprats got many people out onto the rocks to try throw a spoon the distance. You need a good cast to get to the snoek but they are there right now and anyone with a farcaster is in with a throw.

Ian, yesterday…

Perfect Day in May

Another prefect Day in May by Adam Kamdar

Sardines and Sightings

Join the Sardine News HOTLINE for 2025 and Neva Miss a Single Sardine! We first upload to YouTube, and then progressively up to the rest of the social platforms (Facey, X, etc) as the bandwidth allows.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN as a Member on YouTube, and receive all these perks too…

Member of WhatsApp Sardine News HOTLINE, access to restricted content on thesardine.co.za, LIVE Broadcasts from the Beach during the sardine run. And direct contact with the Sardine Spy network team.

You can also get around the season in a real fun way by checking out our annual Sardine Run Maps. This is a real groovy way to follow the progress of the sardines each year.

You can even 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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Monday More Fun Day for KZN Surfers by Adam Kamdar in Surf City

Surf City 14 October 2024 Durban KZN by Adam Kamdar

Monday More Fun Day for KZN Surfers by Adam Kamdar in Surf City

Monday More Fun Day for KZN Surfers by Adam Kamdar in Surf City: Welcome back to the sardine news. We have Adam Kamdar checking from what has turned out to be another surfing day in KZN and Durban in particular.

Over to Adam Kandar at North Beach in Surf City…

Durban

Monday More Fun Day for Surfers in KZN by Adam Kamdar on the Spot at North Beach in the famous Surf City that is Durban in South Africa.

Good time to be a surfer as the swell promises to build all day long. And reach a massive pulse tomorrow. Up to 5 meters at the crack of dawn! Obviously for this time of the year, the wind has agreed to join the party and will be cranking through at an enormous rate of knots.

SW

Gusts of up to 40 knots, which equates to like 80kmh, will punctuate the strong south-westerly tomorrow too. It looks to be at least 15 or 20 knots all day long. Only backing off on Tuesday night.

NE

The northeaster is plotting its big comeback from Wednesday morning and into Thursday all day. It’s gonna come charging in as early as it can, and will steadily build all day long reaching a maximum of about 15 knots in the afternoon.

With a low tide at 8:45am on Wednesday, that morning is going to produce the goods for any surfers who can make it out through that pounding surf. Before the NE makes it too bumpy.

And although Durban will get some SW juice that day, it will be nothing like what the south and north coasts will look like that morning. Lines to the horizon and light winds until the tide turns. As the tide turns from low to high water moving in – that’s about when the onshore NE will start to pick up. Before that, the tide will be draining fast and little offshores will spring up all over to compensate for the fast-receding water and therefore air pressure. As the tide drains, it sucks air off the land to create those regional and sporadic offshores, in the face of prevailing high pressure systems. The east ruins this quicksmart so you got to get in early as possible in these situations.

Fishing

The fishing has been excellent everywhere. Kob and garrick making up for most of the excitement. With the odd handsome brushed in between. We will see exactly what fish are about with the Bear Report coming in later today. This valuable information will be posted right here on The Sardine News at around 5pm.

You can like and Subscribe to The Master Watermen on YouTube (if you click on the notification bell, you will be sent these reports on time). Check out the Master Watermen website at https://masterwatermen.co.za. The channel is at https://youtube.com/@UChzX1j2C3Qdj84Du_9X4YlQ.

If you are not subscribed to The Sardine News on YouTube you can do so right here…

(Please be careful not to Unsubscribe, if you are already subscribed.)

Gallery

Sardines n Sighting Maps

It has been a fantastic sardine run this memorable 2024. And all the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. This year’s map has been viewed 185,000 times and keeps growing.

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. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado!

These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.

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 or storm warning
masterwatermen.co.za – news from deep down
brucifire.co.za –  surf and conditions reporting
fishbazaruto.com – your dreams are out there
mydofishinglures.co.za – technical  sport fishing

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Mannie Jorreiro tells all from Coffee Bay in the Deep Kei. Fishing and Surfing Report.

Mbomvu Deep Kei 11 October 2024 6am by Mannie Jorreiro

Mannie Jorreiro tells all from Coffee Bay in the Deep Kei. Fishing and Surfing Report.

Mannie Jorreiro tells all from Coffee Bay in the Deep Kei. Fishing and Surfing Report.: Welcome back To the Sardine News. We are starting today off all the way down in Coffee Bay, deep Kei. Where Pro Fishing Guide Mannie Jorreiro is on the beach every morning.

It’s so cool having a new Sardine Spy onboard! Mannie is right In the thick of it down in Coffee Bay. Mbomvu to be exact. Which is like right next door to Coffee Bay.

Mannie is a Pro Fishing Guide for the area so please consider getting in touch if you are headed to Coffee Bay or surrounds. We can arrange guided fishing trips and accommodation in the right places. Sean on +27793269671 or umzimkulu@gmail.com.

Mannie catches a lot of fish. Watch this space!

