sardine run avec south coast diving

Located in Shelly Beach, South Africa, ProDive has established itself as a specialist operator for the annual Sardine Run. With over 25 years of experience in these waters, the centre focuses on providing eco-friendly excursions to witness one of the ocean's most intense seasonal migrations.

The operation is built around the unique requirements of the Sardine Run, where the ability to locate bait balls quickly is essential. To facilitate this, the centre employs a dedicated team of aerial, land, and marine spotters to ensure you are always positioned in the right place at the right time.

As a PADI 5 Star dive centre, ProDive maintains high professional standards, backed by SATSA membership and SAMSA certified vessels. The team is led by seasoned PADI Certified skippers who bring decades of local knowledge to every trip, ensuring safe navigation through the unpredictable conditions of the South Coast.

Your dive guides are qualified PADI professionals experienced in managing the dynamic environments encountered during the run. The centre focuses on a high level of service, providing doorstep transfers and ensuring that all equipment is well-maintained for every diver.

For those looking to start their journey, ProDive offers PADI Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver courses. The centre is well-equipped to handle training needs alongside its specialised expedition programmes.

The centre operates custom-built semi-rigid RIBs designed specifically for the rigours of the Sardine Run. These vessels are limited to a maximum of 8 divers, ensuring a more personal experience and better manoeuvrability when following moving schools of fish.

On board, you will find wrap-around seating to maximise space and a specially designed camera table for underwater photographers. The boats are powered by twin 140cc four-stroke engines, which are designed for low fuel consumption to minimise environmental impact. For your comfort and safety, the boats are equipped with seating, ladders, lunch facilities, and oxygen.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit for those not travelling with their own equipment. This includes BCDs, regulators, dive computers, wetsuits with hoodies, fins, booties, masks, snorkels, and SMBs. They utilise 15L cylinders for diving.

Safety is a priority on shore, with oxygen available on-site and on all vessels. The centre also provides daily dry wetsuits to ensure you are prepared for the morning departures.

The Sardine Run, occurring from mid-June to the end of July, is the primary draw for visitors. During this window, the migration brings immense activity to the surface and throughout the water column, attracting a vast array of predators and pelagics.

You can expect to encounter a high concentration of sharks, including Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier), and Oceanic Black Tip sharks. Ragged-tooth sharks and various species of reef sharks are also frequently seen during these intense feeding events.

Large pelagics are a regular presence, including Humpback whales, Bryde's whales, and dwarf minke whales. You may also spot dolphins (Delphinidae), various species of sea turtles, and large numbers of gannets and seabirds following the action.

Beyond the seasonal rush, the area is home to a diverse range of marine life including game fish, tuna, and various species of sharks. The ecosystem supports a wide variety of life that remains a constant interest for divers and nature lovers alike.

The sea conditions in this region can vary dramatically, ranging from flat, mirror-like surfaces to choppy seas and significant swells. This unpredictability is a key factor to consider when planning your trip.

Visibility is highly variable depending on the activity of the bait balls and the presence of plankton, typically ranging from 2 metres to 30 metres.