During another trip to the coast in Natal we witnessed this little event.  It was spectacular watching nature from the height of the flat where we stayed, overlooking the sea to the east so that we were blessed every morning by the rising sun.  What a variety of experiences we had there.  It was a special place for us.  This little interlude was a gift from a loving God who knows how much we enjoy His creation.  May it be a blessing to you.

Season

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1

It was the size and strength of it that first brought it to our attention.  Beating its way north against the wind, it was still able to make good headway.  Flying low across the sea it was followed by another and another.  As we watched we could see single birds and groups bobbing on the waves.

From time to time one would gain height, change direction and, like a stream-lined fighter jet, dive into the sea.  A neat splash, a few seconds wait and it would bob to the surface again.  From the height of our vantage point we could not see whether its venture beneath the waves was successful or not, but surely some of them must have been; for they were not alone on their journey north.

To our delight we spotted dolphins.  Travelling at a seemingly more leisurely tempo they kept pace with the birds in their own world.  Graceful, relaxed, they broke the surface of the sea, gifting us with brief glimpses of their presence.  Occasionally one would rise above the waves and, for a second, we could see more than just fins.  They kept us transfixed, watching the waves for the next appearance.

It was August and the teaming sardine shoals which travel up this coast during the winter months were late this year.  But here was evidence of their passage.  There is a time for everything, and this was the time of the sardines and those who relied on them for survival – the gannets from the Cape, and the dolphins from the sea, rejoicing in the bounty of a God who cares and provides for all His creatures.