Six days of captivating action, I’m caught in a swirl of amazement off the rugged east coast of South Africa.

The Sardine Run is a world class natural spectacle, a breath-taking underwater migration and feeding frenzy that takes place every year between May and July. As the billions of sardines migrate north from the Agulhas Bank to KwaZulu-Natal, they attract a plethora of marine predators, everything from dolphins and whales to sharks and seabirds. The amount of life is unbelievable.

Picture this: a panicked school of sardines swim in a tight ball, spiralling into a dynamic, dive boat sized tornado, one that twists and turns as predators attack from all sides. Having been rounded up by an enormous pod of common dolphins, they are circled around the sides by these playful creatures, emitting a cacophony of clicks as they periodically dissect the school to feed.

Taking advantage of the dolphins’ hard work, the other predators join the feast from above and below. A powerful Blue shark appears out of nowhere, a handful of rare game fish snap at stragglers from the murky depths, and gannets pelt the ball from above. Columns of bubbles pierce the surface, feathery white arrows that spear into the ball of flashing silver scales. Once underwater and unveiled from their cocoon of bubbles, these birds appear – seemingly out of the blue – looking shocked and disorientated with a fish in their beaks. They pedal around awkwardly for a moment, before floating back up to the distant surface.

Dolphins are the stars of the show here in Port St. Johns – the magic sauce that turns an ordinary school of fish into food for all, and sets the stage for a spectacle like no other on earth. A massive super-pod of well over 10 000 dolphins migrates north, splitting up and herding the fish with incredible efficiency and practiced skill. The ocean turns white and frothy, leathery fins slicing the blue surface as these cetaceans race along, leaping in and out of the water. As far as the eye can see it’s just dolphins – there isn’t an inch of space without them. They crest the swells in a cavalry-like stampede, an underwater army of skilled hunters intent on breakfast.

I was fortunate enough to spend three wonderful days with the UNESCO 1 Ocean foundation headed by Alexis Rosenfeld. An amazing experience with incredibly welcoming people. Filming nonstop, we captured breaching whales by drone, even spying a rare Minke whale with her new-born calf – a first for me.

The Wild Coast bids us farewell with the sunrise of a lifetime. As rainclouds clear, a breath-taking, magical, orange light is revealed – the perfect backdrop for a feather filled sky. Hundreds, if not thousands of birds circle above, having left the safety of their giant rafts in favour of the looming meal. Dolphins begin the hunt, swimming circles and rounding up the fish. The smell of oily baitfish fills the air, a call to predators far and wide – the signal for an action-packed day ahead.

Photos by: Michael Schorer