claudia dahm
Volunteering with Raggy Charters was an unforgettable adventure – one for the books!
I stumbled upon Raggy Charters while searching for ocean-related volunteer opportunities for my summer break – and honestly, I couldn’t have made a better choice. From the very first moment, the entire crew welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like part of the team rather than just a temporary helper.
When I arrived in Seaview, I could hardly believe my luck: I was staying in a stunning house built from local yellowwood, perched just above the ocean. The views were something straight out of a travel magazine. Just a few steps down and across the road was a peaceful, picture-perfect nature beach – ideal for snorkeling if the tide was right, walking the dogs, or simply soaking up the scenery. Falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the waves became my new favorite routine – and I already miss it dearly.
As a volunteer, one of my main jobs was to help prepare the boats for the daily tours. That meant being at the harbour about an hour before the guests arrived to clean and set up everything, and helping tidy up and refueling afterward. Since Seaview is about a 30-minute drive from the harbour, a driver’s license (and confidence driving on the left!) is essential – especially because you’re supposed to go on your own in the car that Raggy Charters provides for volunteers to use (if possible).
One of the absolute highlights was heading out to sea almost every day. Even though we often covered about the same areas, no two trips were ever the same. I was incredibly lucky to spot Southern Right Whales, Bryde’s Whales, and Humpback Whales – not to mention large pods of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, rafts of African penguins, and the occasional curious Cape Fur Seal. My favorite place on the boat? Definitely the roof – where I’d scan the horizon for anything that moved. I also genuinely enjoyed chatting with guests and helping explain what we were seeing.
One especially thrilling trip was the extended shark cage diving tour to Black Rocks and Bird Island. Besides the excitement of being (safely!) in the water with the sharks – even if I only saw them from the surface – we also got to witness the Cape Fur Seal colony and the massive gannet colony. It was wild, literally and figuratively.
Most days, work wrapped up around 2 pm, leaving me with plenty of time for other adventures. On days when the weather kept us ashore, I had the chance to go on longer trips – sometimes I was incredibly lucky when one of the crew members would come along. Highlights included Addo, Schotia, Tsitsikamma, and a deeply moving tour of Walmer township. Still, being an independent traveler definitely is helpful– Seaview is beautiful but relatively small and quiet, so being able to plan your own days is a must otherwise you’re stuck at home. During my first week, there were also a few Italian students around, and we shared some little adventures together. But after that for the most part, I explored solo – and that was perfectly fine. As long as you check in with the crew about safety (they always know best), you’re good to go.
All in all, volunteering with Raggy Charters was a wonderful, inspiring, and wildly fun experience. From the awe-inspiring wildlife encounters to the knowledge I gained, the laughter shared with the crew, countless braais, and unforgettable excursions – I loved every minute of it.
Giuseppe, Gregorio, Alessio and Chiara
Pup enjoying listening to the ladies. All about to enjoy Lloyd's special home made beer, onion soup, cheese and olive bread.
July 2025 was one of the most authentic and wild months of the year. Thanks to Raggy Charter, I was able to explore the wonders of the ocean, admiring whales leaping, the swift and sinister movements of sharks, hundreds of bottlenose dolphins, and so much more of the biodiversity that characterizes Algoa Bay. When you're on a boat, especially in South Africa, everything can happen. Seeing animals isn't a given, just as a calm and flat sea isn't a given; this makes the experience as authentic as it is wild. All of this was supported by a fun, competent and welcoming team, which greatly encouraged initiative. I highly recommend this experience.
Giuseppe Reda
In July 2025 I joined several boat trips with Raggy Charters as a student. It was an amazing experience. Waking up before dawn and cleaning the boat was not always easy, but the friendly crew we worked with made it fun every day. Each morning carried the same suspense—you never knew what you were going to see, always with the fear of missing something along the way. All those doubts disappeared as soon as the boat was surrounded by hundreds of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, elusive Bryde’s whales, playful humpbacks, African penguins, Cape fur seals, terns, Cape gannets, and even thresher and great white sharks. It felt like being inside a wildlife documentary. I will never forget the thrill of spotting a whale in the distance and shouting “BLOW!”, then approaching it calmly to admire its beauty. But the ocean is not always calm, especially in July, and sometimes we came back soaked and tired without having seen much. That’s the price to pay for a truly wild experience. It’s nature, not a theme park. Every encounter is precious in the wild Algoa Bay.
