The Sardine Run, South Africa

Fancy your chances?

Editor of SCUBA magazine, Simon Rogerson, travelled with us on an extraordinary trip to South Africa with a quest to witness the famous annual ‘Sardine Run’.

It was my third day out on the inflatable. We’d been covering up to 50 miles a day, scouring South Africa’s wild coast for the elusive baitballs that attract a parade of predators in midJuly. There was no shortage of action – bottlenose and common dolphins, several humpbacks and one southern right whale – but the famous schools were proving hard to pin down. There had been a few tantalising moments when we got close – on day one, a Bryde’s whale burst though the swell and devoured a school in a single gulp. The baitball was, briefly, an awesome thing to see. So there I was, feeling sweaty in my 7mm wetsuit … and then everything changed. John, the driver, received a tip-off and all of a sudden we were on the move. Whatever had been spotted was a) out of the ordinary and b) not likely to hang around. The unmistakable sight of black and white shapes breaking the surface meant only one thing – a pod of orcas. The skipper sized up their behaviour and said: ‘We’re going to motor ahead of them and drop you in the water.’ It was too good an opportunity to pass up. Behind my mask I felt unnaturally calm, almost as if I was somewhere else watching it happen. I finned away from the wash of the boat’s engines and looked down at shafts of sunlight cutting through the water. A dark shape broke the surface, maybe 15 metres away. Where before I was sunburned and sluggish, I was now coursing with adrenaline and completely in the moment.

I lifted the camera to my eyes and somehow the autofocus managed to lock on to this astonishing, perfect animal as she swam towards me. There was no fear. I remember thinking: ‘Oh! She’s just a big dolphin’, as the orca approached and dived, looking up at me

Orca and other images by Simon Rogerson

as I froze mid-water. For this fleeting encounter with the ocean’s alpha predator, I will always be grateful.

I had five days on the Sardine Run and saw truly amazing things, including sharks and dolphins feeding on an anchovy shoal. Friends on different boats got in the water with right whales and humpbacks. You never know what you’re going to see, and you have to be prepared for long periods of quiet, punctuated by moments of frenzied action. But when the Sardine Run delivers, be ready to reap the rewards.

Sardine Run Adventure

Each year, around June, one of the most amazing spectacles in the animal kingdom takes place off the KwaZulu Natal coastline. Witness the ‘Greatest Shoal on Earth’ as millions of sardines migrate along South Africa’s eastern coastline. Dive and snorkel with thousands of dolphins, seals, sharks, whales, and even birds.

10 days from £3,095 Jun-Jul

For full details about our dive holidays in South Africa contact our expert team.

Thank you for the incredible support you have given us over the last two years – it has been amazing. As the world has gradually opened up it has been wonderful to get you back in the water and travelling again. We continue to expand our range of holidays and on our ‘What’s Bubbling’ feature overleaf you will find details of the latest new trips, liveaboards and resorts which we have recently added to our portfolio. Due to popular demand we have also expanded our collection of small group trips, and are delighted to launch a unique Whale Shark Extravaganza to the Maldives, led by whale shark expert Chloe Winn and a Manta Ray Extravaganza with conservationist and expert photographer Danny Copeland – see page 7 for all our small group holidays. In this issue, Manager Phil North describes diving on Papua New Guinea’s ‘jaw-dropping’ reefs. Travel Consultant, Cath Bates reports on the best resorts for accessible diving and Jobi Chan, who recently joined the team, shares her remarkable encounters with whale sharks in the Maldives.

We hope our seasonal brochure gives you plenty of inspiration and we look forward to chatting to you about your next diving holiday! Dive Worldwide Team

Contents

The Sardine Run, South Africa What’s Bubbling – All New! The Secrets of St Helena Small Group Diving Adventures 7

Big Fish Encounters, Maldives Dazzling Papua New Guinea

8 9 A Guide to Accessible Holidays 10-11 Remarkable Liveaboard Journeys 12-13 Seasonal Underwater Escapes 14-17 Discover the Coral Triangle 18-19 Holidays For Single Divers 20-21 Diving into Conservation 22-23 Spotlight on the Maldives 24

Our Diving Holidays

We offer exceptional tailor-made and small group liveaboard and resort-based dive holidays, in over 200 destinations worldwide. Our holidays cater for beginners and experienced divers, specific interests such as muck, wreck, technical, underwater photography or particular marine life such as sharks and rays. With over 20 years’ experience, our friendly Dive team includes highly experienced divers who take pleasure in hand-picking the best diving and snorkelling experiences for you!