Marine Conservationist and Researcher

Are you in search of an amazing volunteer opportunity? Then take up this offer to work alongside an amazing team of staff all involved in Marine Conservation & Research! Are you a student who is seeking a career within the field of Marine Conservation? Or are you perhaps an early career scientist? Or maybe just looking for an adventure in South Africa? Then your search is over as we have the perfect program for you! Wake up in a tropical paradise every morning and be swept away by the sweet sounds of nature. Jump in your costume and grab your beach towel, take a breath-taking drive through a tunnel of trees in a safari truck to the beach, roll back off a boat into the warm Indian Ocean and feel yourself weightless, breathing underwater. Find yourself surrounded by the most amazing creatures and colorful corals. During this incredible dive take photos of manta rays, ragged-tooth sharks, turtles, whales and nudibranchs to contribute to the main objective of the project; it’s international marine conservation research. The project also offers Marine Lectures so volunteers can learn more about the ocean and marine conservation, these lectures are short and casual. Volunteers also get a certificate at the end of their stay to say they have completed the lecture series, this can be added to their CV. Once database and lectures are done volunteers are free to relax at the camp or go exploring in town. Volunteers can then head out for sundowners at a local viewpoint or have a braai (barbecue) at Triton's fire area. Every night the Triton staff organize a fire, this is great to experience a traditional South African braai, relax and socialize. Come now and be part of this amazing and once in a lifetime opportunity! Typical day Volunteers arrive on the first Friday of the month. The Saturday after arrival, volunteers will receive a camp orientation. The rest of this weekend can be used to settle in and get to know other volunteers and interns. • Week one will be used to complete the CMAS One Star or PADI Open Water course or the volunteer’s chosen course. The duration of the course will depend on the course chosen and the volunteer’s ability to complete skills. The CMAS One Star and PADI Open Water courses typically take between four and five days to complete. If volunteers do not have the required number of dives, this can be obtained during the first week and the course will begin thereafter. • Once volunteers are qualified divers, they dive each day during the week, Monday to Friday. One dive a day is included in the price, extra dive packages can be bought so volunteers can dive twice a day. During dives volunteers collect photographic data of manta rays, ragged-tooth sharks, turtles, whales and nudibranchs. This data is entered into international marine conservation databases after dives. Deep Blue offers Marine Lectures to increase knowledge about the ocean, these are short and casual. After their stay volunteers receive a certificate for the lecture that can be added to their CV. • The rest of the day can be spent relaxing and exploring. There are a lot of activities to keep volunteers busy, read the things to do list below. During weekends there are more trips, we do overnight trips to Kosi Bay or trips to Lake Sibaya for sundowners and a braai Free-time activities Some other free time activities that volunteers can do are as follows: • Chilling on the beach • Freediving • African market • Two bars / restaurants • Bonfires • Looking for chameleons • Whale watching (seasonal) • Picking up shark teeth at Anton’s dive site • Sundowners at local view points • Watching the moonrise on the beach • Turtle tours (seasonal) • Surfing • Lake Sibaya trips • Game drives • Plankton on the beach at night • Trips to Tolla se Gat • Hikes • Kosi Bay trips • Braais (barbecue) • Quad biking • Fishing