You might know this but we just celebrated World Oceans Day, so we thought we’d inspire your travel plans with a few aquatic adventures that also do good for our vibrant seas.
Perhaps you’re familiar with this rather impressive statistic: 97 percent of our planet is ocean. Puts things into perspective when we think about how influential and also fragile our seas are.
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If you were looking for an excuse to ponder the power of the world’s oceans, World Oceans Day, which is June 8, would be ideal. The event is organised by a collective of conservation groups with leaders in 140 countries and this year they’re calling on leaders to protect 30 percent of the blue planet by 2030 – which seems pretty reasonable in our book. You can sign their petition here, and in the meantime, plan your post-Coronavirus escapes with ocean conservation in mind with these aquatic adventures.
Marine Conservation in Raja Ampat
One of the most extraordinary environments on the planet, Raja Ampat is as remote as you get. Located off the northwest tip of the Bird’s Head Peninsula of West Papua, it is recognised as the world’s most bio-diverse marine ecosystem.
Pelorus guests can live aboard a classic phinisi yacht and enjoy the beautiful blue all day long, as well as working with indigenous communities in conservation efforts. A Pelorus naturalist guide will also accompany, assisting with identification and the tagging of species as guests cruise between the four main islands, Salawati, Batanta, Waigeo and Misool, and the 1,500 wild isles that surround them. The region has 1,200 species of fish, 550 species of hard and soft coral, and is a shelter for six of the world’s seven species of sea turtle…deep blue heaven.
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Magnificent Marine Safari at Hemingways Watamu, Kenya
On a beautiful stretch of beach, shaded by lazy palms, Hemingways Watamu is at the heart of the Watamu Marine National Park. It is home to wonderful coral reefs just 300m from the shore, filled with 150 species of hard and soft corals – brain corals, fan corals, and sponges – and more than 1,000 species of reef fish.
Hemingways Watamu is the perfect base from which to embark on a morning’s snorkelling, marvelling at the multi-coloured fish flitting amongst the reef, sea turtles, barracuda, lionfish, parrotfish and snappers as well as the occasional guitarfish or large grouper. The more experienced diver has the chance to spot whale sharks and manta rays.
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Watamu is also a vital sea turtle breeding area, and the turtle watch program successfully protects five of the seven species, all of which are listed as endangered or critically endangered. Further out at sea, guests can spend the day tracking pods of wild dolphins, and have the chance to see whale, Orca, Bryde’s whales, striped dolphins, Pan Tropical spotted dolphins, as well as the very rare Dugong.
A founding partner and member of Watamu Marine Association (formed in 2008), Hemingways Watamu is committed to conserving the beauty of the Kenyan coastline; hotel guests can visit the EcoWorld Watamu recycling centre, to participate in beach clean-ups and spend time in the Marine Park with expert Marine Biologists to explain about the devastating impact that plastic pollution is having on the delicate coral reefs.
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Conservation in The Red Sea
Pelorus has developed a conservation dive programme in association with the Cousteau Society and Cordio (Coastal Oceans Research and Development – Indian Ocean) to monitor some of the lesser-known reefs off the coast of Sudan and Eritrea. The experience will focus on coral cover, algal cover, coral reef fish and pelagic fish, as well as monitoring the rare Arabian red sea shark. These waters are host to a myriad of marine life from anthias and butterflyfish, to hammerhead sharks, manta rays and shoals of surgeonfish, snappers, bumphead parrots, dolphins, turtles and much more.
The atolls are pristine, untouched by man, and therefore visibility is exceptions, the reefs are undamaged, and the marine life is prolific. With water temperatures between 24 – 26° C in the winter and 30° C in the summer what could be better for a guest looking to engage in hands-on marine conservation.
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Shark and Coral Reef Monitoring, Palau
Few environments remain as pristine or as fragile as the seas around remote Palau. Known for its vibrant corals, abundant fish populations, breathtaking jungle-capped, mushroom-shaped limestone islands, and pristine aqua-blue waters, Palau is world-renowned for the quality of its diving and snorkelling and is best known as being the first country in the world to designate its entire territory – all 499,867sqkm of it – as a protected marine area.
You can help the nation’s efforts by joining the Oceanic Society and researchers studying the links between shark abundance and coral reef health. In partnership with the Micronesian Shark Foundation, participants on this snorkel and scuba flexible trip will learn to identify and survey sharks, corals, and reef fish – some of the territory’s 1,500 fish species and 700-plus coral types – in order to compare reef health in areas of varying shark abundance.
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First sighting of Orcas near Alphonse Island, Seychelles:
In March 2020, Blue Safari Seychelles announced its first-ever sighting of orcas off the west coast of Alphonse Island. The pod, which comprised of around seven whales, was observed for nearly an hour and highlights just how much there still is to learn about the remarkable marine life that inhabits the Indian Ocean.
Known for its commitment to the protection and preservation of the marine and land environment, Blue Safari Seychelles is sharing data from this encounter with their partner non-profit organisation, ICS (Island Conservation Society). Guests staying and diving at Alphonse Island can hope for a similar encounter in the future. You can book your own remarkable Seychelles soiree with Turquoise Holidays that includes land and sea activities as well as accommodation at Alphonse Island.
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Coral Restoration at Kokomo Island Resort, Fiji
Just one part of the outstanding conservation projects offered at Kokomo Island Resort in Fiji (which we’ve chatted about before), guests can learn how to ensure the house reef continues to thrive, led by the Marine Biology Team and Marine Department, through coral restoration.
Guests will discover how to identify heat resilient corals, before planting them into a nursery and transplanting them back onto the Kokomo house reef. To date, Kokomo has transplanted over 300 corals and currently houses over 1,300 corals in the nursery. This is a great hands-on experience, which allows guests to play their part in environmental sustainability.
Other experiences include the Kokomo Acoustic Manta Project – the first of its kind in Fiji – sustainable fishing initiatives, sea foraging for new natural food sources, and a seawater desalination plant. You can book your visit to paradise through Turquoise Holidays, who will throw in complimentary seaplane or helicopter transfers.
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