Category: Locations
Your own idyllic island
By Jon Bailey, Blue Ventures volunteer medic, Belize Expedition 12, Bacalar Chico Dive Camp (BCDC). The camp has seen a number of upgrades and repairs, but as of the start of this week, camp life has returned to normal, and...
Embarking to the Barren Isles: Blue Ventures begins in a third site of intervention
By Tanguy Nicolas, Blue Ventures Maintirano project coordinator, Madagascar I’ve had my feet back on the red island for nearly 6 weeks now, but have only really begun to settle in recently. My first time in Madagascar was back in 2007,...
BCDC magic
The steady breeze from the Carribean Sea is blowing in a few changes here at Bacalar Chico Dive Camp (BCDC). Since last year when we started here, on the far northern coast of Belize, our accommodation has been provided by...
A truly Belizean experience
By Rachel Murphy, Blue Ventures volunteer, Belize Even at 4.30am as we walk through the village the air is hot and humid. An occasional startled dog starts barking enthusiastically in a bid to warn off intruders, breaking the otherwise silent...
Life as an independent researcher
By Sam Wragg, Independent researcher, Madagascar Safe in the knowledge that I have plenty of time to write up my third year project when I get back to the UK and with my data collection occurring on a week-on, week-off basis, I’ve...
Check my gear. Check my air. Check my buddy.
By Roger Vaughn, Blue Ventures volunteer, Belize Check my gear. Check my air. Check my buddy. DIVERS ON THE SIDE….3…2…1…ROLL IN OK the boat, check the time, OK my buddy, and descend. This sequence commences every dive here at Bacalar Chico...
Blue Ventures Belize; so much more than a diving expedition
By Laura Brodie, Blue Ventures volunteer, Belize My Belize adventure started in the quiet fishing village of Sarteneja. Having travelled from London via Cancun, Playa de Carmen, Chetumal and Corozal, I was pleased to have reached my final destination. As soon...
Marine mammal heaven
By Jennifer Chapman, Field Scientist, Belize Here in Belize we are lucky enough to see dolphins fairly frequently from our boat and the jetty at dive camp. Last year, sightings consisted of mostly bottlenose dolphins throughout the seasons, with occasional...
Blue Ventures ‘Love-In’: A warm and hearty welcome to the Blue Ventures team
By Christi Turner, Education & Youth Outreach Coordinator, Andavadoaka, Madagascar It is quite extraordinary to be back in Madagascar. This is my adopted home, filled with my extended family, a place that has brought me tremendous personal and professional growth. Madagascar...
Plenty more fish in the sea? Fish Dependence Day; when domestic fish consumption exceeds Britain’s supplies
Fishing further for your supper; July 16th marks UK dependence on fish from abroad as local stocks fail to meet our growing demand Are there really plenty more fish in the sea? What were once rich and fertile European waters...
A Day in the Life of a Samba-Getty Scholar
By Ravelomahafaly Andriamihaja Guénolé “After I had completed my scientific option baccalaureate in 2009, I had no idea what university life had in store for me. But now, I can congratulate myself on having survived” My name is Ravelomahafaly Andriamihaja Guénolé....
Science Schooling
A poem by Naomi Lucas, Blue Ventures Medic, Sarteneja, Belize Welcome to the Benthic Test A sea of colours, shapes and crests Urchins, sponges, coral and algae Tunicates, ‘trolls hair’ and the cowrie Starting with soft coral whips and rods...
Reading the stars under Belo-sur-Mer
By Brian Jones, Community Research Coordinator, Belo-sur-Mer, Madagascar It was early May when we were planning our upcoming activities for the next two months, what with the pending mid-June departure of Charlie, our fearless leader and project coordinator here in...
“Des Baleines et des Hommes”
By Sophie Benbow, Marine Science Coordinator, Toliara, Madagascar In total, 11 species of marine mammal have been sighted in the coastal waters around Madagascar. Of these, the most abundant and most frequently sighted are the humpback whales which visit Madagascar...
Getting to know Belize
By Joe Armstrong, Blue Ventures Volunteer, Sarteneja, Belize Sarteneja As a group we spent a week in Sarteneja staying with local host families. My host family was amazing and the food was incredible! Everyone else seemed to be having similar...