Eagle explorations
By Karen Tocque, Blue Ventures volunteer, Madagascar It was blowing hard from the south – about 35 knots and lifting the sand up into your face on the way down to dinner. We weren’t diving for a couple of days...
Time flies when you’re having fun!
By Sabine, Blue Ventures volunteer, Belize Week one of our expedition was pretty exciting; arriving in Sarteneja, moving in with my Belizean host family, getting to know all the other volunteers and staff members, as well as absorbing new scientific...
Going the extra mile for BV, literally.
While some newlyweds spend their honeymoon lying on the beach and sharing candlelit dinners, Kate Turner and her husband Will chose to celebrate their marriage by volunteering with Blue Ventures in southwest Madagascar. Of course, in between scuba diving, conducting...
Another generation of sea cucumbers for Tampolove!
The 26th of September was an eventful day in Tampolove with the delivery of juvenile sea cucumbers for the 12 farming teams.
Malagasy celebrations: Part two
By Samuel Blyth, Independent Researcher, Madagascar The second village that I worked in was quite a change from the Vezo communities that most volunteers and visitors to the coast spend their time in. Going to Marofihitsy to survey was potentially...
Malagasy celebrations: Part one
By Samuel Blyth, Independent Researcher, Madagascar Belo-sur-Mer and the surrounding communities have a lot to offer residents, tourists and the occasional independent researcher, such as myself. Having been here for over two months, it is about time I shared some...
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...