Do you want to be part of an international crew aboard and help with data collection underwater? We will teach you the necessary skillset for habitat mapping, species Identification and mapping of their distribution, and spotting Marine Megafauna, such as dolphins, whales, and turtles.
About the Project
In recent years habitat loss has become one of the major concerns in the Mediterranean Sea, as it is generally followed by a loss of various species that depend on it. With our work, we aim to identify key locations of healthy habitats and work towards their protection in order to counteract those developments.
What you can expect
As a volunteer aboard, you will be part of the actual research team, which means snorkeling, measuring seagrass meadows, looking for species, taking pictures and videos of all the different organisms you see, and learning to identify them! While we are sailing you will also be standing watches - spotting whales and dolphins and trying to take the best possible pictures of them for Photo Identification with our partner organizations.
In other words, you will not be considered a passenger on board, but rather a part of the crew, where everyone chips in with daily tasks, watches, and sailing time, and we all get to enjoy our free time together as well.
You will be living aboard a 21m sailing boat with up to 12 people, with enough social areas to live and work together. During your stay, we generally move every other day for a 4-5 hour sail* to the next location, which gives us enough time to map and check the underwater world in each location properly, and of course to have a look onshore as well if wanted.
While no prior experience in sailing, diving, or marine research is required (we will happily teach you all the necessary skills on board), any background in related fields or previous experience will make it easier for you to find your routine. That being said, so far everyone managed to pick up on all the new skills and tasks within a week.
*Please note: Duration of sailing trips depends on the timeline you would join. We do not have hot water onboard for showers and seawater showers are encouraged to reduce water consumption.
Equipment
All the equipment needed for the scientific and outreach work is available on board, but we do recommend bringing your snorkeling gear, as this ensures that the mask fits properly and the fins don't hurt your feet after a short time. If you want to borrow gear on board, please bring a deposit of 50 Euros with you in case the gear gets damaged or lost. This will be returned to you upon receiving our gear back in good condition.
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