Over to Adam Kandar in Durban…

Durban

Adam greets the South Wind coming in at Durban today 7am 11 October 2024: Ok back in Durban we have a sneaky little pair of low pressures holding back the east today. Adam Kamdar is on the scene early and reports on an unruly ocean today.

But with plenty of potential for the weekend as indicators indicate low swells, low winds and sunny skies!

All you have to do is choose a beach!

Thank you Adam.

If you are not subscribed to The Sardine News on YouTube you can do so right here…

(Please be careful not to Unsubscribe, if you are already subscribed.)

Sharks Board Upside Down at Isipingo

Who needs protecting from who?

Sharks Board Capsize at Isipingo in rough seas this morning – but who was swimming anyway?

With the recent great white shark tail washing up on the rocks at St Mike’s on the KZN South Coast recently, the Kwazulu Natal Sharks Board once again put themselves under the spotlight.

And today, they capsized an expensive vessel. With five souls on board. On a day when nobody should be in or on the water.

Anybody following the Sardine Reports would know that the swell is an unruly 2m plus. The wind is ugly as hell onshore. These two factors combined means that nobody should go out there. For anything. Least of all to mesh shark nets that kill dolphins, whales and great whites. Tigers too. Turtles. Rays. This is a very long list and you can read all about it on the Sardine News.

Gallery

Scottburgh

4PM Scotties 11 Oct 24 Ocean Coming Right by Cliff Bamber Beach Report

Cliff rounds the day off very nicely indeed!

Sardines n Sighting Maps

It has been a fantastic sardine run this memorable 2024. And all the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. This year’s map has been viewed 185,000 times and keeps growing.

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. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado!

These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.

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 or storm warning
masterwatermen.co.za – news from deep down
brucifire.co.za –  surf and conditions reporting
fishbazaruto.com – your dreams are out there
mydofishinglures.co.za – technical  sport fishing

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21 July Sardine Report 2019

21 July Sardine Report 2019

It’s been another cracking sardine season for the sardine run operators down in the Transkei and Natal. These guys have encountered bait balls daily and have been getting some spectacular video material, which we will get to see soon enough.

To make sure we are on top of things, we headed south on sardine patrol, and have the following to report.

July Sardine Report 2019

Port St Johns

Arriving in Port St Johns, we could already feel the buzz. The Umzimvubu was looking delightfully clean and there were boats everywhere. Anglers anchored in the channels, we saw one guy boat a 12kg class Garrick and a little Kob. Sardine safari boats moored at the line of jetties, all prepared for the mornings adventures.

We visited Offshore Africa down on the river, who run sardine run trips for two months through the season. Rob Nettleton and Debbie Smith (The Shark Lady), the operators, live in Port St. Johns and are consummate professionals in what they do. They chuck you right in with the sardines and sharks!

Chatting to Richie O’Connell who leads one of the boats, “You don’t even need a baitball to find and swim with sharks. They’re everywhere!”.

Rob showed me some of this year’s footage, the cameras are dressed up with much better and wider lenses making it possible to really capture all that is going on down there. Stay posted for this material when it comes out, it is truly work of underwater art.

Through the three days we spent scouring the views around Port St. Johns, we saw lots birds running south still. Some just sitting on the water too full to fly. And the odd dive bomber as sporadic shoals moved through under the surface. But the sardine spotters travelled north and south and every day out they have jumped in with sardines. Rob was on day 33!

Mpande

Great views and nice swells greeted us here. But again, we never saw any real hot action from the shore. Lots of birds. Oil slicks from previous sorties. Crystal clear water. Very fishy looking.

21 July Sardine Report 2019
21 July Sardine Report 2019

Coffee Bay

We stayed at the pretty Coffee Shack where they installed us in the King’s House. A delightful cottage overlooking the entire bay flanked by the Sugarloaf and the Mbomvu point. Four delicious shad for breakfast.

The action was absolutely wild!

Shoals of sardines were being driven to the surface. Mainly it was dolphins but we also saw sharks breaching and some outsized yellowfin tuna. The gannets were raining down like bombs. And this was just the first shoal. They just kept coming through sporadically throughout the entire day. The huge waves, well ok 2 to 3m, were kind of keeping the action on the backline and only one occasion did they come right into the white water where they were obliterated.

Mdumbi

When we came over the hill, the vista was unexpected. Waves were reeling down the point, the sand was connecting across the entire bay! There were a bunch of guys on it but the waves were plentiful and everyone was mellow.

There were birds diving and some dolphins were hunting but the water never smelled fishy and the surf continued even better the next day. When a fabulous Berg wind kicked mid-morning and painted the prettiest surfing picture I have seen for a while. Then the huge west that is currently blowing a gale at about 40 knots hit hard and so we moved on to the other side of the river to Freedom O’ Clock to catch up a bit.

And we got to throw a little video together quick…

Get in touch via umzimkulu@gmail.com if you would like to join us for The Sardine Run next year.

Catch us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/thesardine.co.za/

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