Swimming among sardines
SOUTH Africa’s four-time freediving champion Beth Neale this week swam with the greatest shoal on earth capturing incredible footage of KwaZulu-Natal’s bumper sardine run.
The African record holder for no-fins freediving, conservationist and film-maker, captured the run using a GoPro camera, drone, and Insta 360-degree camera giving an all-round view of the sardine run which will give viewers the chance to experience it from the comfort of home.
“What an incredible feeling to freedive into millions of sardines,” she said.
“I feel so fortunate, as most people only get to see the sardines as they are hauled onshore in nets, sold in crates on the roadside, or even in a can.
“Underwater, you get to see these fish in their true glory, shimmering with iridescence as they move, mesmerisingly, together as if one massive organism. Once you penetrate the top layer, they realign above you, blocking out the sun so everything goes dark. It’s quite intimidating.”
Neale dived near Scottburgh where she described one of the shoals as being 12m deep and the length of a rugby field: “I was shocked when I saw the drone footage as I had no idea how big the shoal was.”
She said alongside the masses of sardines, she experienced swimming with some of the apex predators taking advantage of the wealth of food: “There were hundreds of sharks swimming through the shoal, feeding, and they nearly bump into you as they fly by. Luckily, they only have one thing on their minds – sardine snacks.”
Neale described the experience as “a bucket list item”.
“My hope is that through my content others will be inspired to travel to our coasts and experience the beauty of our oceans,” she continued.
“As a film-maker, my mission since lockdown has been to document the impact of the pandemic on coastal communities and inspire others to get back to nature as lockdown restrictions lift.”
This year’s sardine run has been described as “one of the biggest in over a decade”, said chief executive of Ugu South Coast Tourism Phelisa Mangcu.
“As well as providing food security for so many of our local fishermen and communities, the sardine run is a phenomenal experience to witness from both the beach and within the ocean.
“We are so excited to have freediving champion Beth Neale on our shores sharing footage of this incredible oceanic migration which has become synonymous with the South Coast.”