| country: | Trinidad & Tobago |
| departures: | 2008: 3 Dec 2009: 1 Jan, 29 Jan, 26 Feb, 26 Mar, 23 Apr, 21 May, 18 Jun, 16 Jul, 13 Aug, 10 Sep, 8 Oct, 5 Nov, 3 Dec |
| price: | From £1500 (4 weeks) excluding flights (divers). From £1600 for dive trainees. Prices start at £765 for 2 weeks. Placements available for 2-12 weeks. Price includes UK administration, accommodation, food, equipment and training. Group & loyalty discounts available |
| offers: | We have a massive 15% discount on this expedition from the 1st of October 2008 through to the 1st of January 2009, why not spend your New Year in the tropics!!! |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Expedition life on the Tobago project is pretty hard work but an extremely satisfying experience. It's the kind of place where you'll get to know people really well, whether it's local scholars or international volunteers – it’s a place where you'll make life-long friendships.
In Tobago's waters lie some spectacular reef systems, home to a variety of impressive creatures, ranging from Manta Rays and Dolphins to the smaller but equally spectacular Frogfish. Unfortunately in 2005 there was a mass-bleaching event that affected reefs throughout the Caribbean. The bleaching was caused by elevated sea-surface-temperatures coupled with a record number of hurricanes. This left the reef in bad state!
Action was badly needed and with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – the Tobago Coastal Ecosystem Mapping Project (TCEMP) was established to:
Please note: Departure dates listed above are for divers. Dive trainees start a week earlier.
A 5-minute walk down the hill takes you to the Arnos Vale Hotel, where the house reef offers a perfect science and SCUBA training ground as well as a wonderful place to 'lime' on the beach or go for a swim in your free time. Food is highly seasonable and you'll be doing a lot of the cooking yourself (with a little help from your buddy of course!).
Each working day is a busy but exciting one. Between survey SCUBA dives and lunch (12.00hrs) there are a series of briefings, training exercises and data management sessions, plus the usual daily chores. When this has been done, volunteers can climb up one of the hills overlooking Arnos Vale Bay to watch the sun set over the Caribbean Sea.
Alternatively, the 'Mot mot trail' is a popular 2-hour trek, which follows the northeastern coastline and provides some spectacular views of the Tobagonian coastline. Dinner at 18.00hrs is followed by a de-briefing session and further training opportunities. A small bar is open from 18.00 to 22.00hrs for the sale of drinks. At 22.00hrs the expedition base is secured for the night and the lights go off. That is, if you're not joining a turtle patrol on one of the nearby beaches! The patrols ensure the protection of vulnerable nesting Leatherback and Hawksbill turtles from illegal poaching.
Upon completion of the various initial training courses provided to volunteers upon arrival (e.g. the core Skills Development Training Programme), at weekends the expedition team can take life just a little bit easier. Saturdays are reserved for recreational diving and optional advanced SCUBA skills development courses (up to PADI Dive Master certification). Saturday night is party night with a bar extension. Expect fancy dress, trips to the nearest cocktail bar and bbq's on secret beach! Sunday's are reserved for additional training activities, base camp maintenance chores and equipment servicing in preparation for the following weeks survey work.
For safety reasons, Sunday is a no diving day. We organise trips to the waterfalls or rainforest treks once science and SCUBA training have been completed. Sundays are also used to organise trips to local schools where the younger generation is taught about coral reef ecology and its significance through a series of games, interactive lectures and a puppet show.
In Tobago's waters lie some spectacular reef systems, home to a variety of impressive creatures, ranging from Manta Rays and Dolphins to the smaller but equally spectacular Frogfish. Unfortunately in 2005 there was a mass-bleaching event that affected reefs throughout the Caribbean. The bleaching was caused by elevated sea-surface-temperatures coupled with a record number of hurricanes. This left the reef in bad state!
Action was badly needed and with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – the Tobago Coastal Ecosystem Mapping Project (TCEMP) was established to:
Provide baseline info on the current health of the reef and other habitats – Mangrove and Sea grass - Increase the awareness around Tobago’s marine resources through educational programmes
- Train local in order to build in-country capacity for intrinsic management for the future.
