This multi-faceted Marine Big 5 (Shark, Whale, Penguin, Seal and Dolphin) project is the perfect opportunity to make a difference with marine species conservation both on land and sea, ecotourism, research, and community development. There is a huge variety of work that you will be doing, and this will largely depend on what work is being done at the time you are there and the whale migration season.
The Marine Big 5:
• Shark – The Great White, Bronze Whaler, Blue and Mako. You might be able to spot Pyjama sharks if scuba diving in the kelp forests
• Whale – Southern Right, Humpback and Brydes’
• Penguin – African
• Seal – Cape Fur
• Dolphin – Bottlenose, Common and Humpback
Areas volunteers can get involved in:
An example of a typical day…
…please remember the daily schedule is affected according to the seasons and the weather. For the days that the weather is not advisable to go out by boat-for example due to high swells- there are still plenty of duties and activities to take part in:
5am to 8am- Time to wake up, wash have breakfast and get ready for the day. Remember you are dealing with the public so make yourself presentable. Head to the meeting point for the boat trips. Boat trips can be 2 to 3 times a day
8am to 12pm- Assist with the boat preparation and logistics for the trip. Welcome guests and help them with their life jackets. Once on the boat assist the guest when required, support the marine biologist/s with data entries, photographs, or environmental monitoring. This is always a great time to gain knowledge from these highly qualified professionals. If the opportunity allows- which it often does- enjoy a shark cage dive. You may also be on the whale watching or eco boat tour and need to assist with guests and data entry.
12pm to 1pm– Break for lunch
1pm to 4pm- Presentations on marine species, boat safety, conservation work etc. These is also the time other conservation activities take place
4.30pm- Time to head back to the volunteer accommodation to prepare for dinner- maybe a South African style braai or maybe a pizza night in- or if you have energy after the early morning start, head out to a local restaurant for a good meal out…lots of lovely seafood restaurants being so close to the sea
Two volunteers are also assigned to help each morning and afternoon with the penguin feeding times which are 8am and 3pm.
Some of the attractions in the area:
Wine tasting at local wine farms which the area is famous for… we love the Sir Robert Stanford wine farm but there are plenty in the neighbouring areas to visit
Visit the Klipgat Cave just outside De Kelders in the Walker Bay Nature Reserve the early home to ancient homo sapiens some 70 000 to 80 000 years ago
Visit the most southern geographical tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas where a marker indicates the official dividing line of between the Atlantic and Indian ocean
Zip lining
Quad biking
Horse riding
Visit to a nearby ethical predator sanctuary to meet their beautiful lions, tigers, leopard, cheetah and caracal and hear the stories of where they were rescued from
Visit the Stony Point Nature Reserve penguin colony
Hiking
Craft beer tasting at local breweries
Scuba diving with blue and mako sharks- proof of your open water scuba diving certification is essential and scuba gear is provided.
Kelp Diving- snorkelling or scuba (proof of open water diving certification needed)
For those returning to Cape Town to do some independent travelling after their project, please chat to us about vouchers to visit the 2 Oceans aquarium which is a must!
The cost of the
project includes 2 meals a day (breakfast and lunch), shared volunteer accommodation, Sunday overnight stay
at a hostel in Cape Town on arrival, Monday overnight stay at a hostel in Cape Town before departure, airport collection and drop-off to and from Cape Town International Airport, transfers to the project base and back from Cape Town, branded clothing,
donation to the project, pre-departure support, in-country staff and 24-emergency
help. Volunteers that stay 4 weeks and longer also have an artificial penguin
nest sponsored on their behalf
Sunday airport collection and an overnight stay in Cape Town at a hostel on arrival (shared accommodation) is included in the cost of the project. You will be collected early on Monday morning for the 2-hour drive to the volunteer site. On completing your project on a Monday, you will be returned to your Cape Town hostel shared accommodation for an included overnight stay with an airport drop off the next day, Tuesday or if you choose to fly out that departure Monday from Cape Town International Airport, please make sure your flights depart after 21:00
Accommodation is at the volunteer center. There are four cottages for volunteers shared between 4 to 6 volunteers and a house for interns. It is a shared sleeping arrangement. Bedding is provided and the water is safe to drink.
All facilities have a mini kitchen, but most prefer to gather in the central kitchen with adjacent dining room and sitting room. There is a lecture room and workspace as well as a garden with a pool where extra optional diving courses take place and a braai (South African BBQ). There is an activity hall with weights and table tennis. Volunteers also enjoy a pool table and foosball and there are a variety of board games. Wi-Fi and satellite TV are also available.
The lodge is just 1,4km from the harbour where many of the operations take place and whilst there are two minibuses that move volunteers daily, it is also an easy walk or cycle away.
Recycling is a priority at the lodge.
There is a fully equipped communal kitchen in the main building as well as kitchenettes in each volunteer cottage and a braai (South African barbeque) in the outside courtyard area. South Africa is famous for its braais and it is also a great relaxed way to also get to acquainted with your fellow volunteers
Breakfast is “help-yourself” with eggs, bacon/vegetarian sausages provided, cereal, bread, milk, coffee and tea.
Lunch is provided on the boat – cheese and tomato rolls, fruit, crisps; the same lunch is available on “no sea days”, but most volunteers decide to cook for themselves in this case or they go out for lunch.
Dinner is your own responsibility (don’t forget to budget for this)– some volunteers cook together, others go it alone and sometimes they go out to eat or grab pizza takeaways and watch the sunset from the rocks. There are some great seafood restaurants too in the area thanks to the nearby fishing industry.
Please make sure to bring seasickness tablets with you though as you may not have much need for food otherwise
It is an early Monday morning start so volunteers need to arrive on the Sunday and overnight in Cape Town which is included in the cost
Whales, Sharks and Penguins Conservation
Experience not only Whale, Dolphin, Shark and Penguin research and monitoring but also community education, environmental issues, ecology and ecotourism
$530/week
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