Kwanele Mbatha makes a living by subsistence fishing and guiding tourists along South Africa’s Wild Coast but this fragile ecosystem faces the threat of overfishing, damage from oil and gas exploration, mining and many other human activities.
It’s one of the planet’s largest biomass aggregations…an annual migration of sardines up the coast of South Africa. Millions, if not billions, of small fish migrate up the east coast pursued by sharks, whales and dolphins. And at the very end of this chase - humans.
I was really happy with my task, staying on the surface. I truly wanted to snorkel with dolphins, but the sharks made me hesitate. Finally, Joel convinced me to join him. It was so cool to see everything from below, and I finally got to snorkel with dolphins! But it was the whales that made this day unforgettable.
In the midst of the chaos of sardines, dolphins, birds and sharks there appeared a lonesome Humpback whale. She seemed not to be concerned with the frenzy which ensued around her but rather quite intrigued by the shoal of sardines which seeked refuse under her enormous shadow.
The play unfolds right in front of my camera - my breathing rate is high. Nick and Kimmo are with me. We spread out so as not to ruin each other's shots. Nick was supposed to be our "safety diver," but we don't have time for that now. He has to film too. When the opportunity arises, we must seize it!
