NELSON MANDELA UNIVERSITY - WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING

I am Halala Biyela, originally from KwaZulu-Natal from a small Town called Nkandla.‍ I am final year student at NMU

During my time (which it has been 3 months already) at Raggy Charters, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most passionate and knowledgeable people in the marine tourism industry. Every day is an opportunity to learn whether it is about marine conservation, the behaviours of ocean wildlife, or the importance of sustainable tourism itself. I think all of the above!

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve taken away is the deep respect for nature that the team at Raggy Charters have. Their dedication to protecting the marine environment while offering guests unforgettable experiences is truly inspiring. witnessing the magic of whales, dolphins, and penguins in their natural habitat, every moment has been a reminder of why responsible tourism matters.

The people I work with makes this journey unforgettable. Their kindness, patience, and willingness to share knowledge created an environment where I felt both supported and challenged to grow. Whether it was learning how to engage with guests, understanding the logistics of running marine tours, or simply sharing stories after a long day on the water, I always feel like I am part of something special.

I will always be grateful for the opportunity I've been given and the wonderful people who made it so meaningful.

My name is Anathi Jessica Mdanelwa, a lot of people know me as Jessica here in Gqeberha(P.E). I am at Nelson Mandela University studying Tourism Management.

I was born and bred in a small town called Flagstaff, which means that the Marine life was almost nonexistent to me until now. The theory didn’t make much sense until now that I am doing my Work Integrated Learning at Raggy Charters. I must say that honestly you never know anything until you experience it. The Facts that I have read about and seen so far about different marine animals, Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, Bryde’s Whales, African Penguins and more is far from the word “amazing”. For me those were scary wild animals that I would never come close to, in fact they were all just scary big fish to me. I didn’t know there were so many different marine species, after seeing them up-close, I feel the need to protect them.

I never thought I would say this but can you believe the Dolphins are so friendly that they can swim very close to the boat? Not that scary afterall. The word “sustainability” finally makes sense to me as the Raggy Charters team keeps planting trees after every trip to cover the carbon footprints from the fuel burning. I wish my hometown schools would get a chance to be taught some of the things Raggy teaches the schools around PE, they are very privileged schools indeed.

I am looking forward to the upcoming beach cleanups, educational talks and being part of all that Raggy Charters does. Turns out all is not just about the sea and the marine life, but is meeting tourists from all over the world which you MUST talk and engage with. If you are the kind of person who needs to defrost before approaching people, trust me this is the place for you to learn how to speak with people. We are our guests entertainment and source of knowledge and it’s a lot of fun, as a result my communication skills are improving a lot. Thank you to the whole team,  Jake, Purity, Keith and Tertius, for pushing me to be better.  Looking forward to more trips, there’s more to see as the season changes and I cannot wait!

My name is Thubalakhe Mbongo, and I am from East London. I am currently pursuing my diploma in Tourism Management at Nelson Mandela University.  My interests in tourism have always been centered on the aviation sector, but since meeting Raggy Charters, my interests have shifted in terms of my future goals. Raggy Charters has helped me realize what I want to accomplish with this qualification once finished.

Since there is always something new and fascinating to learn, Raggy Charters is like a home away from home to me. I constantly look forward to going to work. The crew at Raggy Charters is warm and inviting, the team make the work as fun and easy-going as possible, taking great pride in what they do and always encourage you to keep growing. They always ensure that the things you feel are insignificant, in fact, are accomplishments worthy of celebration.

It's amazing to think that in the few days I've been working with Raggy Charters, I even finished a short course on personal survival techniques, which will undoubtedly help me in a lot of ways.  Raggy Charters has introduced me to the islands and its avian and aquatic inhabitants, which are a different aspect of Port Elizabeth that I believe most people are unaware of. Raggy Charters is all about protecting and conserving these species, which have many fascinating facts about them. Although we always thought of some of these animals as hostile and frightening, the truth is quite the opposite.

I genuinely love and enjoy every second of working with Raggy Charters, even though it can be difficult at times, particularly when it comes to the communication skills component, because some other people do not speak English. Speaking with people from all over the world who speak different languages really excites me and eventually motivates me to actually learn other languages. Raggy Charters has my eternal gratitude for selecting me.

I am Zusiphe Ngalonkulu, I am from Mount Frere a student at Nelson Mandela University currently doing my final year in Diploma Tourism Management extended. I am doing my work integrated learning with Raggy Charters. I am learning how to understand and deal with different groups of people and how to communicate with them thus improving my communication skills.

I have learnt that there is much marine wildlife. I didn't know that there are different types of dolphins, I thought they are all the same, but I have learnt that there are Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, long-beaked common dolphins and Indo-pacific humpback dolphins. And it's very exciting to see them. And it's not just dolphins but the many whales, endangered African Penguins, Cape fur seals and many pelagic birds.

I would say I have meet people who have such a good heart, I am enjoying learning everything through their love and support not to mention how they are helping me. To mention them: Jake, Purity, Keith, and Thembi, I thank them all for introducing me to the marine wildlife and am more thankful to be working with Raggy Charters team I am learning so much.

Zusiphe showing guests pictures and information on the marine life from our educational posters kept on board

Hello all Raggy Charters Supporters. My name is Hishaam Langson and I'm from the beautiful city, Port Elizabeth. Where do I begin? My story with Raggy started off with me going on a cruise with them. I grew very fond of what Raggy taught me on that day of the cruise, I learnt a bit about the Marine life that made me very inquisitive and made me want to know more, who would've thought a year later I'd be a part of their very special crew.

Here's a bit on my background : I matriculated at a government funded school and never in my wildest dreams could I picture myself getting this opportunity to be involved with one of the most intriguing marine life and tourism companies, I consider myself truly blessed when I think about this opportunity. Coming from a background where marine life was never even a topic of discussion or going on a boat was merely just a dream, joining Raggy Charters made this possible for me. Yes, it took me 21 years of living in Port Elizabeth only to find the pure beauty that lies on my doorstop. With that, I would like to say it wasn't easy to get here but with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

I'm currently a 3rd Year student at Nelson Mandela University and my hobbies include going on hikes, photography and I can't forget, cars!

Last but not least, my time with Raggy Charters while completing my WIL has been one of the most joyous times I've experienced in my life. It all came naturally, the process of being a part of their crew and learning every day has been very motivating for what my future holds.

Meeting people from different backgrounds, from different countries (when I say different countries I mean maaaany countries) and cultures, it all makes you realise what a precious country we live in. While working with all guests I was able to research more about animals and also learnt a lot about the marine life from Raggy crew. I'd like to end off with this, it doesn't matter where you come from but it matters where you go! So to all who think their future seems impossible, you can do it.

Thank you Raggy Charters, this has been an experience of a lifetime. As I've said to the crew, Raggy Charters will forever be near my heart, no matter how far I go, I am so grateful to have completed my WIL with Raggy Charters.

                                        Lilitha, Thembisa (WESSA Steward), Nosihle and Unathi