Madagascar Marine Conservation & Diving

 

An Exotic Island Paradise

165 million years of isolation have created a globally important biodiversity treasure with over 80% of species endemic to this island paradise. Frontier Madagascar’s conservation project is located on the island of Nosy Be in the northwest Mozambique Channel. Characterised by shallow continental shelf waters, the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems are home to a diverse array of associated fauna and flora and home to many charismatic and unique marine mega and micro fauna.

Population growth and removal of foreign aid has led to chronic stress on these coastal zones as a result of socio economic anthropogenic pressures. Increased deforestation causes sedimentation to the reefs and the cutting down of mangroves for wood and building materials has removed many precious nursery areas for coral reef fauna.

The Malagasy government is now working with international conservation and aid agencies to halt this destruction and save the island's invaluable biodiversity and Frontier volunteers are an integral part of this effort.

Record Marine Biodiversity

 

Through SCUBA and snorkel surveys you will map coral, identify reef fish and invertebrates, study abundance of indicator fish species and possibly sight whale sharks. Diving under the supervision of a professional dive officer, you will become confident and comfortable underwater. Your results will help to evaluate the biodiversity of these waters and formulate future management plans.

Other activities include surveying mangroves, a vital buffer against storm surges caused by cyclones and an important part of the coastal ecosystem. If you are only able to join the project for 2 or 3 weeks, your involvement in the surveys and conservation work will be limited.

 

Malagasy Culture & Communities

Working alongside the Malagasy people will give you an insight into their extraordinary culture. You may even be invited to some of their ceremonies, such as local weddings or the Donia street festival. Community work includes environmental awareness days in local schools and villages to explain Frontier's work and promote conserving the environment. The data from your investigations will supply vital information on the coastline for the Madagascan national programme.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING?

The marine research and conservation programme is run in association with L'Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marine, with whom Frontier has been in partnership since 2000. This research and conservation project aims to provide the local communities, stakeholders and government bodies with the information they need to design and implement management plans for the future protection of this pristine marine ecosystem.

 

To gather the data needed you will undertake diving surveys and snorkel surveys (weather permitting), mangrove transects and interviews, with one day off each week. If you need dive training, we will train you up on the Frontier camp at the start of the project. Your activities will involve locating and mapping the extensive, pristine coral reefs and studying the various communities existing on them. The number of dives completed each week on the project depends on the quarterly science plan and itinerary as set by the Frontier field staff.

You'll also explore the important mangrove forests and record the rich variety of organisms living there and in the other intertidal zones. Whilst diving you will discover dense seagrass beds, a rich source of nutrients for the marine communities. You will deploy a wide range of newly learned research skills and scientific techniques, including: underwater visual census of reef and commercial fish such as trigger fish and parrot fish, assessment of algal and coral cover to determine the extent of coral bleaching and damage and line intercept transects for benthic life and indicator invertebrate species such as nudibranchs. You may even get to study the impact of potentially destructive fishing methods on the corals reefs, study the effects of global warming on marine communities or note any indication of the impact of the marine-curio trade on endangered marine invertebrates.

Whilst diving and snorkelling, you'll see an extraordinary array of animals, from colourful reef fish species to turtles, sea cucumbers to cushion stars and spiny urchins to octopuses. By the end of your project you will be capable of identifying a wide range of colourful and patterned reef organisms, as well as being an experienced and competent diver. Although the work is intense and challenging you'll get immense satisfaction from having made a valuable contribution to the conservation of this marine environment. Volunteers who join the project for less than 4 weeks will not be able to participate in the full range of project activities and surveys, but will still be able to make a valuable contribution to the work. You will return home with vast numbers of photos, lots of new friends, a wealth of fascinating stories and extraordinary memories.

You'll find your team to be a fun, dynamic mix of ages and experiences with members who all share a passion about travelling in developing countries and conserving nature. Your staff will be a friendly and welcoming group who are highly experienced in their research field and many of whom will have been Frontier volunteers at an earlier stage in their career.

 

 

Sample Itinerary*

0630: Mangrove bird survey

0700: Breakfast! - possibly warm bread, cebada (rice porridge), or sandwiches

0730: On the boat for survey diving or dive training

1200: Lunch time: beans with veg and rice (and soy sauce!) 

1330: Beach clean

1500: Snorkel search for invertebrates or reef clean at the local reef

1630: Revision, presentation or quiz time

1800: Dinner time - time to review the days activities and relax with a hearty meal of rice and beans!

 

*This itinerary should only be considered as an example of the kind of activities and timescales to expect.  Actual itineraries may vary depending on the season and the requirements of the project.

