23/07/13 Turtles & Whalesharks
Sadly, for the
July volunteers our time here is more than half done. It’s amazing how full our
days have been: workshops, orientations, diving…and we’ve been successful! The
ten students in the Advanced Open Water Diver PADI course have all been
accredited and everyone has passed their Group 1 Fish Recognition exams. We can
proudly tell the difference between an Emperor Angelfish and a Regal Angelfish,
an Indian Redfin Butterflyfish and a Black-backed Butterflyfish and even a
Soldierfish and a Squirrelfish. This week we’re concentrating on fish spotting,
fish methodology and the more experienced volunteers are getting on with
everyone’s ultimate goal: surveys.
Weekends around
here are spent at leisure. You’ll find volunteers snorkeling in the bay,
climbing Cap Matoopa, doing laundry (followed by a hunt for coveted clothes pegs) or
heading into Victoria. This past weekend, a group of eleven volunteers went on
a night dive to the Twin Barges, a double shipwreck. For those of us who’d
never been night diving before (or explored a shipwreck!) it was a thrilling
experience. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious Creole buffet full of local
fish, vegetables and DESSERT! Desserts are such a rarity around here that one
volunteer was seen visiting the dessert bar no less than 4 times!
On the diving
front, Lee C. and Ricky have now joined the ranks of Sam, Mouna, Bart and Laura
after viewing GVI’s second Whale Shark of the season. Suddenly Hawksbill and
Green Turtle sighting are becoming less exciting as the Whale Shark season
creeps in upon the Seychelles. Everyone is determined to see at least one before the month is over.
And now for some
exploring of the rest of the Seychelles…visits to La Digue and Praslin Island
are planned as volunteers try to appreciate the beauty and mystique of this
beautiful country.
Laura McGinty
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