I know I said I was going to do the sardine run slide show, but that will be for another time as the week was consumed by many other conservation demands. So instead I am sharing yet another dive at my favorite local site with the broadnose sevengill sharks in False Bay, which I did today. It was touch and go whether I would join Jacques de Vos, top underwater photographer who has the best images of cowsharks I've seen. A storm kept me awake last night bringing with it the much needed north-westerly winds so we were almost guaranteed of clean water, but that the sun was hiding, and one really does need it for the best lighting to filter through the tall kelp fronds, tempted me to cancel.

But once a bit of blue sky threatened I put my kit together, drove all the way past Simonstown to the site, unpacked to prepare for a shore entry only to realise I had left my weightbelt behind! I blame the storm and lack of sleep...then drove all the way back to fetch a belt from Pisces Divers leaving Jacques to patiently wait. Tell me of any avid diver who hasn't at one point or another forgotten something for a dive and I will tell you they're talking shark!

Jacques humoured my lack of organisation and soon enough we were in the most pristine of conditions with viz according to Jacques, who has dived the site countless times, he has only seen that good a few times before. Beneath the surface our kelp forests never cease to amaze me, the beauty, diversity, and endemic species add up to making it some of the best diving in South Africa, once you get over the cold that is. And the big bonus is of course the potential of good conditions such as we had today to view the prehistoric looking cowsharks weaving through the long fronds, coming curiously close to one, unperturbed by divers.

The cowsharks have been in the bay for as long as I can remember, the first person to tell me about them was famous underwater cameraman, Charles Maxwell, who has been filming them for years and with whom I have worked with on many occasions, in particular on our shark releases. The site only became really popular amongst recreational divers a few years ago. Winter is the best time of the year for this site and I am making the most of the conditions for the rest of the season to fulfil part of the photographic mission I am on. Mike Nortje of Pisces Divers is the operator to book this special dive with. As for me, I'll be back in the water with the cowsharks next week...  

Thanks to Jacques and Pisces Divers, as well as to Brightweights for keeping me down, and Reef Wetsuits for keeping me warm.

Watch my space...

“Ok, on the count of 3: 1, 2, 3!!” shouts our skipper, Grant. We hit the surface, grab our cameras and prepare to descend as fast as possible. My heart is pounding; I’m nervous, anxious with anticipation. I’ve read a lot about the run and this is my first time in the middle of the feeding frenzy. The surface of the water is boiling with activity, everywhere common dolphins are breaking the surface, and then disappearing again, gannets are popping up from the depths while others are plunging at a phenomenal speed into the ocean like kamikaze pilots. I look overhead, it’s raining birds.

Beneath the surface the viz is poor, 4 metres max, which doesn’t help calm the adrenaline rushing through my heart. I follow the dive guide, Franseau Le Roux’s yellow fins to the small bait ball. It’s manic down here, the silence I’m familiar with underwater is filled with the high pitch sounds of the dolphins, and overhead countless explosions are going off, it’s the gannets breaking the surface, defying Nature as they fly through the water down to 8 metres to snatch up a sardine before heading back up again. Dolphins are speeding past me from all directions; they corral the sardines, driving them to the surface. I’m surrounded by predators who are ignoring each other, focused solely on the helpless little sardines that are instinctively glued to each other in a defensive baitball formation, which is shattered repeatedly by predators feeding on them. They sway and flow, forming and reforming, like visual music. I’m feeling somewhat like a sardine myself, vulnerable, especially when the sharks suddenly appear out of the poor viz, coming way too close for comfort causing me to squeal through my DV despite knowing they've only one thing on their minds, sardines! I fire a few shots but there’s just too much to take in for a first timer. I’m privileged to be part of one of Nature’s most magnificent phenomena, a dramatic underwater performance, the great dance of the sardine run.  And then all too soon the ball is gone and so have all the predators. Everything is quiet and still, as though it was all an illusion.

This was my introduction to the sardine run, and the squealing through my DV, which was heard by dive buddies, reason for my Shark Warrior nickname to be humorously questioned. But that brief experience was all I needed, I was hooked and wanting more of the same, much more. It was my third attempt of the sardine run. The previous two, spaced by 5 years, were totally uneventful due to timing and conditions - I never saw a single sardine. This third time lucky I had joined Walter Bernardis of African Watersports, who has been leading sardine run expeditions for over 10 years and definitely runs one of the most professional operations around. I also joined good friend and famous underwater photographer, Michael Aw, who has been diving the run for six years in a row with Walter.

That the run is referred to as the Greatest Shoal and Show on Earth, rivaling the wildebeest migration, is for good reason, it is the greatest gathering of predators known. Over 20 000 common dolphins, 2000 bottlenose dolphins, thousands of sharks: bronze whaler sharks, dusky sharks, blacktip sharks, spinner sharks, zambezi sharks, even the odd raggie; various game fish, seals and birds such as the Cape gannet, cormorants, terns, including the Brydes whale who can swallow 10 000 fish in a single mouthful, all feast on the sardines. The run occurs during May to late July each year when a current of cold water heads north from the Agulhas Bank up to Mozambique, and still further east into the Indian Ocean bringing with it the sardines.