Volunteers arriving weekly on a Monday will be welcomed by a Frontier representative at Nosy Be airport. From here it's a short taxi or minibus ride from the airport to the centre of the vibrant town of Hellville. If you arrive before noon, you will transfer to your project site and be introduced to the Frontier-Madagascar programme on the same day. If you arrive later in the day, you will stay overnight at the Frontier volunteer house in town and transfer to your project site the following day.

 

You will meet the staff and receive some initial briefings, including an introduction to the science programme and techniques used as well as health and safety lectures, so make sure that your medical kit is complete and that you have read your safety and medical briefs. All dive trainees will complete their dive theory during their time on camp. The transfer from Hellville to the Frontier camp is by small, wooden boats and depending on the weather both you and your kit will get wet, so make sure you have sufficient dry bags to waterproof all your belongings and something to waterproof yourself!

 

At the end of your stay we will transfer those of you who are on the monthly programme back to Hellville from the camp in time for you to head back home or continue on your independent travels. If you are joining for less than 4 weeks you will make your own arrangements to return to Hellville at the end of your stay, from where you can continue your own independent travel or return home.

 

Independent travellers arriving on dates other than weekly on a Monday can arrange a separate airport collection at an extra cost of AU$74 by contacting the camp staff.

 

WHERE WILL I BE STAYING?

Check out our Camp Tour video!

During the project you'll live in the beach camp in the village of Ambalahonko on the island of Nosy Be alongside other Frontier volunteers and staff. We aim to provide you with a unique and memorable living experience. The Frontier camp was constructed by Frontier volunteers working with local craftsmen, using traditional building techniques and locally sourced environment-friendly, building materials. The camp, which is situated in a clearing on the beach, has been designed to blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. Camp life is very simple, unsophisticated and fun.

 

You will be staying in simple communal bandas, local style dwellings, your "shower" will be a jug or a bucket of water and you cook over an open campfire, so prepare for the basic, virtually footprintless, unencumbered lifestyle! On occasions you may have to journey further to reach a remote dive site, then you will stay o a "satellite camp", basically a mosquito net pitched on a distant beach.

 

FRONTIER CAMP LIFE

Check out our video on Frontier Gap Year TV from Frontier-Madagascar, showing the volunteer life on this beautiful island.

 

WHAT WILL I BE EATING?

Food on camp is simple and nutritious and consists largely of locally sourced fresh vegetables and fruit, rice, beans and noodles, all of which are purchased from nearby communities, thereby helping to support the local economy. Luxuries such as chocolate, peanut butter and drinking chocolate are only available in the main town, so make sure you stock up before heading to your field camp.

 

Part of your role on camp will be to help with the cooking. Creating spectacular meals over an open campfire or baking bread in the campfire oven will become second nature, so get your cookbooks out now and start thinking up recipes! The local villagers sell homemade delicacies every day just outside camp, including banana macari, fresh bread, meat and veggie sambos. The locals also put on dinners once a week to allow you to integrate with the village and sample their food.

The Frontier-Madagascar camp is fun and in your spare time you'll have opportunities to swim and snorkel, play football against the normally unbeatable local sides or try out beach volleyball. Alternatively, you may enjoy a traditional Saturday night themed camp party, play backgammon, poker or chess or join in a camp quiz night. After a long hard day of sailing and diving you may prefer to relax with a drink and sway in the camp hammock or sit around the campfire and chat to your new friends.  Later you will drift off to sleep lulled by the soothing lapping of the Indian Ocean.

 

Dive courses run monthly commencing on the first Monday of the month

• Single Day snorkelling off the boats AU$21
• Single Day Dive AU$63
• Double Dive AU$105
• 4-dive package AU$210
• 10-dive package AU$420

 

Courses

• Discover Scuba Diving AU$136
• Open Water Dive Course AU$735
• Advanced Open Water AU$693
• Emergency First Responder AU$273
• Rescue Diver AU$735
• Dive Master AU$1,575 (PADI professional membership fees not included)

 

*Medical certificate is mandatory for participation in dive courses

 

Modern conveniences

Hellville - 1 hour boat journey at own cost

• Attractions e.g. Lemurland, Donia Festival
• Banks / ATMs; Bank of Africa, BFV-Société Générale, BNI-CL
• Bars / cafes
• Boats to the mainland & Boat Hire
• Hostels and hotels
• Internet cafe
• Medical clinic
• Nightclub
• Pharmacy
• Post office
• Street food
• Supermarket
• Taxis to the rest of the island
• Telecom office
• Traditional markets
• Western style restaurants
• Western Union

 

PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water training AU$1,428 PADI Advanced Open Water training AU$693 (at least PADI Advanced Open Water training necessary for marine surveying)

 

DEPARTURE DATES

Every Monday of the month

Ideally flights to Madagascar and connections to Nosy Be (Fascene) should be arranged for this arrival date.

