Orientation
You will have a comprehensive orientation on your arrival at the programme, which will give you a lot of information about your role as a volunteer. It is designed to get you ready for the project, prepare you for the work you will be doing and get you settled. The orientation will involve a detailed safety talk, rules and regulations explained and much more, plus there will also be an opportunity to ask any questions. Best of all you’ll get a welcome pack that contains a volunteer t-shirt, guidebook, cap and a goody bag!
Accommodation and Meals
Your programme your accommodation will be at a volunteer house that has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a huge entertainment area, a fully equipped kitchen and lovely sea views.
Throughout the project you will be provided with breakfast, a packed lunch will be provided on days that you are out at sea. Once your tasks offshore have been completed you will have the chance to relax and enjoy some tea and scones. Evening meals will be at your own cost and volunteers normally put their resources together and cook as a team, or go out for a drink and meal at one of the local restaurants.
Free Time
On the days when you’re not at sea, you can go on excursions in the local area and take part in activities such as wine tasting, penguin spotting, a visit to the most southern point of Africa and so on. Gansbaai is a lovely village and has several nice pubs and restaurants that you can visit, but there is no nightlife. The project volunteer coordinator will help you arrange some trips (at your personal expense), like these ones below:
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Go Whale Watching! See whales that are bigger than the boat your watching them from! Huge and mysterious, whales are a fantastic sight – the best time for spotting is between April and November.
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Exploring the valley on horseback! Follow the rambling trails of the Walker Bay Whale Conservancy. These rides take you into the private nature reserve that runs along the Klein River and into the Kleinriviersberg Mountains. Available for all abilities.
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Quad biking! Bike the trails around the Robert Stanford Wine Estate, through the vines and bush in a rather intrepid manner. For excitement just about equal to a shark encounter!
Cape Town is ideally placed for the Orange River and Fish River Canyon – fantastic places to explore. Being in South Africa also places you well for tours throughout Africa. Go up to Namibia, visit Victoria Falls or go on an epic trip through eight nations finishing up in Nairobi – you’ll experience lots of wonders enroute. We have a number of different tours to choose from, just drop us a line to find out more about them to experience Africa in an adventurous but safe way.
Programme Support
Throughout your time in South Africa, you will be supported and guided by the volunteer supervisor and the team. They will be able to provide you will any advice and assistance that you need through the duration of your stay.
On a day-to-day basis you will be working with Mike Ladley, the volunteer supervisor. As the team leader and a SATOUR registered specialist dive master, Mike has a lot of knowledge to share with you! So, you will be trained, taught and guided by one of most skilled specialists in the field. The rest of the team members are all fantastic people – experienced Skippers, a Dive Master and a qualified Paramedic and other friendly, helpful members of staff. With their combined knowledge and 15 years of experience in the field of Great White Shark research, ecotourism and conservation, there could be no better team behind you.
Additionally, you will be given access to the 24 hour emergency number, so that you are able to contact a member of the UK office team should you need to.
Project Age Limit
Minimum age 17 (must have parental consent), maximum decided by the potential participant’s health.
