Each Day of a Magical School Trip to Madagascar!

Day 1- 13/06/2024- Antananarivo

Today we arrived in Madagascar. After a long flight with questionable airplane food it feels good to be stationary. As we cruised through the urban fringe our eyes opened to witness the contrast in the way in which people live their lives. For example, we saw a plethora of street food vendors (informal economy) and rice farmers as well as common school kids.

Even though we knew Madagascar was a lower income country for many of us this is definitely shaping out to be a memorable experience we will not forget in a hurry. From our hostel we can see rice paddies, mud huts, and skyscrapers. Moreover, as we arrived we met our tour guide and he shared his own experiences of the Malagasy culture. He explained that many tribes participate in a ritual called ‘Bone Wrapping’ where the ancestors’ bones are re-dug up and rewrapped. This tradition honors the dead and also allows the new family members to meet old family members.

Tonight we enjoyed our first ‘real’ meal together as a group and a well-deserved rest.

Rhia & Robyn

 

 

Day 2 – 14/06/2024 – Antananarivo

For the second day in Madagascar we started the day promptly at 9 o’clock on the dot. We took the mini bus across the exhilarating capital of Red Island. The minibus travelled along the dirt roads towards the lemur park, where we witnessed people using the river water to wash their clothes and drying them on the roadside. After an hour we arrived to the breath-taking wilderness that housed the lemurs.

During our visit we observed 5 different species. The ring-tailed lemur, most commonly found in the south, had a striking resemblance to King Julian. We also saw the bamboo lemur, sifakas lemur (both crowned and cockerel), and the black lemur. During our lunch we heard a heard a raucous between two species of lemur that were fighting over territory as we roamed around their realized niches and witnessed their interactions with the biotic and abiotic factors. The lunch consisted of chicken and coconut curry and a pork and vegetarian option. We then rewarded ourselves and paraded around the gift shop full of lemur-themed souvenirs.

The lemur park brought us an opportunity to observe an animal that can only be found in one place, something many will never see. We all feel very grateful. As the afternoon drew to a close we visited a supermarket to buy snacks for our 12 hour road trip tomorrow across the island. This evening some of the group pulled up to play an electrifying game of the beautiful game, also known as football.

Fabian & Rhia & Robyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3 & 4 – 15/06/2024 & 16/06/2024

Our first weekend in Madagascar started off with an early morning of dragging our bags to the minibus transporting us across the vast landscapes of Northern Madagascar, heading west. The early start meant sleepy eyes for the first 2 hours of the ride, as the sun rose across the grassy highlands people started to wake up and take in the view. As the hours ran by the bus became hotter and hotter and hotter…. We were all suffering, as the clock hit 12:30 pm we stopped in a local village for a meal consisting of meat and rice. As we were eating the smell of bananas wafted around us as they brought them in for desert. They were some of the most delicious we all had ever had, they were so sweet and as soft as clouds.

Some of the boys played football with the locals from the village as the rest of us stood there sweating like never before. As the afternoon carried on the wheels on the bus never seemed to stop turning. The group embraced this as we all sang along to the music blasting from the speakers. Eventually we arrived at the hotel, all of us feeling so tired. We fell asleep instantly, ready for our 2:45 am wake up.

 

 

As the next day came upon us it was a struggle for all of us as we left with the moon still shining outside for next part of our bus journey, this one 5 hours long towards the Mariarano campsite in the dry forest. Just like yesterday the sunrise was outstanding. As 9:00 am rolled around we stopped, finally, and we were all glad. At this time we met our main leader from Opwall called Emma, who showed us the 4 by 4 wheelers which would take us along the barren, lonely savannah lined with red dirt soil. The drive lasted 2 hours and was so magical as the sun warmed our faces and we passed all the palm trees. As we approached the final stretch we stopped at a stream filled with local Malagasy people washing their clothes and bathing. Finally after a long 2 days of travelling we finally greeted all the other Opwall staff at the main campsite.

 

 

We were introduced to the way the camp works, which was definitely a shock to us all. Later we enjoyed some beans and rice for lunch, cooked perfectly as we chatted with others at the camp before we set off on the 3 hour hike to the other satellite camp, called Matsedroy. The hike started off in the scorching mid afternoon heat as we crossed the dry crop fields filled with locals having livelihoods. We witnessed many locals straw homes as we got closer to the treacherous river crossing. It was quite refreshing but at the same time a little bit scary as we were informed of the snakes living in the river. After what felt like days we arrived at Matsedroy camp, placed by a lake home to crocodiles. As our first night in the forest came to a close we slept with our tents firmly closed so no bugs could enter.

