This foundation is dedicated to the conservation of the marine environment in South Africa through research, willingness to help, and dedication. You can make a real change for the future of South Africa’s beautiful coastline and at the same time enjoy seeing whales, dolphins, seals and seabirds in their natural habitat.
| Location | Plettenberg Bay, South Africa |
|---|---|
| Duration | From 2 weeks |
| Dates | This project is open from mid January to mid November |
| Requirements |
|
| Minimum Age: | 18 |
| Your impact | |
| Documents required | Enrolment form, curriculum vitae, letter of motivation, passport copy, proof of medical insurance |
| Day of arrival | Monday |
| Day of departure | Monday |
The Ocean Conservation project is part of a volunteer community dedicated to marine conservation in South Africa. Like many conservation projects, this organisation depends on the willingness of others to contribute their time and dedication to further volunteering and conservation ethics, which go hand in hand for a better future.
This project found its humble beginnings during a conversation between two friends in the Plettenberg Bay area when they noticed silverfish, a staple in the dolphin diet, being caught by foreign boats in the distance. In the weeks following, dolphins began to disappear from the bay. Not surprisingly, the cause for their disappearance was the dissipating food source; silverfish were almost removed from the bay entirely by fisherman.
This event raised many concerns for the citizens of the local community in Plettenberg Bay, which is home to some of the most diverse marine wildlife, including bottlenose dolphins, humpback dolphins, common dolphins, orca whales, humpback whales, southern right whales and great white sharks. In response to these concerns, the Ocean Conservation project created an education wing to add to their pre-existing marine eco-tourism company. This addition focused on marine education, conservation, and research, and was aptly named Ocean Conservation. When the program first started in 2001, its main goal was to create a bay management plan with the help of its first research students. A partnership was arranged with the government organization, Cape Nature, to police the Bay. The Ocean Conservation project provided the needed equipment and Cape Nature enforced the law in the area. Within a couple of months, no illegal boats could be found in the bay. The Plettenberg Bay municipality eventually accepted this plan, and the Ocean Conservation project has since continued to monitor the bay under the supervision and guidance of many universities and governmental institutions.
It wasn’t long before the community started noticing improvements and expressing curiosity about the different “works in progress” at the foundation. The local interest and desire to help the Ocean Conservation cause snow-balled into what is now the volunteer programme, where people from all over the world come to dedicate their time and help progress education, research, and conservation initiatives.
Monday to Friday, from 08:00 to 17:00 (on a Friday afternoon you often finish at 13:00). On some days, you can be on the water as early as 06:00. Evenings and weekends are your leisure time. Some days involve more work and longer hours, while others move at a leisurely pace. Planned activities can change on a moment’s notice, especially if the weather turns or something exciting, like a marine mammal stranding, comes along.
The project involves a conservation and community focus. Many of the activities happen on a weekly basis, but some are more irregular. Depending on the length of your stay and level of experience, the project may ask you to take on more responsibility where you will perform a larger portion of the work and even train new volunteers.
Environmental activities (all boat trips are weather dependant):
Community activities:
It is important to note that this description serves as an example only. The daily tasks and challenges depend on the volunteer, the time of the year and the work that needs to be done. The final job description can therefore vary substantially from the above.
You stay at the project’s volunteer house, which is located in Plettenberg Bay, minutes away from the beach. You are accommodated in dorm-style rooms (4 - 6 volunteers per room) with shared bathrooms (2 to 4 volunteers share a bathroom). With your fellow volunteers, you share communal areas like kitchens and living rooms.
The relaxed atmosphere at the volunteer house offers an amazing South African experience while still feeling very much like a home with many friendly faces. Often, volunteers join together for evening get-togethers that range from enjoying dinner prepared by the projects’ own cook, or going out to a restaurant for a casual drink in town.
The volunteer house is located within easy walking distance to two shopping centers with a variety of shops and restaurants.
Free WiFi as well as a laundry service and satellite TV are available.
Lena from Germany
„I really enjoyed the time at the project, from the moment I arrived I was already stunned by the amazing view on the coast line ! All the people I’ve met from the staff to locals where very open and nice people I enjoyed spending time with :) I think the overall experience of this trip was definitely something I will never forget and be always grateful for!“
Gabriel from France
„My stay as a volunteer in Plettenberg Bay at the Ocean Conservation project is coming to an end and it is not without regret that I leave this family with whom I shared everything for a month. I lived 4 absolutely extraordinary weeks, observing whales so close that I could almost touch them and sailing near bottle-nosed dolphins. We even had the chance to see a majestic great white shark. The awareness work in the townships also brings a human dimension to this adventure, even if it is on a small scale to make our contribution. But beyond these volunteer actions for the conservation of our beautiful planet it is also great meeting with passionate people who share a common goal: to protect our land for a better future.“
Célia from France
„The stay was brilliant, whether it was the "scientific" program or the "outdoor" life. I had the opportunity to put camera traps where we monitor populations of sharks and rays, opportunistic boat-based surveys where we study marine animal populations and their behavior, analysis of the seal population on Robberg, Shark and ray egg case hunting and data management. Being passionate about birds, they gave me the opportunity to do a little work of identifying birds in the estuary. I also had the opportunity to have several lessons on snorkeling and take care of the garden in the township nursery. The people I was able to work with were great, and I thank them for these wonderful moments! At the start of the program I had some difficulty communicating due to my level of English, but it comes back quickly once you only speak English. It was a wonderful experience, I can't wait to be able to return to volunteer!“
Jodie Villenave
“It was an exceptional experience! The project gave me a lot more than I expected and was totally in line with the expectations I had. I learned a lot of different things while being in a magnificent setting and with superb people. All very kind to each other. I had a wonderful month, full of discoveries and encounters. I think I'll go back there one day, this place is really exceptional.”
Eva from Switzerland
“This project has taught me a lot about marine life, but not only! We participated in many scientific projects about animals from the ocean as well as the coast, but also cleaned some places, found out new ways of recycling and helped to save water. Taking care of where we live is something that we often hear about, but the project actually acts and this is an amazing opportunity to take part in. Moreover the team is always motivated and passionate. It is also easy to fill the rest of the week with other activities as Plettenberg Bay is on the Garden Route; a place famous for their safaris and many other things. So come to help and enjoy yourself!”
Roxane from France
"I worked during 3 weeks as a volunteer for the ocean conservation project, the one involved in marine conservation. You can get the chance to go on boat to see whales, dolphins, great white sharks and sea colony and in the same time take the opportunity to collect data for marine conservation research, whilst spending time on some of the beautiful beaches. I also got to plant a yellow wood tree and had a tour in the forest to learn about the indigenous plants. If you are lucky as I was, Michael will give you a tour on the Robberg Nature Reserve and maybe you will also see whales from the point. We also visited some of the local schools, where children are happy to show you their drawings. At the end of there was a bit of money for a necklace or bracelet, (from the Sabrina Love Foundation) which is making a good job of caring for children with disabilities."
Lea from France
"It was such an amazing experience to have the opportunity to participate in lots of different researches (orcas, whales, dolphins) and activities. Also, to meet people from all around the world! I wish I had more time to discover South Africa, but I am very glad to have found this project. People need to learn more about our oceans and this project helps me to understand why in so many ways!"
Luisa from Brazil
"The Ocean Conservation project is a life changing experience! The people and the culture that I’ve got to know there are amazing and I can’t put into words how much I have grown by doing this. My only regret is that I couldn’t stay longer."
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