South Africa
Best Time to Dive in Sardine Run
31.65°S 29.60°E
Closed August to May. Go June to July for the bait balls, and the dolphins, Bryde's whales and bronze whalers working them. 97% of days see seas over 1.5 m then — July is calmer, but the animals have gone.
- Best time
- Jun–Jul
- Water
- 21–26 °C
- Visibility
- 5–20 m
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.6–1.8 m
- Species logged
- 4
Worth knowing: 97% of days see seas over 1.5 m.
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Sardine Run — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Excellent | Poor | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Water temp (°C) | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Visibility (m) | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 10–20 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 10–20 | 5–15 |
| Marine life | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Peak | Peak | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Best time | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Jun–Jul
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Sardine Run diving season
June to July · Shoulder season
2 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 22–22 °C
- Visibility
- 5–15 m
- Rain
- 4 days a month
Diving conditionsSwell is common, and crossings can be rough. It rains less. The wind eases.
August to May · Closed
10 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
The site is closed to diving in these months.
- Spring tides run 1.8 m against 0.6 m on neaps, so currents build around the full and new moon.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Sardine Run water temperature and weather
237 underwater observation records · 17 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Sardine Run water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
29
rough days a month
Seas top 1.5 m on 98% of days. Enough to cancel a day boat
0
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
10
wet days a month
3 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.9 m | 0% | 14 | 4 | 27 °C | 13.9 h |
| February | 3.1 m | 0% | 14 | 4 | 27 °C | 13.1 h |
| March | 3.2 m | 0% | 12 | 3 | 26 °C | 12.2 h |
| April | 3.6 m | 0% | 12 | 4 | 25 °C | 11.2 h |
| May | 3.9 m | 0% | 5 | 1 | 24 °C | 10.4 h |
| June | 4.2 m | 1% | 4 | 1 | 22 °C | 9.9 h |
| July | 4.0 m | 0% | 4 | 0 | 22 °C | 10.1 h |
| August | 4.6 m | 2% | 6 | 1 | 22 °C | 10.8 h |
| September | 4.3 m | 1% | 10 | 2 | 22 °C | 11.8 h |
| October | 3.6 m | 0% | 12 | 3 | 23 °C | 12.8 h |
| November | 3.1 m | 2% | 14 | 3 | 24 °C | 13.6 h |
| December | 3.0 m | 1% | 16 | 3 | 25 °C | 14.1 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Poor | February week 1: Poor | March week 1: Poor | April week 1: Poor | May week 1: Poor | June week 1: Excellent | July week 1: Poor | August week 1: Poor | September week 1: Poor | October week 1: Poor | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Poor | February week 2: Poor | March week 2: Poor | April week 2: Poor | May week 2: Poor | June week 2: Excellent | July week 2: Poor | August week 2: Poor | September week 2: Poor | October week 2: Poor | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Poor |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Poor | February week 3: Poor | March week 3: Poor | April week 3: Poor | May week 3: Poor | June week 3: Good | July week 3: Moderate | August week 3: Poor | September week 3: Poor | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Poor |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Poor | February week 4: Poor | March week 4: Poor | April week 4: Poor | May week 4: Poor | June week 4: Good | July week 4: Moderate | August week 4: Poor | September week 4: Poor | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Poor | December week 4: Poor |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: second of June
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 25 °C | 2.7 m | 22 km/h | 50% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 25 °C | 2.9 m | 22 km/h | 50% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 25 °C | 2.9 m | 22 km/h | 45% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 26 °C | 2.9 m | 22 km/h | 41% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 26 °C | 2.8 m | 22 km/h | 44% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 26 °C | 3.1 m | 22 km/h | 50% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 26 °C | 3.2 m | 22 km/h | 51% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 26 °C | 3.2 m | 22 km/h | 42% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 26 °C | 2.9 m | 21 km/h | 38% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 26 °C | 3.0 m | 21 km/h | 44% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 26 °C | 3.3 m | 21 km/h | 40% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 26 °C | 3.3 m | 20 km/h | 35% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 25 °C | 3.6 m | 20 km/h | 40% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 25 °C | 4.0 m | 19 km/h | 40% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 25 °C | 3.7 m | 19 km/h | 36% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 24 °C | 3.0 m | 19 km/h | 32% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 24 °C | 3.0 m | 19 km/h | 24% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 24 °C | 3.5 m | 18 km/h | 19% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 24 °C | 4.1 m | 17 km/h | 14% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 23 °C | 4.3 m | 18 km/h | 14% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 23 °C | 4.5 m | 19 km/h | 17% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 23 °C | 4.3 m | 19 km/h | 14% |