Gregorio Cianflone
In July 2025 I had the privilege of joining multiple outings at sea with Raggy Charters, an experience that went far beyond the classic boat trip. Early mornings, long days, and even cleaning the boat afterwards never felt like a burden, thanks to the warm atmosphere created by the crew and the extraordinary beauty of the bay. Over the course of about fifteen trips, I witnessed thousands of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, several Bryde’s whales, humpbacks, African penguins, Cape fur seals, skuas, gannets, albatrosses, and terns in full activity. Observing these animals feeding and interacting in their natural habitat was a rare and moving privilege, a true immersion into a marine ecosystem still vibrant and alive, and a powerful reminder of how urgent it is to protect it. Of course, not every trip is “perfect”: the sea can be rough, you come back tired and sometimes soaked, and occasionally without having seen anything spectacular. But this unpredictability is what makes the experience authentic and profound. Nature cannot be scheduled or domesticated. What truly sets Raggy Charters apart is their genuine commitment to conservation and scientific outreach. This is not just a tour company, it is an organization that works every day to raise awareness and inspire. Joining their trips means not only discovering the wonders of Algoa Bay but also contributing, even in a small way, to this important mission.
Alessio Sireno
In July 2025, I was lucky enough to have one of the most beautiful experiences of my life, thanks to Raggy Charters. Every boat trip was exciting and allowed me to admire whales, sharks, dolphins, and many other wonders of Algoa Bay up close. And what about the staff? The welcoming atmosphere, dedication, professionalism, and helpfulness they showed made every boat trip pleasant and fun. This is an experience I highly recommend and will remember forever.
Chiara Presta
anTONIO, FRANK, MARCO, cLAUDIA & ROSARIA FROM ITALY
For us this experience was fantastic and very useful for our training. We are 5 Italian students, we study respectively health biotechnology, marine biodiversity and evolution of animal behavior, so collaborating with Raggy Charters allowed us to grow from a professional point of view, as well as to experience unique emotions, being able to fully experience the marine life of Algoa Bay. During our stay in Port Elizabeth, which lasted a month, we were lucky enough to admire almost all the marine species present at this time of year, starting from the four species of dolphins: Bottlenose, Common, Humpback and Risso's; then moving on to our beloved Bryde's Whale, and also the Sperm Whale, the Great White hark, the hammerhead shark, the Mako shark; and finally the African penguins, the seals and the numerous species of birds. It was an incredible experience, we thank all the staff of Raggy Charters, for making us feel at home and part of a family.
NB: Don't check your baggage through to Port Elizabeth if you coming to Raggy Charters . . . you need to pick it up in Johannesburg first. Otherwise it takes a week to arrive!
Wibke Helfrich
My experience of volunteering with Raggy Charters, what I liked about it and my advice to future volunteers:
I absolutely loved it!
I loved going out to sea and seeing something different every day, even though we went to more or less the same areas: every day was different. Sometimes we saw whales, sometimes we saw lots of dolphins. Sometimes we saw millions of little fish and penguins. But we never saw nothing.
The work itself is simple: you have to be at the harbour an hour before the guests to help clean the boat and get it ready for the passengers. After the trip, you have to help tidy up. Personally, I found it interesting to talk to all the people on the boat who came from different countries.
I also really liked the volunteers' accommodation in Seaview, which is my personal dream house, built from local yellowwood and situated right above the sea. You just have to go down a few steps and cross the road to get to a lovely stretch of beach where you can run safely on your own.
Port Elizabeth itself may not be the most stunning city in South Africa, but the surrounding area offers endless opportunities to explore the country, with two nature reserves on the doorstep, as well as the famous Addo Elephant Park and many private reserves where you can see the Big Five.
As most working days on the boat end around 2pm, you'll have plenty of time to explore and go hiking, climbing, cycling, horse riding, swimming or just sit on the deck and read.
BUT it all depends on you.
There's no one to take your hand and show you around, you need to have a driving licence and be happy to drive on the left-hand side of the road. Raggy Charters have a car you can use, but without it you might be stuck.
For the first few weeks there were three other volunteers staying at Seaview who sometimes joined me on my adventures, but I did most things on my own - if you ask the crew if it's safe to do something and they say yes, then it's perfectly fine.
So with all that in mind, you can have a wonderful time volunteering with Raggy Charter.
They only owe me one thing: a breaching whale close up... but that gives me a good excuse to come back !
Elisa & Simone from Italy (the smiles say it all!)
