YOUR GUIDE TO A Expedition “Blue Ventures does magnificent work, helping local communities and offering extraordinary volunteering opportunities that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.” Simon Reeve Adventurer, author and presenter of the BBC’s Indian Ocean series “An incredible life-changing experience, where real science is combined with an eye-opening view of some of the challenges facing development today.” MATT MITCHELL, EXPEDITION VOLUNTEER “You’ll learn to dive and conduct research on the coral reefs with Malagasy locals, measuring fish populations, examining bleaching effects on the reef, and monitoring mangrove swamp ecology, all against an exquisite backdrop of wild palms, blue lagoons, and white-sand beaches.” NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER MAGAZINE “We’re confident that the experiences we offer are the most rewarding and worthwhile placements available in volunteer conservation today.” ALASDAIR HARRIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INTRODUCTION CONTENTS Why choose Blue Why choose Blue Ventures? 3 Staff 4 Expedition living 4 Ventures? Expedition costs 4 Responsible tourism, standards and Volunteers are vital to the success of our projects and we are committed awards 4 to delivering high quality and rewarding expeditions that benefit Talk to past volunteers 4 volunteers, host communities and the fragile marine environments where Blue Ventures expedition site: we work. Andavadoaka, Madagascar 6 Blue Ventures expedition site: Since 2003 we have been working with volunteers to develop locally led marine conservation Sarteneja and Bacalar Chico, Belize 8 initiatives in places where the ocean is vital to local cultures and economies. Blue Ventures expedition site: Alongside our practical conservation work, our aim is to increase awareness of the critical need Atauro Island, Timor-Leste 10 for marine conservation and research and to demonstrate that marine conservation can be in Life on a Blue Ventures Expedition 12 everyone’s interest, and that taking less from our ocean can give us much, much more. What should I expect? 12 The dives you undertake and the data you collect whilst on an expedition are invaluable for Science Training 12 developing effective approaches for safeguarding threatened marine biodiversity and traditional Diving 12 coastal livelihoods. Accommodation 13 Life outside diving 14 By joining us as a volunteer you are contributing to our impact as we focus on driving the Safety on camp 14 adoption of our locally led marine conservation models. After your expedition 15 Keeping in touch when I get home 15 3 WHY CHOOSE BLUE VENTURES Staff conditions are neglected. If, whilst working as a conservation volunteer, you’re expected to At Blue Ventures we focus on recruiting sleep in tented or dormitory accommodation experienced teams and providing the right and cook your own food, the price of your mix of international and local staff to give our project should reflect this. Blue Ventures volunteers the training and support that they volunteers receive three meals per day, cooked need to get the most from their expedition. by experienced local chefs and live in eco- Some organisations offering marine cabins overlooking the beach. Our approach conservation expeditions host large numbers is to employ, source and buy locally whenever of volunteers in the same project and site. possible and we spend more than 70% of We believe that this can limit the learning volunteer fees in our expedition countries, experience, the availability of facilities, and the with the remaining sum used to support our access to activities and training that you can UK-based team, and the other essential costs participate in. involved in running expeditions such as the payment protection insurance that secures At Blue Ventures we are committed to getting your payment. you, the volunteer, involved in all aspects of our research and to providing the best training and support. Therefore, we limit our Responsible tourism, standards volunteer numbers to ensure a ratio of staff to and awards volunteers that is never more than 1 to 3. We are an industry leader in responsible tourism, volunteering and conservation Expedition living tourism. Our staff have helped draft and guide industry codes of practice and are key Living in remote communities is exciting and influencers in the tourism sector. As a leading challenging. We provide living conditions that member of the Year Out Group we abide by ensure your comfort and also reflect the local their Code of Practice and Charter. Since we culture and community that you are working launched our first project in Madagascar in in. There will be days on your expedition 2003 we have won 10 awards for our marine when you’ll work long hours to achieve your conservation expeditions. But we don’t rely on expedition goals and we believe that our past successes and our commitment to quality volunteers need comfortable accommodation and giving you