| Week 3 | Good | 22 °C | 4.2 m | 19 km/h | 9% |
| Week 4 | Good | 22 °C | 3.9 m | 19 km/h | 8% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 22 °C | 3.8 m | 19 km/h | 10% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 22 °C | 4.0 m | 19 km/h | 14% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 21 °C | 3.7 m | 19 km/h | 14% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 21 °C | 4.2 m | 20 km/h | 13% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 21 °C | 4.4 m | 20 km/h | 15% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 21 °C | 4.2 m | 20 km/h | 19% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 21 °C | 4.6 m | 21 km/h | 18% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 21 °C | 4.7 m | 21 km/h | 18% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 21 °C | 4.0 m | 20 km/h | 25% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 21 °C | 4.3 m | 20 km/h | 32% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 21 °C | 5.0 m | 21 km/h | 36% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 21 °C | 4.4 m | 22 km/h | 35% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 22 °C | 3.8 m | 24 km/h | 34% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 22 °C | 3.7 m | 24 km/h | 36% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 22 °C | 3.7 m | 24 km/h | 38% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 22 °C | 3.5 m | 23 km/h | 38% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 22 °C | 3.4 m | 23 km/h | 42% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 23 °C | 3.0 m | 23 km/h | 47% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 23 °C | 3.0 m | 22 km/h | 49% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 23 °C | 3.0 m | 22 km/h | 48% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 24 °C | 2.9 m | 22 km/h | 50% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 24 °C | 3.2 m | 23 km/h | 52% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 24 °C | 3.1 m | 23 km/h | 50% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 24 °C | 2.8 m | 23 km/h | 51% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: 3 mm | February: 3 mm | March: 3 mm | April: 3 mm | May: 5 mm | June: 5 mm | July: 5 mm | August: 5 mm + | September: 5 mm + | October: 5 mm | November: 5 mm | December: 5 mm |
- Jan–Apr3 mm full suit
- May–Jul5 mm full suit
- Aug–Sep5 mm with hood and gloves
- Oct–Dec5 mm full suit
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 1.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
1 of the last 30 Aprils saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. April is the only month with a recorded pass.
Share of the last 30 years with a storm that month.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
Sardine Run marine life — what you'll see diving
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humpback whale | Jun–Jul | Near-guaranteed | 75 | ||
| Tiger shark | All year | Likely | 91 | ||
| Bull shark | Feb–Apr | Likely | 38 | ||
| Common dolphin | Jun | Likely | 18 |
Peak Present
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving Sardine Run — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Sardine Run?
- Closed August to May. Go June to July for the bait balls, and the dolphins, Bryde's whales and bronze whalers working them. 97% of days see seas over 1.5 m then — July is calmer, but the animals have gone.
- When is the diving season in Sardine Run?
- Conditions are good July, but most divers come June to July for the marine life.
- Is the diving in Sardine Run good for beginners?
- It is better with some experience. It suits Advanced Open Water divers or equivalent, so newer divers should ask the local operator which sites fit their level.
- How warm is the water in Sardine Run?
- Between 21 and 26 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in August and warmest in February. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Sardine Run?
- A 5 mm with hood and gloves covers the coldest water of the year. In the warmest months a 3 mm full suit is enough.
- What is the visibility like in Sardine Run?
- Roughly 5 to 20 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving Sardine Run?
- The most consistently recorded species are Humpback whale (near-guaranteed), Tiger shark (likely) and Bull shark (likely), from 237 records within 60 km.
- Does Sardine Run get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Apr, most often in April at 1 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Sardine Run?
- The tide rises and falls 1.8 m around the full and new moon, against 0.6 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Sardine Run?
- The site is closed Aug–May. July–May are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Sardine Run?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Jul.