AFTER a morning of sardine spotting from Winklespruit to Warner Beach, it was profoundly satisfying to happen upon a shoal that was netted and brought to shore just north of Amanzimtoti main beach about an hour ago.
SEE PHOTOS HERE: Sardine run 2017 in Toti
WATCH THIS VIDEO sent in by Wayne Easton:
https://www.facebook.com/wayne.easton.5/videos/1458608820872841/
Some 300 crates were netted, with the current price per crate at the R600 mark, according to the skipper who was marshalling the public while his team cleared the huge seine net of its contents.
The beach was abuzz as the public swarmed to try and catch their share of the silvery sards. A tug o war played out as the tide pulsed, making it difficult for the teams emptying the nets crate by crate. On several occasions, they were forced to swat away the hands of the eager public who insisted on making their move as the tide pushed the men and their net around.
Former Amanzimtoti policeman, Chris Hitchcock who was standing one side, commented on the melee: “It’s actually wrong – the seine netters are by law, supposed to give 10% to the public. Then you won’t have this situation where the people are crowding, making the netters’ lives difficult.”
Further up the beach behind the stacked crates of fresh fish, the fishermen stood negotiating their transactions.
Margaret Labuschagne, one of the first members of the public to see the boat make shore, was delighted to make her first-ever catch. Clearly enamoured with her luck, she told the Sun how she plucked a silvery fish from the waves while she watched the men pull the net to shore. “They were singing ‘Shosholoza’ while they pulled it in. It was awesome to watch.”
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
This supposedly annual but ever diminishing experience is truly something to behold – from the ‘shoals’of people on the beach to the seagulls dive-bombing the waves to catch their elusive prey, it is a privilege to witness the beach come alive as the sardine run comes to town.
DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 694 6047
The South Coast Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?
Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)