Please note: Departure dates listed above are for divers. Dive trainees start a week earlier.
a day in a life of a volunteer
The site is comfortable with 3 mixed dormitories, a kitchen, living room/science room and medical room. There is running water, electricity and Internet access. The large balcony overlooking the valley is where you'll spend most of your time on site, perfecting your species ID skills or catching up on the days diving with fellow volunteers, while enjoying a ‘Carib’ as the sun sets over the valley. A 5-minute walk down the hill takes you to the Arnos Vale Hotel, where the house reef offers a perfect science and SCUBA training ground as well as a wonderful place to 'lime' on the beach or go for a swim in your free time. Food is highly seasonable and you'll be doing a lot of the cooking yourself (with a little help from your buddy of course!).
Each working day is a busy but exciting one. Between survey SCUBA dives and lunch (12.00hrs) there are a series of briefings, training exercises and data management sessions, plus the usual daily chores. When this has been done, volunteers can climb up one of the hills overlooking Arnos Vale Bay to watch the sun set over the Caribbean Sea. Alternatively, the 'Mot mot trail' is a popular 2-hour trek, which follows the northeastern coastline and provides some spectacular views of the Tobagonian coastline. Dinner at 18.00hrs is followed by a de-briefing session and further training opportunities. A small bar is open from 18.00 to 22.00hrs for the sale of drinks. At 22.00hrs the expedition base is secured for the night and the lights go off. That is, if you're not joining a turtle patrol on one of the nearby beaches! The patrols ensure the protection of vulnerable nesting Leatherback and Hawksbill turtles from illegal poaching.
Upon completion of the various initial training courses provided to volunteers upon arrival (e.g. the core Skills Development Training Programme), at weekends the expedition team can take life just a little bit easier. Saturdays are reserved for recreational diving and optional advanced SCUBA skills development courses (up to PADI Dive Master certification). Saturday night is party night with a bar extension. Expect fancy dress, trips to the nearest cocktail bar and bbq's on secret beach! Sunday's are reserved for additional training activities, base camp maintenance chores and equipment servicing in preparation for the following weeks survey work.
For safety reasons, Sunday is a no diving day. We organise trips to the waterfalls or rainforest treks once science and SCUBA training have been completed. Sundays are also used to organise trips to local schools where the younger generation is taught about coral reef ecology and its significance through a series of games, interactive lectures and a puppet show.
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you are looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Tobago's coral reefs are being threatened by both global and local impacts. After the 2005 mass bleaching event in the Caribbean, these fragile ecosystems are now under attack from a variety of coral diseases and anthropogenic impacts, all of which are threatening the very existence of coral reefs in Tobago. It is essential to collect scientifically sound data on coastal habitats in order to develop effective management plans for the island's marine resources.
Dive tourism is an effective means of creating alternative livelihoods and just the presence of NGO’s and other business can really generate revenue for the local economy. We employ local staff in various positions within our company including Community Liaison Officers, Medical Officers, Boat Marshals, Site Maintenance Officers, Chefs and Compressor Mechanics. All the accommodation we use is locally owned and food is sourced locally to plough money back into the economy. We use rainwater for many tasks around the expedition site e.g. cleaning and showering. We recycle glass and other material; use composting on expedition sites and recycle paper/plastics/cans at HO in London. Successful projects in the past: Environmental
Four community-managed Marine Protected Areas established in Southern Leyte – Philippines. Our project sites now have a community liaison officer whose activities are critical to the success of the expedition as they are able to act as interpreters and bridges any gaps that may exist between us and neighbouring local communities. They also carry out socio-economic survey of the region in order to further establish the main issues hindering the process of coastal resource management. They work with local communities to better the understanding of our purpose, run environmental awareness workshops and increase the number of local scholars involved in the three local programmes were are currently running, which are:
General
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Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |














