Stunning Video Unveils Underwater Magic from Sardine Run

Photo Credit: Steve Benjamin via Facebook

Mother Nature pulled out all the stops for the incredible Sardine Run this year, and in this video, we were treated to a breathtaking underwater ballet that’s mind-blowingly real yet magical, too!

Wild Coast, South Africa (09 July 2025) – One of nature’s greatest marine marvels, the Sardine Run, has truly shown off this year, and we’re in awe!

From crowds gathering on the shores hoping to snag a few to take home to fishermen hauling nets bursting at the seams, it’s been a feverish frenzy down at KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast.

But the real magic has been taking place deep within the blue waters, where these highly sought-after silver marvels attract incredible pods of dolphins, whales, and even shivers of hungry sharks.

This breathtaking spectacle was beautifully captured in a video shared by marine enthusiast and underwater cameraman Steve Benjamin on Facebook. The stunning footage shows the magical, massive circular swirls of a school of sardines, encircled by dolphins, before a large shark swims into the group, disrupting the swirls to grab what we imagine to have been a quick lunch.

“I feel high from the sheer excitement of what we experienced today,” shared Steve after witnessing the priceless moment.

“This was one of the best days of the season, and this season is already shaping up to be something unreal,” shared Steve, who also studied Ichthyology in university.

He made the discovery after learning that Port St. Johns and areas to the north had experienced lots of mackerel activity, with intense feeding by common dolphins and gannets, and naturally, Steve couldn’t resist the urge to chase the action.

“It’s far — about 50km north of Mdumbi and an hour’s run on the boat — but this morning, despite some normal Day 1 delays, we made the call to head straight there,” Steve said.

And boy, was it worth the distance!