点评:Experience of a lifetime. Diving/swimming the Sardine Run is a powerful, chaotic, magical, exhausting experience.
My partner and I stayed for 14 nights, with a plan to do 10 days on the water. This is the Wild Coast... so we anticipated that some days we may not be able to get out on the boat due to weather, and built in a few buffer days. It is also pretty exhausting, and some people enjoy a rest day in the middle. We definitely recommend doing this if you can. We ended up with 9 days on the water... and wow.
We experienced everything from glassy ocean and beautiful sunshine, to enormous swells with ripping wind and walls of water coming at you left and right. We found small bait balls with a few dolphins and birds hitting it from above and below. We found huge areas of scattered sardines, thousands of birds flying overhead and dolphins absolutely frenzied, too spread out to really see anything underwater. We found big bait balls with hundreds of sharks, dolphins, skipjack tuna, cape ganets and even a fur seal. We watched super pods of common and bottlenose dolphins playing all around us. We swam with humpback whales, a couple of juveniles friendly enough to play with us for a little while. We also had stretches of hours and hours with nothing to break up the rocking and rolling of the boat but hot chocolate and laughs with the group and the crew.
This is the Sardine Run. It is unpredictable. It is tough. It is cold and the days are long. It is also one of the most special displays of apex predation I've ever seen, and I feel so lucky.
If you've decided to give it a go... Offshore Africa is absolutely the company to use. We were on a boat with Rob and Ves, two legends. Rob's expert skippering guided us safely through the surf launches, and his years of experience means he is THE GUY to find the action. If there is a bait ball in reachable distance, Rob is going to find it. The red rocket prevails. And Ves, our dive guide, has so much passion for what he does. Talking about the sea life and the bird life makes the time absolutely fly by. He is a pro free diver, keenly guiding the guests safely and as unobtrusively as possible around the action. The guys are an absolute laugh, truly had such a good time chatting, learning about South Africa, the Sardine Run, and all sorts of other stuff!!
And Debbie. Running the show. Such a hardworking, lovely woman. With so many people coming and going, Debbie is always around introducing people, seeing people in and out, making sure everyone knows what is going on. I saw as Debbie helped customers navigate delayed flights, illness, sea sickness, gear issues, bad weather days... all the chaos of running an operation like this. And she is a pro. She's also warm and welcoming and makes every dinner feel like a family coming together for a chat! We were really sad to depart. When you're there as long as we were, you get into a routine and it starts to feel like a family.
Offshore also has the advantage of a spotter plane - the red Ferrari of the sky! On the off days, or in the evenings, you can fly in the extra seat in the plane (this is an extra). It's unreal and Brad is a load of fun up there! You can see the wildlife in the sea, the beautiful landscapes, and if you're lucky, Brad might do some tricks.
If you've decided to do the run... here are our tips:
1. Be a confident swimmer. You're in the open ocean, some days it's as easy as a swimming pool, and some days it is..... not. The guides do a great job helping people of all levels, but it's up to you to swim quick enough to keep up with the moving animals.
2. For the best experience, learn to free dive. I'm still working on this, but the little bit I can do gave me the best views of the action!
3. Expect a bit of turbulence. If you book for only 3 days on the water, you have to anticipate that a cold front could be coming through and it's simply not safe (or enjoyable) to be on the water. The Offshore team will try and get you out if they can, but they won't take risks. Seeing the team actually say "not today guys" made me feel safer. It's good to know there is a limit.
4. Don't expect great internet. The area is in a deep valley, and the wifi can be great, but is very in and out.
5. The days are long! Your attitude will make all the difference.
6. It can get really cold, especially in the mornings. Bring extra neoprene layers for under your wetsuit if you tend to struggle in the cold. But don't bring a dry suit... a lot of time is on snorkel, and it's just not practical (in my opinion, at least!)
7. Don't expect a lot of time on scuba. Most of the action is moving, and you need to be in and out of the boat pretty quickly to keep up with it.
8. Bring sea sickness medication. The rocking and rolling in the boat, waiting for the action to show up, will unsettle even the most iron strong of stomachs!
Enough from me. I hope this helps. While different people will always have a different experience... everyone I met was having the time of their lives.
Thank you so much to Debbie, Rob and Ves, Mark, Brad and the entire team at Offshore Africa and at the River Lodge. We will be telling our future grandkids about this adventure!!!!!!!! Epic!