That small little bait ball I first experienced was my initiation for greater things to come which they certainly did with a 10m x 10m bait ball, which we hopped on early morning, and which was still going off till after sunset. Having sucked my air dry till literally the last breath, I was snorkeling and photographing at the surface when suddenly I heard someone yell “WHALE!!” I spun around to see a mammoth Brydes whale skimming past me, its tail propelling it, moving toward me: “This is tickets Lesley, you’re about to be whacked to oblivion by a whale’s tail!” were my thoughts as I continued to hold my trigger down, determined to go out in style with photos to prove it. The Sea Gods were with me and I live to tell the tale, fortunately not the whale tail version! And my photos? Well even with my lens set at 14mm the whale is so close, the shots reveal sections of its body and markings in detail. My only regret was that my boat took me back to shore early and I missed the opportunity to photograph the whale going through the bait ball repeatedly. Next time…

Photographically the run is a massive challenge in many respects and many of the awesome photos one sees have been a touch of luck and loads of skill and planning. Having gone with inferior strobes and arms which have since gone to the dustbin, and having no idea what to expect, I am happy with what I achieved, but hankering after the shots I missed, and the ones I never thought of focusing on at the time. But again, next time…(I will be sharing more of images next week in a slide show.)

Apart from Walters’s great sense of humor, invaluable sardine run experience, great boats, skippers, dive guides, and supporting microlight spotter, he runs his trips from the picturesque Mbotyi River Lodge, a beautiful lodge overlooking the river and bay, with great food even for vegetarians like myself.  Overall my two weeks spent on the run are filled with truly special places and moments, some a little hair-raising like when Walter and I were the last in the water on a very small ball consisting of a handful of fish, which had attracted little interest until the common dolphins arrived, along with some sharks. At that point the fish decided the best place to hide was right next to us, and though the sharks had no interest in us they had a great deal of interest in these little stragglers hanging around us. “It’s like having bits of biltong hanging off you while in a game park!” Walter exclaimed after we flew out the water to the safety of the boat, leaving the fish to their fate. Fond memories include the special moments with great people who travelled from all corners of the world to experience this magnificent spectacle, sharing stories, photos and videos in the Mbotyi pub, a good laugh and a feeling of being passionately alive. That’s what the sardine run does for one.

The sardine run is a must, but it’s not for the faint hearted nor the unfit – it’s hard work, early mornings, long days at sea on small boats, mostly rubber ducks, and in and out the water countless time. It’s also only for the experienced diver with a thirst for adventure, which it is sure to quench. As Franseau said: “ I measure my life in sardine run increments!” I relate and already planning my next trip in 2011. A big thanks to Mbotyi River Lodge and a very special thanks to Walter and Sandy Bernardis who I can’t thank enough for giving me one of the greatest gifts ever, the sardine run experience. To find out more about Walter’s trips go to African Watersports (the site is heading for a revamp soon) and book early as space is limited. Walter also does the tiger sharks and blacktips at Aliwal Shoal, which I have shared on my blog previously. Those who would like to join me next year and share the boat I am on, email me directly at lrochat@iafrica.com

While Shark Week came and went, and highly talented cartoonist Phil Watson  http://www.shaaark.com/ shark cartoons, got me laughing again when he put Shark Week right into perspective with this so true cartoon (I'm a huge fan of Phil's work!), I’ve had a crazy two weeks. I’ve gone through 2 computers: my main computer’s harddrive crashed, and then I spilt a glass of red wine right into the keyboard of my MacBook! And I burnt the kettle out while trying to make myself a cuppa tea to calm down! The good parts were the talk I gave last week with Clem Sunter, former Anglo American Chairman, and preparing for a talk I will be doing tomorrow at the first TED conference event in South Africa called TEDx, to be held in Stellenbosch.

The whole TED talks idea started in 1984 as a conference held in the USA with the aim of bringing together people from three worlds: technology, entertainment, and design but has since broadened its scope to include topics on science, business, the arts, and here’s where I come in, the global issues facing our world. Everything begins with an idea, ideas control the world but rarely are they tested openly. TED believes that for ideas to impact the world, develop into innovations, ripple through communities and spread between cities, we need to tell our stories. TED is thought of as a global community which welcomes people from every discipline and culture who have just two things in common: they seek a deeper understanding of the world, and they hope to turn that understanding into a better future for us all.

