Sardine Run
Protected Area
Pondoland Marine Protected Area
Why dive here
With 490+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blue sharks, bull sharks, eagle rays and great white sharks - Sardine Run offers some of KwaZulu-Natal's richest diving. Water ranges 21-26°C, warmest January, February, March.
If you’re heading to KwaZulu-Natal in June or July, you're here for the Sardine Run. This isn't a traditional dive site with a fixed reef; it’s a dynamic, open-ocean pursuit. We spend our days scanning the surface for signs of activity – diving gannets or leaping common dolphins usually mean a bait ball is forming below. Once you're in, it’s a chaotic rush of sardines, all trying to escape the pushing, circling predators. We’ve been lucky enough to see dusky sharks, bottlenose dolphins, and even a Bryde’s whale or two, all feasting. It’s a proper expedition, suiting divers who love the thrill of the chase and aren't afraid of a bit of wild ocean.
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Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Sardine Run
Sardine Run Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Sardine Run, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-30.31, 30.76) (42km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
22°C
71°F · Range: 21–22.7°C
Air Temperature
20°C
68°F
Wind Speed
7.64 m/s
14.9 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1017.9 hPa
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data
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