翻译:一生难忘的经历。在沙丁鱼泳道上潜水/游泳是一种强大、混乱、神奇、令人筋疲力尽的体验。
我和我的伙伴在这里住了 14 个晚上,计划在水上度过 10 天。这是狂野海岸……所以我们预计有些日子我们可能会因为天气原因而无法上船,并在几天的缓冲时间内建成。这也很累,有些人喜欢中间休息一天。如果可以的话,我们绝对建议您这样做。我们最终在水上度过了 9 天……哇。
我们经历了一切,从清澈的海洋和美丽的阳光,到巨大的波浪和撕裂的风和向你左右袭来的水墙。我们发现了小诱饵球,有一些海豚和鸟类从上面和下面撞击它。我们发现大片区域散布着沙丁鱼,数以千计的鸟儿在头顶飞过,而海豚则非常疯狂,它们太分散了,根本看不到水下的任何东西。我们发现了巨大的诱饵球,里面有数百条鲨鱼、海豚、鲣鱼、海角塘鹅,甚至还有海狗。我们看到一群群普通海豚和宽吻海豚在我们周围嬉戏。我们和座头鲸一起游泳,有几只很友好的幼鲸和我们一起玩了一会儿。我们也度过了好几个小时,没有什么可以阻止船的摇晃和滚动,除了热巧克力和与团队和船员的欢笑。
这就是沙丁鱼游。这是不可预测的。它太硬。天很冷,白天也很长。这也是我见过的最特别的顶级捕食表演之一,我感到很幸运。
如果您决定尝试一下... Offshore Africa 绝对是您可以选择的公司。我们和两位传奇人物 Rob 和 Ves 一起在船上。罗布的专业船长引导我们安全地完成冲浪活动,他多年的经验意味着他是找到这个动作的人。如果在可触及的距离内有一个诱饵球,罗布就会找到它。红色火箭占上风。我们的潜水向导 Ves 对他的工作充满热情。谈论海洋生物和鸟类生活,时间过得真快。他是一名职业自由潜水员,敏锐地引导客人安全、尽可能不引人注意地进行潜水活动。这些家伙绝对是个大笑人,真的度过了一段愉快的时光,聊天,了解南非,沙丁鱼迁徙,以及各种其他东西!
还有黛比。主持节目。这样一个勤奋又可爱的女人。这么多人来来去去,黛比总是在介绍人们,目送人们进出,确保每个人都知道发生了什么事。我看到黛比帮助客户应对航班延误、疾病、晕船、装备问题、恶劣天气……运营此类业务所遇到的所有混乱。她是一名职业选手。她也很热情好客,让每次晚餐都感觉就像一家人聚在一起聊天!离开的时候我们真的很难过。当你和我们待在一起的时间一样长时,你就会养成一种习惯,感觉就像一家人一样。
离岸还拥有侦察机的优势 - 天空中的红色法拉利!在休息日或晚上,您可以乘坐飞机上的额外座位(这是额外的)。这是不真实的,布拉德在那里很有趣!你可以看到海上的野生动物,美丽的风景,如果幸运的话,布拉德可能会表演一些技巧。
如果您决定跑步...以下是我们的提示:
1. 做一名自信的游泳运动员。你在开阔的海洋中,有时就像游泳池一样容易,有时则......不是。导游在帮助各个水平的人方面做得很好,但你需要游得足够快才能跟上移动的动物。
2. 为了获得最佳体验,请学习自由潜水。我仍在努力,但我能做的一点点让我对这个动作有最好的看法!
3.预计会出现一些动荡。如果您只预订 3 天的水上活动,您就必须预料到可能会出现冷锋,而且水上活动根本不安全(或不愉快)。如果可以的话,离岸团队会尽力让你离开,但他们不会冒险。看到团队实际上说“今天不行,伙计们”让我感到更安全。很高兴知道有一个限制。
4. 不要指望有很棒的互联网。该地区位于一个深谷中,无线网络信号很好,但进进出出都非常困难。
5.日子还长着呢!你的态度将会改变一切。
6. 天气可能会变得非常冷,尤其是在早上。如果您经常在寒冷中挣扎,请在潜水服下面多带一层氯丁橡胶层。但不要带干式潜水服……很多时间都在浮潜上,而且它不实用(至少在我看来!)
7. 不要期望花很多时间在水肺潜水。大部分动作都是移动的,您需要快速进出船才能跟上。
8.带上晕船药。船里的摇晃和翻滚,等待着行动的出现,即使是最坚强的胃也会感到不安!
我受够了。我希望这有帮助。 虽然不同的人总会有不同的经历……我遇到的每个人都在度过他们生命中的时光。
非常感谢 Debbie、Rob 和 Ves、Mark、Brad 以及 Offshore Africa 和 River Lodge 的整个团队。我们将告诉我们未来的孙子们这次冒险!!!!!!!!!史诗!