Alessia, aurora & Salvatore from Italy
My name is Alessia Amodeo, and I have a degree in Natural Sciences. I had the incredible opportunity to win a scholarship for the G.R.E.A.T. internship project, funded by the European Union. Thanks to a collaboration between my university (Università della Calabria) and Raggy Charters, I found myself in the beautiful city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, for a month-long research project. Raggy Charters is a well-known marine eco-tour company that specializes in whale and dolphin watching tours. They are dedicated to marine conservation and education, making them the perfect partner for our research. Together with my colleagues, Aurora Sergio and Salvatore Rubino, we collected data on the dolphin and whale species present in Algoa Bay. Our research focused on counting the number of individuals, identifying age groups, and observing behaviors. To gather this information, we embarked on several boat trips, accompanied by an exceptional team of experts. Their knowledge and enthusiasm were invaluable in helping us identify different species. The team members were not only skilled but also incredibly kind and supportive, making our fieldwork both educational and enjoyable. Working in a team was essential for the success of our project. Some of us were responsible for taking photographs and videos for species identification, while others recorded data. This collaborative approach ensured that we could gather comprehensive and accurate information. I had a wonderful time and felt incredibly fortunate to work with colleagues who are my friends and such a friendly team. Even though it was for a short period, I will never forget this experience and the little family I found here in South Africa.
My name is Aurora Sergio, I am a graduate student in Natural Sciences and have just completed my first year of my master's degree at the University of Calabria (UNICAL). This report describes my traineeship experience, which took place in May 2024 at Raggy Charters, thanks to the G.R.E.A.T scholarship obtained through my university's Internationalization Center. The traineeship took place through an agreement between the University of Calabria and Raggy Charters, a renowned organization in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Raggy Charters specializes in marine tours and research on cetaceans and other marine species in the region. Founded in 1992, it offers unique opportunities for whale, dolphin, and sometimes shark sightings, combining eco-tourism with a strong commitment to conservation and scientific research. During this month, I had the opportunity to study cetaceans in the waters surrounding Port Elizabeth, with a special interest in observation and data collection. Our goal was to monitor the cetacean population and, if possible, observe white sharks. However, despite our efforts, we were unable to spot white sharks during my traineeship period. Unfortunately, adverse weather conditions limited the number of outings at sea, reducing the volume of data collected from what was initially planned. Despite this, the data obtained proved to be very interesting, especially the latest sighting of a southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), a significant species for the region and the subject of important conservation studies. The experience was extremely educational in many ways. The staff at Raggy Charters was incredibly welcoming and professional, providing ongoing support and valuable knowledge throughout the traineeship. In particular, our tutor, Claudia, played a crucial role not only in collecting and analyzing data, but also in providing guidance and hands-on teaching in the field. The combination of theory and practice, along with the opportunity to work with dedicated marine conservation professionals, greatly enriched my academic and professional training. This internship allowed me to apply the knowledge gained during my studies in a real-world setting, strengthening my passion for cetacean research and marine biodiversity conservation. I sincerely thank Raggy Charters for this incredible opportunity, and I hope this experience will contribute to my future career.
My name is Salvatore Rubino, and I am a student at the University of Calabria in the Biodiversity and Natural Systems degree program. During my studies, I had the opportunity to participate in a research internship in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, thanks to the G.R.E.A.T. project, funded by the European Union. This experience was also made possible thanks to the support of our tutor, Claudia, and our internationalization officer, Professor Sperone, who facilitated the collaboration between our university and the Raggy Charters agency.
Raggy Charters is a marine charter agency based in Port Elizabeth, renowned for its eco-tourism activities and its dedication to marine life conservation. The agency offers a wide range of experiences, including whale and dolphin watching, sunset cruises, bird watching, and educational expeditions on marine conservation. Their commitment to protecting marine ecosystems is widely recognized and appreciated.
During my month-long internship, I lived in the home of one of Raggy Charters' staff members, which allowed me to fully immerse myself in the local culture and the daily activities of the agency.
Activities include: observation and Data Collection: I participated in several cetacean watching trips at sea, documenting whale and dolphin sightings. I collected data on species, behaviors, and environmental conditions. During the observations, I was in charge of taking photos for recognition of individuals, while also documenting other aspects relevant to the research. In addition, I had the opportunity to attend and participate in educational sessions with tourists, explaining the importance of marine conservation and the work done by Raggy Charters.
In addition to the research work, we had the opportunity to participate in several experiences that further enriched our internship such as a safari, exploring South Africa's rich terrestrial biodiversity. This experience allowed us to see a variety of animal species up close and gain a better understanding of the region's terrestrial ecosystems.
