It is billed as the greatest natural predatory show on earth and from these stunning images it is easy to why.

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Encompassing diving gannets, sharks, dolphins and Brydes Whales this is the increasingly rare and unpredictable sardine run.

Underwater photographer Jason Heller travelled to the wild coast of South Africa this July to capture the unique predatory extravaganza.

Amazingly for Jason, who has been involved in underwater photography since 2001, this was his first experience of the feeding frenzy.

“It was something I have wanted to do for several years,” says 35-year-old from New York.

“It is the largest predatory event on earth, yet scientists know very little about it and its simply unpredictable.

“Apparently the wildlife gods were smiling on me because during the limited five days on the water, we had four days of some of the most intense action of the season and possibly even the last few years.”

Likened to east Africa’s buffalo migration, the ‘run’ sees sardines spawn and migrate from the cool waters of the Agulhas Bank, south of South Africa, northward to the warmer waters along the east coast.

Shoals are known to be four miles long and one mile wide, and are clearly visible from the surface of the ocean.

Harried by packs of predators and swept in by the action of the waves, the sardine shoals are penned close to the shore.

Working together, up to 1,000 common dolphins arrive from the open ocean to drive the shoal towards the surface.

Protecting themselves from this onslaught the sardines form into giant balls called ‘bait balls’ which can measure as large as 65 feet, or 20 metres, in diameter.

Thanks to the dolphins the sardines come within the diving range of the gannets who swoop into the water like white arrows shooting into the sea leaving hundreds of white bubbles behind them.

Next to join the frenzy are the sharks who get very excited when the dolphins are around.

For Jason, who has led underwater expeditions from the Caribbean to the Galapagos Archipelago and Southeast Asia, the 2009 Sardine Run was simply indescribable.
“The entire experience of being amid this predatory event was humbling and moving,” he describes.

“There was an energy and an excitement level underwater that is simply indescribable. Before you even get into the water you can feel it.

“We look for Cape Gannets dive bombing a concentrated area from the sky. Once in the water, you can feel the reverberation of the birds hitting the water , like small explosions constantly around you. There is a constant chirping of dolphins from every direction.

“It was surreal.”

As the frenzy continues walls of bubbles drift upwards which are released by the dolphins working together in teams. They use the bubbles to coax the sardines into ever tighter groups.

The sardines seldom cross the wall of bubbles and crowd closer together. Known as bubble netting, this enables the dolphins to grab every last sardine.

Just when the feasting appears to be almost over Brydes Whales appears to gather up any remaining sardines.

“What seems like a frenzy is actually more like organised chaos,” says Jason.

“The sharks, dolphins, birds and whales interact with the bait ball independently of one another.

“The exception is every species’ dependency on the dolphins co-ordinated efforts to bring the sardines to the surface and create the ‘bait balls’ in the first place.

“The dolphins are the driver of the entire event, and they are omnipresent.

“While the dolphins clearly pack hunt and communicate with each other, the sharks have a clear pecking order that is understood among the seven species that hunt the sardines – size matters.

“The bigger sharks come in first, and the rest follow.”

Using micro light planes to try and spot and relay the co-ordinates of the masses of fish and dive bombing gannets.

But for three of the past five years, the cold current has not arrived, and neither have the sardines, as they are unable to tolerate water that is warmer than 20 degrees Celsius.

Jason plans to return to South Africa for the 2011 and 2012 sardine runs.

“The sardine run requires preparation, patience, focus and endurance. It is unique in every regard,” says Jason.

“The sardine run has by far been the most unique experience I have had so far.

“To swim among more predators on one dive than most scuba divers will witness in their entire lifetime is something that I am truly grateful for.”

Words by Jack Fletcher

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