SMILE FM RADIO – THURSDAY 26 JUNE – JULY IS TIME TO WATCH WHALES AND THE SARDINE RUN

It’s that time of year when we witness our magnificent marine life. South Africa is a haven for those who appreciate marine life and the majestic creatures of the sea.

WHALE WATCHING
Whales can be seen along the South Africa Coast from the South of Cape Town right up to St Lucia in Northern Natal. In fact Hermanus, the coastal town just over an hour drive from Cape Town, is renowned to be the best whale watching spot in the world.

Southern Right Whales are the main species of whale visiting the shores of Hermanus although Brydes whales are found in Walker Bay all year and Humpback Whales migrate off shore of the bay during June, July and sometimes as late as August.

When aerial surveys of Walker Bay start in July every year there are about 50 whales in the bay. This increases to 200 at peak whale watching season in September and October. The 2011 total population of whales in our waters is estimated at about 3500

Studies indicate that the Southern Right whale population was reduced to no more than 10 – 40 adult females when commercial whaling was stopped off our shores in 1935. At the time, the old whaling station in Durban, the ruins of which can still be visited on the Durban Bluff, was the largest land-based whaling operation in the world.

“THE GREATEST SHOAL ON EARTH”

Every June/July, the annual sardine run begins. The shoals make their way up the east coastline and everyone waits in anticipation for what is known as “The Greatest Shoal on Earth”

This event is a spectacle of millions of sardines, followed by over 100 000 cape gannets, 23 000 dolphins and thousands of sharks.

Each year during May through July, a cold northerly current causes millions of sardines to gather in shoals and move north. Visible by satellite, the shoals, measuring more than 7 km long, 1.5 km wide and 30 m deep, run up the coast from the Agulhas Bank towards Mozambique, a distance of more than 1 000 km.

Inexplicably leaving the nutrient-rich feeding grounds of the Cape for emptier sub-tropical climes, the silvery, swirling swarm becomes fodder for those higher up the food chain. Pursued relentlessly by thousands upon thousands of dolphins, sharks, seals, whales and gannets it is these creatures’ feeding frenzy that spawns the greatest faunal event on earth. As many as 23 000 bottlenose and common dolphins expertly herd the sardines towards shallow waters where the little fish form massive, heaving bait balls measuring up to 20 m in diameter. Super-pods of dolphins, whales and sharks sweep through the balls, gorging on massive mouthfuls of fish while voracious seabirds plummet from the skies above like fighter planes, scooping out their victims with ease. Almost as soon as it’s begun, it’s all over and the sea becomes calm and seemingly lifeless once again.

This post was shared this the on SMILE 90.4fm Thursday breakfast show with Bobby Brown and Tracey Lange. For more weekly Awesome discussion tune into SMILE 90.4 fm every Thursday morning at 7.10am. or listen live via live streaming.