In conclusion, this internship experience with Raggy Charters was extremely educational and rewarding. Not only did I expand my skills on language and practices in cetacean research, but I also had a unique cultural experience.
Alessandro, antonio & Sofia from Italy
I’m Alessandro, Italian international intern for Raggy Charters between April and May ‘24. I reachedAn South Africa thanks to my University, Università della Calabria, because I was eligible for a scholarship. When I heard of this chance, I was already flying with my intention, even though going abroad scared me in a certain amount. But with other 2 colleagues by my side, Antonio and Sofia and a careful Professor directing us from Italy, everything seemed reachable. We had also an Erasmus graduate, Vincent, from our lab waiting already for us in Port Elizabeth.
At the airport Claudia welcomed us with a big smile, she has been our scientific relator and fixer in everyday life. We hopped in the land cruiser, engines on and we reached Seaview and our Guest House, where we met two other guest, there for the Sardine Run event, Antonia and Machi. But most importantly the portentous Lloyd ,householder and founder of Raggy Charters. We also met Purity, the guide of the company, just full of energy and sweet and pure like her name. After a welcome Braai, the next day we were already on MyBru (one of the boats) to engage the longest trip: cage diving with Bird Island as destination. Unfortunately for us we didn’t see sharks in our month but we felt the presence anyway spotting some splashes and even a white shark calf from above in our days. During this month we learned how to work on a boat from cleaning, guest welcoming and of course the megafauna of the AlgoaBay. Thuba, an NMU intern, was our 4th companion and besides having the same age as us, she taught us a lot and maybe she gave us at least a portion of her prodigious skills as sea life spotter. Jake and Keith and Sean, the skippers, and Karen, the manager, they were always ready to help us when we needed.
We could witness a real sardine run event, one of the most amazing spectacle I could hope to see. And when we went to Addo Elephant National Park, seeing for the first time the Big 5, we almost didn’t miss the ocean with that green vastity. Leaving was hard, especially because when we flew the crew went to hit the current, a tough expedition to see sperm whales. That’s an incentive to come back for sure!
My name is Antonio and I’m an Italian bachelor student from the University of Calabria. Thanks to a scholarship, I had the opportunity to make a internship with Raggy Charters. It was a fantastic experience, from the first day, I had the opportunity to learn and understand this job, especially thanks to the staff, who was always patient and available to make sure I understood everything. The activities carried out were 100% educational, always trying to fill the time with something that could enrich our cultural background and train us as professionals in the field of nature.Our internship was focus on collecting data about cetaceans and sharks. Unfortunately we weren’t so lucky with the sharks (we didn’t see any!!), but we collected a lot of data from cetaceans observations, like environmental parameters (temperature, depth, cloud coverage, wind, tide ecc), species, number of individuals and behavior. On the days where it was not possible to go on the boat, we were able to spend our free time going around the area and do some cool experiences, like visiting Addo Elephant National Park or join a removal of alien plants event in our neighborhood, or fight in a paintball field with the all the team. I can only say that with a crew like that you really feel at home….Thanks again Raggy Charters!!
My name is Sofia and I am a student at “Unical”, University of Calabria, currently in my third year of studying Natural and Environmental Sciences. My coursework covers a comprehensive range of subjects related to the environment, including botany, zoology, and ecology, going to physiology and anatomy, as well as molecular-level studies such as chemistry, biochemistry. This diverse educationl background has equipped me with a broad understanding of the natural world. I won a scholarship, which allowed me to spend a month in South Africa working with Raggy Charters, a company dedicated to marine conservation and research. This opportunity provided a platform to apply my academic knowledge in a real world setting and gain invaluable experience.
Daily activities on the boat : nearly every day, we ventured out on the boat to collect data on cetaceans, like whales and dolphins. The primary objective was to observe, document and analyze their behaviors and patterns. This hands-on experience provided valuable insights into marine biology and specific ecosystem in Porth Elizabeth.
When we were not on the boat, our days were filled with different activities. We went to Addo Elephant National Park, we once participated in diving, and I can’t forget the braai, it was surely one of the highlights of my trip. Throughout the month we developed a beautiful relationship with everyone at Raggy Charters. The team was incredibly welcoming and eager to share their knowledge and passion for marine conservation. This cheerfulness made the experience more enjoyable and memorable.
Vincent from Germany
I met Lloyd, Jake and Claudia on a conference on Sharks, when I was told about the massive population of dolphins and other incredible wildlife. So long story short, a collaboration between my university and Raggy Charters was set up to research the bottlenose dolphins.