DURATION

You can join this project for a minimum of 1 week

This project is available throughout the Christmas period

CHRISTMAS OFFER

This project is available for the special price of AU$525 per week over the Christmas period. Placements starting on the 24th or 31st of December 2018 are eligible for this price, subject to availability. Please apply using the orange button below and then tell your volunteer advisor that you wish to take part over Christmas.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Before you go

• Pre-departure support
• Travel & medical advice & documentation
• Equipment advice
• Discounted medical kit
• Free Frontier t-shirt
• UK residential briefing weekend including food, accommodation and training (extra cost applies)

In-country

 

• Food

• Accommodation
• Airport pickup (for first Monday of the month arrivals). Alternative start dates possible, additional AU$74 applies for pickup, please speak to an adviser 
• Transfer to town centre and beach camp from Nosy Be Airport on first Monday of the month. Alternative start dates available
• Local orientation and training
• Dive training PADI Open Water(2 week+)  available at extra cost AU$735
• Dive training PADI Advanced Open Water (4 weeks+) available at extra cost AU$693
• In-country emergency support
• 24-hour international HQ back-up
• Dive training courses run monthly starting on the first Monday of the month. Dive training to PADI Open Water or PADI Advanced Open Water (depending on the duration of your stay) price includes PIC cards, PADI membership and use of Frontier project equipment and diving equipment, including tanks, regs, BCDs, weights, compressor etc
• Discounted further dive courses: PADI Emergency First Response (AU$273), PADI Rescue Diver (AU$735), and PADI Divemaster (AU$1,575) qualifications

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Flights

Flights are not included in our trip costs. However, we have partnered with an experienced and professional team of travel experts to help our volunteers find the best flight deals for their trips with us. This travel specialist operates in the tailor-made, long haul multi-stop travel market, arranging complex airfares and transfers for independent travellers. They provide expertise, security and a vast product range along with a Travel Butler service which is a single point of contact and support whilst you are overseas.

We recommend that you obtain a quote using the following contact details rather than book online, as our partner will offer you the most competitive fares. To receive your quote or to seek any advice for your flights, please contact our dedicated team of travel experts on 0800 082 9994 (or +44 800 082 9994 outside the UK) or email frontier@flightcentre.co.uk .

Visas

For fast, efficient and up-to-date visa advice please contact our recommended visa consultancy partner:

• For UK residents  -  Click Here
• For US residents  - Click Here

Depending on your destination country and your country of origin, you might require a visa. Please see the appropriate country consular website for details or contact our affiliate visa consultancy service. Please note that your visa will usually start on the date that you enter the destination country regardless of when it was issued. Please check with the relevant embassy or high commission. If you are purchasing your visa or paying entry/exit fees in-country you will probably need to pay in US Dollars. If you have any questions please consult the relevant embassy or high commission. Please check the visa information regularly, as changes often happen without warning.

 

Insurance

You'll need to buy appropriate travel insurance covering your participation on the project. You won't be able to go without the right travel insurance so double check to avoid disappointment. Please make sure that you're covered for the whole duration of your trip – from the day you leave the UK to the day you return. It's also best to get your travel insurance at the same time as paying the deposit for your project. Depending on your policy, this will cover you for any unexpected cancellations.

Your insurance should include the following:

• Medical cover, including medical emergencies and medical evacuations (up to USD$3,000,000 / GBP£2,000,000);
• Personal liability (up to USD$1,500,000 / GBP£1,000,000);
• Cancellation and curtailment of your trip (up to the value of your project contribution).

If you are going to be scuba diving you should get coverage for scuba diving up to 30m, including hyperbaric therapy treatment (unlimited). You should consider obtaining insurance to cover you for any additional activities which you plan to do during, before, or after your Frontier project. We recommend that you obtain cover for your baggage and personal effects.

LEGAL STATEMENT
Frontier Partner Projects and Frontier group projects are run in partnership with in-country NGOs, small community based organisations, local research institutes, academic organisations and conservation agencies. Project descriptions and information are supplied directly by our partners or field staff and are accurate at time of publishing.

We aim to keep information up to date and accurate, however, the nature of our projects and in particular the fact that they are constantly evolving and developing in response to changing needs means that project activities, travel schedules, tour itineraries and daily timetables can change overnight and without notice.