In this underwater video, a shark (possibly a bronze whaler shark) is lazily gliding through a massive shoal of sardines. Contrary to what usually happens, this massive aggregation of sardines took place right offshore: it was located a few hundred meters from the shore, about 1,5 km long and about 17 meters deep. As the shark suddenly darts through the smaller fishes, the sardines react by clearing a path for the predator.

I was on a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) with the guide, the skipper and a few more guests (not appearing in the images). As per next video (to the uploaded today, Friday 18 August 2023), the RIB was repeatedly hit by the crazed horde of sharks providing a couple of hours of heart-stopping pleasure.

This aggregation of sardines took place off the Wild Coast of South Africa, south of Port Saint Johns. The shoal was first sighted on June 18, 2023, when this video was shot. It was remarkable for its size: according to our guide, it was the third time that something similar had been seen over the past 25 years. Just as remarkable was the absence of both (common and bottlenose) dolphins and birds (cape gannets, cormorants, terns, albatrosses). The next day was the theatre of a massive shark feeding frenzy, as per the next video (slow motion predation of a shark).

The video was shot by myself using a GoPro 7 on 4k.

The reasons why the sardines set out from the Atlantic ocean to the Indian Ocean are complex and not completely understood. The main factor seems to be the interaction between the cold Benguela current off the East Coast of South Africa and the warmer Agulhas current off its West Coast.

Brief notes about the author: born in 1970 in northern Italy, graduated in Economics in 1996, started traveling soon afterwards working onboard cruise ships (three years) and as scuba diving guides (three years off resort, three more year off scuba diving board - aka "live aboards"), among the other occupations; graduated in Interpreting and translation (English and Spanish) in 2013, set off traveling again and recording cool stuff underwater and above the water (using a small fleet of drones). Compulsive reader and amateur writer.

About my trip to the 2023 sardine run: after visiting South Africa for the first time in December 2001 while employed on a cruise ship, it took me 22 years to go back, in June and July 2023. Luckily, it was one of the best runs of the last 20 years, with plenty of sardines and the full monty of predators (sharks, dolphins, whales, birds, the occasional seal).
Next trips and footage (August and September 2023): whale sharks, mola-mola, manta rays.