Moonlight Meander is a guided night tour of the marine ecology of the tidal pools of Garden Route
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One of the species that frequent at Gericke's Point.
While we don't usually see them on the Moonlight Meander, it is wonderful to see them in action.
Swimming with sharks is always both thrilling and educational. On a recent dive, I was fortunate enough to encounter a Leopard Catshark. From its swim patter...
A short clip of a baby octopus grabbing a crushed mussel and dragging it to its lair.
A regular crowd pleaser on every Moonlight Meander night tour is a sighting of a Common Octopus.
This months full moon Moonlight Meander had its own bouquet of spectacular sights.
The swarm of Sand Shrimp hanging around in high density and the baby Common Octopus grabbing a crushed mussel were definitely crowd pleasers.
There was even a hunt of bioluminescence moments before the moonrise.
while watching a Common Octopus under an overhang in a rock pool at Gericke's Point, a second octopus bolted from a lair, engaged with the first octopus, and...
Snorkeling over the intertidal shelf during the neap high tides is a perfect shallow water dive with some wonderful sightings.
While everything, from ploughshells devouring blue bottles, crabs scuttling across rocks and Nudibranchs gliding over algae, is exciting to see on the Moonlight Meander, without a doubt, the sighting of an octopus is a universal highlight for our guests.
Watching them hunt in the rock pools, investigating the crevices for prey, or pouncing on a scuttling crab, skin flaps between its arms flared like a throw net has everyone spellbound.
Sadly, over the past 12 months, we have seen a steady decline in octopus due to over harvesting. The legal limit for someone with a fishing permit is for 2 per person per day. Sadly, we regularly witness families on a daily outing harvesting octopus, while within their limit, in excess of what they can realistically eat.
In December 2022 we would regularly count between 30 and 40 octopus in a 3 hour period. By the end January 2023, the count dropped to between 3 and 5 octopus per three hours, testimony to the extent of the number caught during season.
Now, at the end of December 2023, we are only seeing between 5 and 8 per three hours, most of which are juveniles, an indication that the population at Gericke's Point is being over harvested and has not being allowed to recuperate.
As apex predators in the intertidal zone, particularly in rocky intertidal zones, octopus, like all other apex predators, have a vital role in maintaining marine biodiversity and productivity.
In the past months, I have constantly been asked why the Gericke's Point rock pools look 'less vibrant' than they have in the past.
The reality is a combination of factors, but one of the largest contributing factors is the small population of apex predators. Without octopus, the herbivore populations increase, devouring the algae as they do. Once over grazed, then the herbivore population crashed (top Shells, alicruekel, sea urchins and limpits). Without herbivores, the carnivore population (whelks, starfish) declines. As such, the pools lose their biodiversity and are visually degraded.
Comparative studies of adjacent intertidal zones, one within a MPA, show that there is are robust reefs with incredible biodiversity, large reef fauna and higher density.
It is time for us, locals and visitors, to realize that, yes, we are indeed having a significant impact on the biodiversity are Gericke's Point.
Fortunately marine populations have a remarkable capacity of recovery and all that is required is a period of rest, between 4 and 8 months.
In fact, a study by Dr Jan de Vynk, demonstrates that a cycle of breif harvesting followed by a rest period of 8 weeks increases the yield per hectare in the intertidal zone.
Octopus live for about 2 years. They mate when they are about 18 months, after which the male dies. The female then searches for a suitable lair for a nursery to lay her eggs.
She cares for them, constantly cleaning the eggs to remove pathogens and venting oxygenated water over them. Then, after 3 months, as the eggs start hatching, she dies. During this 3 month period,she does not eat.
She lays tens of thousands of eggs, most of which are eaten in the first few weeks after hatching.
The video below is of a female search for a nursery lair. Once in the lair, if caught by a fisherman, the eggs will mostly perish from pathogens, killing more than just one octopus.
We have had some awesome shore based in the this season.
Currently the Humpback Whales are beginning their southern migration from southern Africa to their summer feeding grounds in Antarctic waters.
Here is a mother and calf pair 'training' with breaching and tail slaps for their migration.
Humpback Whale mothers teach their calves to breech and tail slap as strength training in preparation for their migration south to Antarctic waters for their...
Yesterday, on a walk to Gericke's Point, we had sightings of three marine mammals species.
This morning, while on a walk to Gericke's Point, we were fortunate to see Cape Fur Seals, Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins and Southern Right Whales in the bay.
The third day of the Strandloper Project 2023 coastal research expedition was a blend of exquisite landscapes, incredible whale sightings, some adventure rac...
This past full moon has delivered a spectacular series of Moonlight Meanders with the highlights being the collection of special sightings and some incredible bioluminescence despite the bright moon.
The next meander will be on the 19th April. Please contact Judy on 0723906667 for enquiries and to make a booking.
Last night, as we were preparing to return to our vehicles, a young octopus emerged from its lair and headed out to hunt on the change of the tide.
Setting up against a rock, it tried to grab small fish that were dazzled by the torchlight.
During the Moonlight Meander, we found a young octopus attempting to catch small fish in an intertidal rockpool.The Moonlight Meander is a night tour explor...
