Category: Volunteer Stories
Straight from the (sea)horse’s mouth… Check out these stories from our expedition volunteers in Madagascar and Belize!
Sailing serenity: how to spend your day off in Andavadoaka
By Madison Kane, Expedition Manager, Andavadoaka, Madagascar If you stand at the top of the hill at Coco Beach (the base for Blue Ventures’ expedition volunteers in Andavadoaka) and admire the village down below, you see hundreds of wooden canoes...
Lionfish searches and lobster tickling
By Andy Veal, Blue Ventures expedition volunteer, Belize After our first week of marine science classes in the beautiful fishing village of Sarteneja, myself and my fellow expedition volunteers were excited to finally make it to the Bacalar Chico Dive...
Celebrating reef week in Belize
Every year, organisations from across Belize come together to organise “reef week”, with a range of activities highlighting the crucial role of coral reefs in the country’s economy, food security and cultural heritage. In Sarteneja, Blue Ventures celebrated the event...
Diver! Diver! PADI Rescue Diver course in Andavadoaka
By Madison Kane, Expedition Manager, Andavadoaka, Madagascar “Diver! Diver! Are you okay?” … ”Someone call for help, I have an unconscious diver!” were the things being yelled from Half Moon Beach in Andavadoaka, but no need to be alarmed, it...
Celebrating women who inspire change
I'm currently volunteering with the Safidy programme in Andavadoaka, and was offered the opportunity to write this special blog post for International Women’s Day...
What is biodiversity?
by Winnie Courtene-Jones, Field Scientist, Belize What is biodiversity? That was the question for grade 5 of the Sarteneja Roman Catholic school. We started the day with a trip to Shipstern Nature Reserve, home to a hugely diverse array of...
My medical elective with Blue Ventures in Andavadoaka, Madagascar
By Lousie Collingwood, medical elective student, Exeter, United Kingdom Madagascar is an incredible country, full of endemic wildlife and fringed by beautiful coral reefs. However, this wasn’t the only reason I decided to travel there for my medical elective… Blue...
In search of the elusive event: coral spawning in Madagascar
By Erika Gress, Field Scientist, Madagascar One of nature’s most unusual, mysterious and least witnessed events happens in the ocean; coral spawning. Despite years of data collection and night snorkelling trips, for the BV Madagascar team, this rare sight has...
Making a splash in Belize
By Jared Katzen, BV Volunteer, Belize 31 August 2013 There’s only a week left of our expedition and I can honestly say that this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. While many volunteers come to...
A disgusting but fascinating discovery!
By Gizem Poffyn, BV volunteer, Belize Day 1: Yesterday night the stars were beautiful; shining bright in a clear black sky. The sea was calm and the stingrays came very close to the beach to try and catch the crabs....
Nature on your doorstep: adventures on the Belize Barrier Reef
by Saskia Ponce, Centro Escolar México Junior College student, Belize Foreword by Jen Chapman, Belize Country Coordinator Centro Escolar México Junior College (CEMJC) is a Belizean tertiary education institution in the Corozal District. Its mission is to provide opportunities for students from...
“Escape to Madagascar” fundraiser
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Searchin’ for urchin
By Joakim Andersen & Sabina Larsson, BV volunteers, Belize Sabina 12 meters below: Point number 1: Dictyota 20 mm, point number 2: Halimeda 75 mm, point number 3: Dictyota again, 20 mm, … point number 10 – no idea what...
Introducing Lily Mesnik: future conservation superstar
We are proud to introduce Lily Mesnik, an amazing young woman from the USA. Several months ago Lily contacted us out the blue, and all under her own initiative, because she wanted to raise money for our conservation work in Madagascar....
Jump for change: fundraising for school scholarships in Madagascar
Last month Ukti Shah managed to raise a phenomenal £500 for Blue Ventures’ school scholarships by doing a sponsored bungee jump! We asked her to share some thoughts about this experience… Why did you want to support Blue Ventures’ school scholarships?...