When I arrived in Port Elizabeth a couple of weeks later, I was picked up by Purity and Claudia and moved into my beautiful room in the guesthouse downstairs. The next morning, I was thrown straight into the cold water, and we went on the boat.
Working with everybody in the crew is as good as the nature I witnessed with them. I’m sure not a morning person but reaching the harbour and having so much fun getting the boat ready, made getting up very easy.
In the two month I’ve stayed in South Africa Purity, Claudia, Lloyd, Keith, Jake, Sean and of course the all overseeing Karen became close. They’ve taught me so much in such a short time, not just about how to take care of boats, of guests, and how to be a good guide, they are extremely knowledgeable about the environment they work in and taught me as much as possible.
They welcomed me into their family like one of them and it is an experience I can only recommend to everybody that is motivated to work with marine wildlife.
Even though the weather wasn’t always good enough to go out to sea, in periods with no trips, Purity, Lloyd and Jake made sure I had a great experience. We visited many game parks, to Addo National Park and did many other activities in my spare time.
Annemieke from The Netherlands
Professional office manager, coördinator & organizer; passionate storyteller, writer & traveler. A big heart for humans, animals, nature and making the world a better place.
), for your hospitality, this incredible experience with everything that came with it, for sharing your passion and knowledge, for the possibilities you gave me, for working together and for the joy, laughter and great moments during these amazing months! It could simply not have been better!Claudia from Italy
I am a marine biologist and I worked with plankton for a few years. During Covid I had to stop working in the research field, but I missed it so much, that after a few years, I decided to travel and spend months on the ocean. I started to look for some volunteer opportunities that allow me to carry on my passion for the ocean and for the environment. I easily found Raggy Chartes and I contacted them to check if I could have any chance to join the team. Fortunately for me, Lloyd has a lot of missions in his life, and one of them is protect Algoa Bay. In fact, a few years ago, in the bay, one of the biggest penguin colonies in SA, started to decrease drastically. No-one knows so far what’s happening and why the penguins are dying. So Raggy Charters wants to do some independent research and try to find out the reason for that. I joined Raggy Charters in March 2023 and the idea was to use my knowledge and skills to study the plankton (the base of the food chain) and see if it’s contaminated and, therefore, all the rest of the fish. From the beginning, I realized that it was a huge project, too big for a volunteer experience of 3 months. But we didn’t give up, and we continued to look for some funding and people to help.
It was very intense and exciting at the same time!! Unfortunately, after only one month, I had to stop my project and leave the team.
But I can say it was one of the most fun and exciting experiences that I have ever had. I create new friends that I can call family. They were always so friendly, available, patient and full of knowledge. Everyone in the team has a specific role, task and skills and it’s so amazing and impressive to see how they are so well wedded. The result is amazing! I will never forget this experience in my life. And I can say that my love and passion have grown. Now I can’t stay away from the ocean!
ALBERT VISITS FROM SPAIN
I arrived to Port Elizabeth on a windy summer morning of January. Karen (responsible for the marketing and bookings) was waiting for me at the airport, and shortly after I was introduced to Lloyd Edwards (the owner of the company) and Jake Keeton (the manager). Since the very first moment they all made me feel like part of the team, and that did not change during the three months I collaborated with Raggy Charters.
I initially heard from Raggy Charters because it was part of the WCA (World Cetacean Aliance). The fact of being a small company, running very personal tours with small groups, being committed with conservation and education and involved in many research projects around Algoa Bay caught my attention. That is why I got in touch with Lloyd Edwards. He was always very helpful and informative about what my stay would be like. But after these three months I can say that the reality overtook my expectations. I could not have had a better experience.
I was hosted in the Guest House in Seaview, and I quickly fell in love with that place. I could not believe I had an entire apartment for myself, with unforgettable views to the Indian Ocean. Falling asleep with the sound of the Indian Ocean and waking up with the birds is something I will never forget. Besides that, I could use a car to move around and explore the area.
Even when it was not high season, I was regularly going out to the sea to show to our guests the magnificent wildlife it is possible to see in Algoa Bay. Before arriving, I honestly wasn’t aware of how rich the ocean is here. I rapidly understood why Algoa Bay is the bottlenose dolphin capital of the world. I had never seen that amount of dolphins together! But besides Bottlenose dolphins, I managed to see Common dolphins, Humpback dolphins, Minke whales and Bryde’s whales… and it was low season!