One of the highlights for guests on the Moonlight Meander is finding an octopus.
The past two nights we were lucky to a large female, who looks like she will be laying eggs soon.
While she did not show the usual colour variations, she did keep us enthralled as she searched for prey on the seabed and in crevasses, chasing a few Cape Rock Crabs, though unsuccessfully.
One of the highlights of the Moonlight Meander intertidal tours near Sedgefield in the Garden Route, is to find a common octopus and watch it hunting in the ...
Update : please note that the meander on the 21st Jan is fully booked.
We will post dates for the next available meander, which will be around the 20th Feb.
Save the Date :
Mark will conduct a Moonlight Meander on the 21st January.
Time : 19h00
Meet : Swartvlei Beach parking area
Bookings essential : contact 082 213 5931 for reservations.
Cost : R200.00
Equipment required :
Shoes that you don't mind getting wet.
Torch with 3 hours battery life.
Warm top.
Some wonderful captures of incredible marine life that very few people get to see.
Our marine research at Strandloper Project affords us wonderful opportunities for marine fauna encounters. 2022 was a special year and this is a compilation ...
Another wonderful evening on the Moonlight Meander.
Another Southern ocean species has made a rare visit to the Garden Route.
Not often seen at Gericke's Point, this Belly-striped Puffer had retreated beneath an overhang on the reef.
As seasonal vagrants to the Garden Route, Belly-striped Puffers can be seen between January and April on shallow to moderate reefs.Despite their cumbersome a...
A lucky sighting of a sole on a recent Moonlight Meander. After swimming around the rock pool, it buried itself in the sand.
On the Moonlight Meander, we were lucky to see a small sole in one of the rock pools. After it swimming around, it then buried itself in the sand.
On the Moonlight Meander, expect the unexpected.
On the Moonlight Meander, watching a Common Octopus hunting is always a crowd pleaser.
For the past couple of nights, what has been remarkable is the subtle colour 'pulsing', that the young octopii have exhibited, almost as if they are learning the complex procedure of colour changing so essential to the camouflage repertoire of the species.
A highlight of the Moonlight Meander, a night tour of the intertidal zone at Gericke's Point, is seeing a Common Octopus (Octopus valgaris).To find prey, the...
The Two Oceans Aquarium has organized an incredible network to rescue and rehabilitate Loggerhead and Leatherback Turtle hatchlings that get stranded on beac...
A universal favorite on the Moonlight Meander, a common octopus foraging in a tidal pool.
One of the highlights of the Moonlight Meander intertidal tours is a sighting of a Common Octopus. vital micro apex predators in total pools, octopus use the...
Last night, we had a lot of soul searching on the .
With three serious 'Best Sighting of the Night' contenders, the Blackhand Sole, merely due to it’s uniqueness took first honors.
On its brief swim over the reef it looked like a flying carpet.
Nature’s Playground The Garden Route has deservedly become one of the most popular destinations in South Africa with unrivaled mountain, forest, fynbos and coastal outdoor activity options, m…
Moonlight Meander
Dates for the next tours: 30th and 31st January
We will be conducting our next Moonlight Meander tours over the new moon spring tide and with the dark phase of the moon we anticipate some bioluminescence if conditions are good.
Information.
We meet at 19h00 at the Swartvlei Beach parking area.
Your will need a torch with 3hours battery life, shoes suitable for the beach and a warm top.
Cost : R150.00/person
Booking essential as we limit the size of the group.
To make a booking, call/message Mark on 082 213 5931.
One of the incredible annual marine events in the Garden Route.
Every year, Blue Stingray's can be seen in estuaries and protected bays as part of their summer breeding aggregation. Females give birth to between 1 and 4 p...
We have space for 10 people on the Moonlight Meander tonight (3rd January)
Contact Mark on 082 213 5931 to make a booking.
*** Update - the Moonlight Meander for tonight is fully booked.
The next Moonlight Meander will be in two weeks time.
How did you head into 2022?
In summer, shoals of young Hammerhead Sharks migrate from South Africa's Kwa-Zulu Natal coastline down to the Southern Cape and are often targeted by recreat...
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Last night, we had a lot of soul searching on the #MoonlightMeander. With three serious 'Best Sighting of the Night' contenders, the Blackhand Sole, merely due to it’s uniqueness took first honors. On its brief swim over the reef it looked like a flying carpet.
We have space for 10 people on the Moonlight Meander tonight (3rd January) Contact Mark on 082 213 5931 to make a booking. *** Update - the Moonlight Meander for tonight is fully booked. The next Moonlight Meander will be in two weeks time.
Always a drawcard on the Moonlight Meander, the Common Octopus (Octopus valgaris) is its own right, a vital species for marine biodiversity and biomass. Considered micro apex predators, they are a keystone species in the regulation of the density of marine herbivores and their presence is vital in maintaining healthy stands of algal growth in the intertidal zone. #MoonlightMeander
The Moonlight Meander is a Kaleidescape of colorful marine fauna and flora with a sightings of a Common Octopus upstaging everything as curtain call. #MoonlightMeander
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Explore the marine life of the intertidal zone by torch light with Judy. Tours are conducted during the spring low tides over the Full and New lunar phases.