TED has now created a program called TEDx, a program of South African homegrown, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. The aim of this event, in particular after the World Cup, is to share exciting African concepts and export ideas rather than minerals and skilled workers. I am delighted to be one of 11 speakers who will each speak for 12 minutes, my topic, well you guessed, is about sharks, the title in support of my award winning campaign is ‘Rethink the shark’.  For those in and around Cape Town, why not join us tomorrow from 5pm at the Stellenbosch University. I hope to see you there, seats are going fast, entrance is free, so best you get on that email fast to find out more… http://www.tedxstellenbosch.org

JAWS portrayed white sharks as bloodthirsty killing machines with an insatiable appetite for humans and Discovery Channel continue the myth. Sharks are being given a bad wrap again when Discovery Channel ‘Sinks Teeth Into Shark Week 2010’ with a lineup of programs, many of which depict sharks as bloodthirsty man-eaters. We desperately need improved public perception to win the battle against plummeting shark populations, and irresponsible TV and media portrayal of sharks’, which perpetuates poor perceptions of them, only adds to their threat. The media have immense power to help us save our planet’s resources through responsible reporting, or not. They can choose to continue accelerating the demise of these much maligned animals, which will ultimately result in our own downfall as everything in nature is connected; or they can support us and help us save them so we might save ourselves. It is a shame on Discovery Channel to see them continuing to work against the good efforts we as shark conservationists around the globe fight so hard to achieve, changing fear and loathing of sharks to much needed understanding and admiration.

But instead of me continuing to express my utmost disdain and irritation at the shortsighted, ignorant, high ratings, big dollar driven commissioning editors, and the like, at Discovery Channel, I will leave it up to fellow conservationist and multi-award winning filmmaker and author, Chris Palmer. Chris has spent 25 years producing more than 300 hours for prime time television and the giant screen (IMAX) film industry, and if anyone's opinion should be respected it is his: "Teeth of death," "Shark feeding frenzy," "The Worst Shark Attack Ever." It is that time of year again, when the Discovery Channel brings out shows like these as part of its annual "Shark Week" programming. This week of bloody feeding frenzies and vicious shark attacks is part of a larger trend in nature programming. Instead of seeking to educate or to promote environmental conservation, these shows focus only on presenting graphic, sensationalized animal violence. Programs like those in Shark Week - while they might garner high ratings and attract advertiser dollars - all too often mislead the audience, exploit animals, and fail to promote conservation.  It is easy to understand why Shark Week or other shows like "Untamed and Uncut", "Man vs. Wild", or "When Animals Attack" would attract viewers…" Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-palmer/shark-week----education-o_b_660876.html

Photo and Copyright: Alex HoffordI know I promised to share some of my experiences and images of the sardine run but something demanding as much awareness as possible landed in my inbox this week, which I feel compelled to share with you. Before sharing this some important local news which is long overdue: last week the press revealed that Forestry and Fisheries Minister, Tina Joemat-Petterson, said she is subjecting Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) to a forensic investigation because it is "infested" with corruption. Scientists and conservationists, including AfriOceans Conservation Alliance, have for some time criticized MCM for failing to manage our fisheries. The transfer of MCM to the Forestry and Fishery department from the DEA has added to what appears to be a total breakdown of MCM. More about this later...

Back to the main topic of this blog and little background: about 5 years ago or so Alex Hofford came to see me when he was in South Africa to discuss a shark finning awareness project he was busy with. As two passionate shark conservationists, photographers, filmmakers and writers we had a lot in common and so became friends. Alex is a gifted and fearless photojournalist who now brings to public attention the shocking realities of the shark finning industry of Japan through powerful images, video footage and a hard hitting article:

"KESEN-NUMA CITY, JAPAN - It's 5am on the the north eastern tip of Japan's main island of Honshu, and 75 tons of dead shark is being meticulously arranged into a neat grid of tidy piles, of twenty sharks per pile. If you thought shark finning was exclusively a Chinese problem, think again. Welcome to Kesen-numa City, Japan's shark fin capital. Here, six days a week, small teams of Japanese workers go about the hushed business of industrial shark-finning.

Photo and copyright Alex Hofford"By 6.30am, with piles arranged, the sharks are disemboweled first. Hearts are ripped efficiently from bodies by men wearing brightly coloured rubber boots and aprons. At 7am, shark corpses are cleaned of their blood by workers wielding water hoses. And by 8am, small teams are silently moving up and down aisles and rows like robots in a Japanese car factory, quickly slicing off every dorsal, pectoral and tail fin from the lifeless, grey lumps. Big hungry black crows squawk in the shadows, looking for bloody morsels. And shark fins plop with regularity into small yellow plastic baskets. The baskets fill up fast, are then weighed, and finally carried to a nearby truck, where a man with a notepad strikes a deal. At 9.30am, it's all over for another day. Fork lift trucks scoop up tons of limbless carcasses, then dump them into a high-sided truck. The process is a brutal sight to behold, and not for the faint-hearted."

Thank you Alex for bringing this to public attention! TO READ MORE AND SEE MORE IMAGES GO TO: http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2333