But it was not only about cetaceans… after these three months I saw different species of sharks (Hammerheads, Mako sharks and even Great white sharks!) and also a wide variety of birds, such as Cape cormorants, White-breasted cormorants, Cape gannets, African black oystercatchers, Cape gulls, shearwaters, storm petrels… and the lovely African penguin. I felt blessed I had the opportunity of going to St Croix island to see this endangered species of penguins from up close.
My duties consisted basically on helping on anything necessary on board, assisting our guests, driving the boat when necessary and boat maintenance. I really enjoyed all my time helping the crew. I could also visit SANCCOB (South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds), and learn about the different coastal birds of the area and the threats they are facing.
I even had the opportunity of going to Bird island for a day trip with the manager Jake and with researchers. It was very interesting and exciting helping the researchers while releasing injured Cape fur seals back into their colony. I could also help them when collecting data of that colony. It was also great to get to see the biggest gannettry in the world at Bird island.
But it was not only about working. I also had time to explore a little bit of what South Africa can offer. I did some short trips to Cape Town and also to Lesotho and ekwaZulu Natal province, as well as a week in Kruger National Park.
All the team made me feel like one of them. I had so much fun with Lloyd, Jake, Warren, Purity, Karen and Abongile. I will always remember them not only as working mates, but also as true friends. We spent lots of hours on the boat, but I also enjoyed the glasses of wine with Lloyd (lots of them), the beers with Jake (even more), the talks to my little sister Purity, the uncountable braais (BBQ) with all the team, the visits to Addo National Park and so many unforgettable moments I spent with Raggy Charters team. Thank you all for this amazing experience!!!
Rodrigo (Spain) & EWa (Poland)
Rodrigo is a Spanish environmentalist with a Master in Ecosystem Restoration, passionate about wildlife, photography and especially about environmental education. Now working as a naturalist in a whale watching company in Iceland, he is always looking forward to improve his knowledge and learn from nature.
Ewa is Animal Science engineer from Poland with passion for all kinds of animals and nature. Believing that everything is connected, from leafs on the trees, through feathers on birds wings to fish in the depth oceans, all the time trying to learn more about environment and spreading this knowledge, working as naturalist and guide on whale watching tours.
In our frequent trips to St. Croix and Bird Island, we have seen many humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in their migration route to Antarctica, where they spend the austral summer feeding, which means lots of mother-calf couples leaping, breaching, lob-tailing and displaying all kind of imaginable tricks (a pleasure for any wildlife passionate). Apart fromthem, more cetaceans have been around us, such as mega-pods of common dolphins (Delphinus capensis), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), Sei (Balaenoptera borealis -arare encounter next to the port), Bryde’s (Balaenoptera brydei) and Minke whales(Balaenoptera acutorostrata).
Thanks to these trips that Raggy Charters is performing as the only whale watching operator in Algoa Bay to fund their conservation projects, we were lucky not only to have very close encounters with cetaceans but also to see the world biggest colony of clumsy African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) on St. Croix -you can have fun seeing these little ones trying toreach the island from the water; and next to Bird Island a colony of Cape Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus)– cute and comical animals but cattle-smelly like when you get closer to them! Beside penguins, birdlife has also made a huge impression on us: Cape Gannets (Morus capensis), seagulls, terns, petrels, cormorants and a very polite heron which would say“good morning” to you every single day in the harbour.
Apart from that, we were involved in few research projects such as fish and sea bird surveys which can last forever (data compilation in science may be tiring but rewarding so you can spend many hours at sea and get tune!), beach surveys in which we got permission to drive into the protected beaches of Alexandria Dune Fields and Maitland in order to collect data from dead animals like seabirds or stranded cetaceans and save a dying turtle! Thanks to this collaboration between Raggy Charters, University and Port Elizabeth Museum, we have assisted to few necropsies of cape fur seals, sub-antartic seals (Arctophoca tropicalis) and elephant seal (Mirounga leonina -sounds amazing and we learnt a lot, but the smell was….irresistible xD).
But not everything was going to be about “working”. We have been discovering this incredible land, visiting game reserves, national parks (giraffes, zebras, elephants, rhinos, lions,cheetahs or ostriches among many others animals have crossed our path), being amused by the huge biodiversity in this corner of the planet and tasting a bit south African culture, with special reference to “Braais” (these people have made a whole culture around BBQ, which is agreat experience itself).
To sum up, it has been an incredible experience thanks to people like James, Jake, Kerry, Greg or Lloyd, and we have enjoyed a lot. Now, we have a lot of anecdotes to tell and a nice skin colour to make our friends jealous back in cold Europe. See you soon!
