Sardine Run update

Activity started to bubble the last few days. We've had awesome C. Limbatus(Blacktip) and tigers and the gannets are gathering in clouds now. Looks like a great season is building. The superpods of dolphins are already forming.

Yeehaw!

blah blah blah

shut up!!!

HOpe yer having a great time... as you can see i am jealous...

Yeh Yeh I hope it rains on ya..

It's going to be awesome .. I have got about 28 empty tins so far .. if i can get 6 sardines in each one then thats 168 sardines. Thats quite a nice selection .. I should take my camera, just to capture the moment.

From Drews phone (asked me to post):

Activity has picked south. Wetpixel group is starting next week so they should be in for some good times. Lost 2 pilots in a crash sat. Still not found. The 1st death to mar the run.

------

Drew

that makes me really want to go

More from Drew:

12 humpbacks, 3 minke whales and the usual gang of critters. Long and hard day.

From Drew:

Post thispls.

Today we had the flattest seas in a longtime. Had 6 humpbacks and large pods of bottlenose and common dolphins. Funniest thing was breaching mantas. Wetpixellian Jens kuhfs went snorkelling for them with no luck then as he looked back at the boat, We screamed at him to turn round. He turned expecting a manta but what he had was a humpback whale swimming by, brushing his head with a fin. So shocked was he. And he had a 17-35 on which at that distance wouldn't cover 1/3 the whale. Jens still hasn't calmed down.

More good stuff from Drew:

First superpod of common dolphins, about 2000 right in with 2 humpbacks. Then a whale breached about 50 times in 3 hours. Ridiculous!

shawn..... could you block calls from Drew?

I'm trying...believe me...i don't need any more reminders of the insane diving i am missing!

Shawn - how do I post via you while I'm out there? Giles and I are in Durban waiting for our pickup.

Text message me like drew to my email account! Actually don't mind...get to live vicariously. Hope you guys have a great trip and boy am I jealous. I was actually born in Durban but moved to USA when i was seven...missed all the diving!

Post from DeanB:

Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP...

Not in the least bit jealous.

But sardine runs are SOOOO last season. Have'nt you heard..

Dive safe

You lucky gits..

DeanB

More from the antagonist:

Reply 4 wetpixel

Where eric is going, his only comms is via drums, pigeon or at sea.

Dean, imax, nat geo and other film co must be all making fashion faux pas. Must be better in quarries.

We all like this one...about time things slowed down!:

Today it seemed the sea swallowed all living things. Not much activity so we came in early and went 4 a photo ops trip.

Now that I can remove Shawn from the fold:

Eric says hi. He can only connect to the world at sea for now. Will be different in 9 days. Of course he and giles bring in the rain and bad weather so I didn't launch but paid him a visit. They attempted to launch to do a check out dive?!? LOL those okes are right mad!

Well another sit down day but Eric and bunch got some nice stuff. Of course the ones without the cameras saw a bryde's whale go through a baitball. My group had some nice action including a seal in the baitball. Wetpixelians will be done June 30th when Eric, Giles and Ken will come over to join me for a week (and we're extending already!)

Eric is still being held responsible for the bad weather. PS for those emailing Eric, he's still in the boonie lands so he only checks his email at sea and when he's up in the air.

Well got rid of the final wetpixelian today so I'm going back on the hunt for the sardines.

Was offered a space on a boat on a friend's boat so I may continue the run.

For the first time, I've had a boatful of wetpixel members (the non-members failed to show up although their money did).

My first trip with Giles, Eric, Jens and Ken was fun although the action wasn't as good as last year until we left. Paul I've known for years but he still managed to surprise me. On our last day, we watched as 4k birds converged on the sardine shoal as the swells hit 6m (20ft!) and were breaking off the continental shelf.

A few notes for those who will be travelling with those "okes":

Eric: If you're over 6ft tall, try to walk on your knees otherwise he'll call you a freak. Also keep him busy or he'll pretending to be Jackie Chan(video is on the way) AKA "Ah Her"

Giles: The brits really speak with a nasal tone. He was devirginized multiple times in his first african trip but he took it well. AKA "the beautiful one"

Jens: Don't let him sing on the boat. AKA "Poenskop"

Ken: He's so quiet that you have to check if he's alive ... but try not to put babies and toddlers near him ... he spoils them. AKA "silent ice cream"

Paul: DO NOT let him near your high chair ... he'll break it and blame the skipper. AKA "chair breaker"

The trip:

We had the usual suspects and a few new things. A lot more redeye sardine (etrumeus tcres) running through this year than the previous years. Most of the action were on redeye baitballs, who don't pack as tight and use everything as cover unlike the sardinops sagax baitballs which do that thing they do with the pressure movements.

Common, bottleneck and pan tropical spotted dolphins were seen in numbers, with commons as 'common' as flies really on some days. 4 species of whale (humpback, bryde's, minke and southern right) were seen. And of course the gannets and other birds.

Ken said he'd never seen such rich seas anywhere else. But it's not for everyone and this year proved to be testing for the newbies. Well when 'Ah Her' turned up since he brought the funky weather.

I had a great time with wetpixellers this year and next year, apparently 3 more are joining me (if they have a life).