Summary
Volunteering with the Marine Big 5 on an eco-tourism and education project.
Project location
South Africa’s Cape, Gansbaai.
Length of project
2 – 12 weeks.
Group/individual basis
Individual, but you will be living and working with other volunteers.
Support
Help and advice from our UK office throughout. Local support from a nominated member of staff.
Includes
- Organising rewarding voluntary work at a shark eco-tourism and research project
- Pre-departure briefing covering work issues and advice about life in South Africa
- Meeting at airport and transport to guest house
- One night accommodation in Cape Town at Scalabrini Guest House
- Pick up from guest house and transport to Gansbaai
- First day out on the boat and diving in the cage as a guest as part of your briefing
- Return transport to the airport
- Accommodation
- Basic breakfast at volunteer accommodation and lunch on the days that you are at sea
- Full orientation and induction before you begin
Not included
- Flights
- Travel and medical insurance
- Any home country transport (eg. to airport)
- Dinner and lunch on the days when you are not on the boat
Accommodation
Self-catering accommodation close to the site. Expect to share a room. Breakfast and lunch on boat provided.
Travel arrangements
Fly to Cape Town (CPT). You will be met at airport and taken to a guest house for your first night. The next day you will be picked up and transferred to the shark site. Your return journey to the airport is included. You must ensure that your return flight is after 19.00 so that you can be taken straight to the airport. If it is before 19.00, you will be taken to Cape Town the day before your flight and expected to stay one night there at your own expense.
Information
You will receive thorough information on your My Oyster account covering project expectations, preparation, health and safety, responsible travel and arrival arrangements at least 4 weeks before departure.
Medical
Vaccinations may be required. We recommend that you visit your doctor or travel Nurse as soon as possible to discuss what you might need to have.
Please be aware that Oyster staff are not able to give advice on your medical background or the type of vaccinations that you might need.
You can get useful medical advice relating to your destination on the ‘Fit For Travel’ website.
You must inform Oyster of any pre-existing physical or mental health conditions. Oyster staff may ask for you to provide a letter from your Doctor before continuing with your booking.
Insurance
You must take out a full travel insurance policy as soon as you can before departure. This must cover you for personal accident, medical, cancellation, emergency evacuation, lost luggage etc. We strongly recommend that you organise your travel insurance upon booking your place. We can introduce a policy with Global Travel Insurance to UK citizens, details of which can be found in your MyOyster account, once you have completed your booking. If you are not eligible for this insurance, please read through it to have an idea of what you need to be covered for. Make sure that you are covered for the shark cage diving.
Any risk factors
The work involves frequent boat trips. Safety standards are very high, as the trips also cater for tourists. The project also involves breath-hold cage diving (not scuba). Any underwater activity carries risks, but you will receive thorough training and will always be in the company of experienced staff. Moreover, when diving you will be directly next to the boat so can easily access it. The cages offer excellent protection and are regularly maintained. South Africa has a relatively high level of crime. However, much of this is in the townships. The project would not involve visits to any high risk areas and the accommodation is well-secured, with members of staff living on site. Other potential risks include poorer road safety and sunburn during the summer months. There is risk of infectious disease, so appropriate vaccination is essential.
Downtime
Participants will be able to travel independently during their time off, as long as they accept that they will be outside Oyster’s jurisdiction, make appropriate insurance provision and inform others. It is important to let staff know when you are due to return and keep them updated if your plans change.
Accessibility
This project could accommodate those with minor physical disabilities. Please discuss with destination manager before booking.
Financial Security
When you book with Oyster you can rest assured that your money will be protected and you will not be stranded abroad in the very unlikely event that our company becomes insolvent. If your booking includes a flight arranged by us, your whole trip will be subject to ATOL protection. If we have not booked your flight then your trip will be just as safe, since it will be insured through International Passenger Protection Ltd.