the best possible expedition and a balanced diet to help them achieve experience remains a priority on every trip we these goals. On a Blue Ventures expedition organise. local chefs prepare delicious meals using fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Our volunteer accommodation overlooks the sea and is Talk to past volunteers built by local craftsmen.We structure our expeditions to maintain the balance between Nobody will be able to give you a better idea work, research and recreation, by giving you of whether you will enjoy the expedition the time and space to get the most out of your than a past volunteer. When choosing your stay with us. expedition, ask whether it’s possible to speak to people who have participated in the project. Make sure that these are recent volunteers and Expedition costs don’t be afraid to ask them detailed questions about life in the field. We understand that one of the most important considerations for our volunteers A marine conservation expedition is not just when deciding which volunteer project to a holiday on which you collect some data, join is the cost of the project and identifying and return home again. We are committed to exactly where your money goes and what providing you with new skills and experiences. the cost includes. When investigating your Our aim is for you to come out of the project options we recommend that you understand having had a truly life-changing experience, what kit and equipment you will be expected fostering a passion and motivation to do to purchase before your trip. We provide the more in the marine conservation, responsible majority of the diving equipment that you tourism and education sector. We also hope require and all of the expensive items are that by the end of your time with us you’ll included in your expedition fee (Buoyancy share our love for you’re the communities Control Device (BCD), Regulators, dive where we work and our projects both above cylinders and weights). No matter how remote and below water. This expedition guide has the environment or location, volunteering on been written with the help of past volunteers an expedition shouldn’t mean that your living 4 WHY CHOOSE BLUE VENTURES “I very much appreciated the integrated research approach and I was thoroughly impressed by the way volunteers were able to integrate themselves into the broad range of conservation, education and research activities underway on site.” LEDA SMITH, EXPEDITION VOLUNTEER to provide you with all the information you’re and can give you detailed information and Find out more or get in touch: likely to need before applying to join an are ideally placed to answer any questions expedition with us. We hope the material is of or queries that you may have relating to an www.blueventures.org expedition – please feel free to make use of use to you, and hope to welcome you to a Blue blog.blueventures.org Ventures expedition in the near future. this invaluable information resource! We’re always ready to help you with any queries that [email protected] Our UK-based expeditions staff have visited you might have about our expeditions. our Madagascar, Belize and Timor-Leste sites +44 (0) 20 7697 8598 5 MADAGASCAR “The overall experience is difficult to put in words. It will be one of the best experiences of my life and I am sometimes still speechless when friends ask how it was.” EDWIN SURTEL, EXPEDITION VOLUNTEER BLUE VENTURES EXPEDITION SITE: Andavadoaka, Madagascar The remote fishing village of Andavadoaka, Blue Venture’s Spiny forests, described by some as the “eighth wonder expedition site, is located along Madagascar’s southwest of the natural world”, are the main vegetative type in coast and boasts beautiful, diverse and unexplored this eco-region. An intriguing combination of desert terrestrial and marine ecosystems. and forest, spiny forests are endemic to Madagascar’s southwest coastal areas, one of the only vegetative In Andavadoaka the clear turquoise waters of the Indian communities able to survive the extreme arid climate Ocean meet sandy white beaches and offer visitors of the region. Plants here can go without water for a wide variety of activities from snorkelling to bird more than a year. This forest can be seen all around watching to trekking through legendary baobab forests. Andavadoaka, and can be visited during excursions With a population of just 2,500, Andavadoaka is home to from the site. Incredible vistas with majestic baobab the Vezo, known as “people of the sea” for their cultural, trees can be seen throughout the region. A vast array of economic and spiritual ties to the ocean waters. The Vezo indigenous and endemic birds provides fascinating bird- regularly hold traditional ceremonies thanking spiritual watching opportunities. And, of course, there is plenty of ancestors for the bounty the sea provides. Community opportunity to simply relax and sunbathe along deserted members also believe that foreign visitors can “become” white beaches.