Chasing the Sardine Run Underwater in South Africa [VIDEO]

Featuring Jacques de Vos

Every year billions of sardines spawn in the cool waters off the coast of South Africa, attracting an incredible diversity of life including dolphins, whales, sharks, and birds. Ikelite Head Video Producer Logan Wood traveled to South Africa to link up with Ambassador Jacques de Vos and witness the spectacular chaos of the Sardine Run.

The Sardine Run is an incredible natural event. As cool water is trapped and moves in pockets along the South African coast, sardines move with it. By the end of what is the Sardine Run, every single sardine which is trapped in that migration will perish. It has become something which I'm super excited about throughout the run of the year. It's amazing light, it’s not that cold, it’s just great conditions to be in the water.

"It's the uncertainty, but the excitement of what it is that you might find, it's nothing quite like it."

Surf Launch

We enter the water using something called a surf launch. And the reason we do that here is there is no slips, and there's no easy way to actually just slide the boat into the water.

So what we need to do is we need to position the boat on the beach, pretty much just dumping the boat in very shallow water, and as soon as that's done everyone who's on the boat jumps in to try and help turn the boat against the oncoming waves and then we all start walking the boat out into the waves. One by one, the captain will actually tell everyone to just jump in and get ready, strap our footstraps in, just hold on, and the captain will navigate through the waves to try and get behind the break line.

Some days it can be very easy, where it's just a few hops and you're over. And on bigger days, you might actually have to do a few turns, avoid some waves, and time it to actually get over the crests.

The Search Begins

From the moment we set out, we start looking for things, and it can be anything. We usually start by just observing the movement of the Gannets, and you're hoping to find what is a bait ball. On these balls, you can get common dolphins, but then you can get different species of sharks, Bronze Whalers, Dusky, and of course at the same time, you have the Gannets raining down on it.

It's super intense. At any point, you just feel like, you know, it's not overwhelming, but it's just you cannot quite keep track of everything that's happening. You just try and get as many shots in as you can, and you're over in a heartbeat, and you're back on the boat, and you're going again. The day can just keep going like that. And yeah, it can be very tiring, but it's just amazing.

Of course, you have quieter days where you might just be looking all day. But even on the quieter days here on the wild coast you will find Bottlenose Dolphins or you'll find migrating Humpback Whales just coming around to check you out. It's always something. So yes, it's the uncertainty, but the excitement of what it is that you might find, it's nothing quite like it.

"Even on the quieter days here on the wild coast you will find Bottlenose Dolphins or you'll find migrating Humpback Whales just coming around to check you out. It's always something."

Additional Viewing

Photographing Dolphins on a Sardine Run with Jacques de Vos [VIDEO]

Diving the Cape Peninsula // South Africa Underwater [VIDEO]

My Arctic Ikelite System // Jacques de Vos' Underwater Housing Gear [VIDEO]

Color Grading // Adding Warmth to an Underwater Video [VIDEO]

Setting the Right Frame Rate and Shutter Speed for Your Underwater Footage [VIDEO]

Ambassador Jacques de Vos  started out shooting photos and video underwater on his days off as an engineer in the oilfield services. After progressing through scuba instructor and commercial diver certifications, he took up free diving. Before long, Jacques gave up both engineering and compressed air to become a full time photographer, videographer, and free diving instructor. Completely self-taught, Jacques has won several prestigious international UW photography awards; his photography has been published worldwide in several books and publications, and he now also works as a camera operator on projects for companies like the BBC and Red Bull.  Jacques now spends several months a year free diving with Orcas in Norway and travels the world the rest of the time. Read more...

Logan Wood is a published photographer, cinematographer, and Producer at Ikelite. Stemming from a great appreciation for the outdoors and living an active lifestyle, his work focuses on capturing and sharing the natural world through the latest technologies. When not in the studio, Logan can be found cruising on his bike, going to concerts, and researching where to go next. You can see more of his work at loganwood.net and on Instagram @jlowood

Additional footage courtesy of: Jacques de Vos, Mark Gambol, Aimee Bonnain