During this 4 week internship you will work closely with marine biologists at the Great white shark capital of the world, Gansbaai in the southern Cape of South Africa. Be part of ongoing projects around the off-shore Dyer Island and study the behavior and population parameters of Great White sharks, Cape Fur seals, whales, dolphins, and other marine life, assist with penguin conservation, enjoy shark cage diving and whale watching. This program forms part of the Great White Shark Research, Oceanographic Research Institute, Dyer Island Conservation Trust, African Penguin Conservation Nests, African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary, Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems, South African Seabird Centre, Marine Animal Rescues, and the Education program DEEP.
This skills based internship is designed for undergraduate, graduate or recent graduate students in marine biology and other natural, ecological or biological sciences.
Activities
This program offers a diverse marine experience and includes a combination of several different activities – mostly conservation, research and ecotourism with sharks, cetaceans, penguins, other seabirds and marine fish. It also includes seabird rehabilitation and beach clean-ups. Monday to Friday include intern specific tasks, while over weekends interns help on the commercials vessels as assistant biologists collecting data. There will be some off-days.
Some of the duties on the boats:
On land duties include:
Conservation & Community Projects
Project Placements
Should your university require you to do a project, short courses are available upon request. These include but are not limited to:
Baited Remote Underwater Video, Mark/Recapture, Intertidal zone, Cetaceans, Seabirds, Marine pollution, Ecotourism.
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Off days
There will be occasional off days or due to bad weather where you will not be at sea. The coordinators will will arrange an educational or fun activity, or lectures. Activities could include:
Free
At your own cost:
Duration
This 4 week minimum program is open throughout the year and can be extended for a few weeks. However, we strongly encourage longer stays so that volunteers have a more comprehensive and satisfactory experience. You will also have more boat time, more opportunities for cage diving and participate in many of the activities and programs.
A NAUI scuba diving course is being offered for volunteers staying for 2 weeks or longer. E-learning can be started before the time of arrival.
For stays of 4 weeks or longer, a donation is made from your fee towards a conservation trust and the money is being used for African penguin conservation. Interns receive a certificate of completion.
Arrival and Departure
Arrive on a Sunday in Cape Town and take a shuttle to your accommodation in Cape Town. Our office can assist you with accommodation but it has to be booked and paid for by yourself. Most reputable hotels/lodges offer a shuttle service from the airport.
You will be picked up from your accommodation on Monday morning and transferred to Gansbaai, a 2.5h drive. Pick-up at the airport on Monday morning is not available. A message will be sent to the reception desk of the accommodation where the intern is staying with the pick-up time for Monday morning. It is very important that you are punctual as the shuttle runs on a tight schedule.
On arrival at the program you will be fully briefed and have the opportunity to meet the team including a personal supervisor who will be available to you throughout your stay.
You will be dropped off at the airport or at your accommodation in Cape Town on a Monday, the last day of your program. Please ensure that your departure flight is booked after 7:00pm. Also make sure that you have at least one hour layover time in Johannesburg for your connecting flight. If your departure from Cape Town is before 5:00pm, then you may have to leave the program a day earlier or stay one extra night in Cape Town to avoid any problems.
Accommodation and Meals
Accommodation is at The Birkenhead Lodge which has 4 fully furnished chalets that house between 4 and 6 persons per chalet, with own bathroom, kitchen and living areas. There is a spacious living area in the main hall with a TV and internet access, a pool table, table tennis, communal indoor barbeque and kitchen area that can be used. A swimming pool and garden is also available. Laundry service is at an extra cost.
A basic breakfast and a light lunch on board the boat will be provided. Should you be participating in other activities you may be responsible for your own lunch. Evening meals and other entertainment are at your own expense. Your accommodation has a fully equipped kitchen and barbeque area.
Safety
The program coordinator lives next to the lodge for your support, and the main office is a 10 min. walk from the lodge. A safe is also available at the office to store personal belongings.
Pre-and post-tours
We suggest that you enjoy a few days in Cape Town and explore the beautiful surroundings such as Table Mountain, Cape Point, Robben Island, wine route etc. before returning home. We also recommend a tour up the Garden Route or to other tourist attractions in the region. All personal excursions can be booked prior to travelling to South Africa or while you are at the program. Optional excursions are at your own cost.
Prices: (2020)
4 weeks US$ 2,250
Each additional week US$ 600
Deposit: US$ 500
Outstanding Amount: Payable 2 months prior to commencement of the program.
Price Includes:
Price Excludes:
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