Where are the sardines 2015?
The word in the carpark, up and down the KZN coastlines is that we should not give up hope, for a second coming, of sardines this year.
In fact, today brought with it an entirely new ocean, with lovely polished swells coming out of the south, a stiff offshore breeze, and most excitingly, birds. Gannets and terns were buzzing the bay off Port Shepstone, some deep diving going on. It was too difficult to see what exactly had the birds so piqued, but they in turn, attracted no less than 7 boats, from the Shelley Beach ski-boat competition, being run out of there, this week. Looking for a big ‘couta, or live bait, to start with…it’s been many a moon since we saw so many boats on the backline. Looked like the couta seasons back when there still were some couta left around here (they have been spotted, in numbers, in the Meditaranean, in case you were getting worried).
Environmentally we have all the right conditions forecast, to bring the sea temperature down (howling easterlies predicted for this week), and then to come through with big seas, from the south – this is the front that brings us our strongest chance of netting a few more sards.
So, later in July and early August, and sometimes they even only come through in September!?