Robyn

 

 

Day 5 – 17/06/2024 – Monday

Insightful doesn’t even cover what we learnt today as we explored the Matsedroy campsite. We were spilt into four groups to maximise our learning. The day consisted of three different surveys for each group with breaks and one lecture just after lunch. Group A started with bird point count and spotted the chirpy white-whistling duck. Luckily group D they enjoyed a leisurely morning before their spider survey started at 9:30 am. For the spider survey they have to be killed so that they can be studied properly. They were killed by pouring alcohol so that their death was relatively quick and painless. After this, they were brought back to camp and carefully studied by experts in order to find out the variety and abundance of various species.

Everyone was very grateful to return to camp for some relaxing down time in the shade and our lunch, which was rice and beans. The surveys continued into the afternoon as the groups did completely different things, once again to help broaden our horizons. Some of the surveys were lake birds for two groups, where they walked to the water and they spotted the vibrantly-coloured kingfishers and a herd of Zebu, an animal endemic to Madagascar. The other two groups did butterflies and forest plots. For the forest plots you learn about carbon sequestration and it’s important in conservation. Additionally, students counted how many trees were in a 20x20m square in order to discover how the trees in the area have changed over time and why.

At dinner, everyone had a massive surprise as ketchup and mayo were sprawled out on the table. The surprise continued when the local cooks brought out pasta and potatoes, which tasted amazing.

Robyn, Rhia & Annika

 

 

Day 6 – 18/06/2024 – Tuesday

Our first Tuesday in Matsedroy started off with a bang for group C with a 4:00am wake up for the bird count survey, where they heard the calls of the blank sunbird and paradise flycatcher. Group A also had a blast on their morning herpetofauna (snakes, geckos, chameleons, etc.) hike which consisted of them not only seeing but holding large snakes which are endemic to Madagascar, which really amplified how special and unique Madagascar is and showed us just how lucky we are to see such an amazing variety of species which we wouldn’t see anywhere else in the entire world. The herp walk also required logging every species seen on the trip, as well as the temperature and location, so scientists can explore which areas consist of which species.

We can’t forget to mention group B either, they had a relaxing hike full of fun and positivity like no other! Group B went on a butterfly hike where they captured and released various species after investigating them. The group caught a whopping 33 butterflies and spent the hike dancing and running around the enjoying the Madagascar experience, showcasing a perfect blend of studying and fun.

 

 

Finally, group D woke up at 7am for a lemur survey. They found 20 lemurs ranging from the Sifaka, monkey and mouse lemur. There were 9 lemurs close by and the unforgettable experience of seeing them made the hike distance feel as if it wasn’t far or long at all despite it being 2 hours long!

All in all, the last morning hikes in Matsedroy were amazing, we are so grateful to be here in Madagascar to learn so much both scientifically and culturally.

This day also consisted of everyone dreading trekking back the main camp, Mariarano. The tiredness really kicked in as the hike started off with a climb up a sandy hill, filled with rubble and rocks. As the river crossings came we were all very ecstatic, as it cooled us down immensely. Eventually after a sweaty 3 hours we all arrived at the main camp. As group C had woken up so early they sneakily got off from doing a night survey, and they played card games all evening. The others went on surveys.

Simreen, Robyn & Annika

 

 

Day 7 – 19/06/2024 – Wednesday

Day 7 was our first full day at the Mariarano campsite, where every group has morning surveys. Group C loved theirs, they did mist bird netting where they captured and released the cutest birds, as well as ringing them, so when they are caught again, experts can determine their age. Ms Wykes enjoyed this especially – she loves birds. We got to hold the birds… and we could then release them back into the wild from our hands, a few of them did poop on us! We also learnt  how to properly measure the necessary parts for data collection. The mist netting was so relaxing and an amazing way to start the morning!

Group A went on a very long lemur route where they saw a variation of lemurs of all different sizes and colours. The lemurs in Mariano weren’t too different from Matsedroy but we noticed that in Mariano they come a lot more often to the actual camp which is super cool to see them so close. Similarly to other surveys, the lemurs and their location had to be logged so the information can be put into a spread sheet used to map out the location and abundance of different species.

Group B also had a fun start to the day by going on the herp route with Randy. Throughout the course they found a chameleon, gecko and 2 mating moths, which was particularly rare.

Further, group D had their turn of 5am wake up to go and complete the bird spotting course. They encountered and learnt about various birds and their song whilst also being lucky enough the enjoy the beautiful Madagascan sunrise.

Our lunch again, exceeded expectations with a delicious meal. The afternoon surveys were filled with fun as group C caught butterflies, group D did a forest plot, group A did herps and B had the afternoon off.

After the afternoon surveys, the biggest highlight of our day came into play… the football match! Thanks to the camp team we had arranged a football match against the locals in the local football pitch. We had been looking forward to it all day and when the game started their was an exhilarating amount of support from the many locals who came to watch the game and they also played some Malagasy music to hype up the teams and amplify our happiness as the music played into the atmosphere.

In the evening most went out on night surveys, while the people from group A played banagrams with the local Malagasy scientists.

Simreen, Robyn & Annika

 

 

Day 8 – 20/06/2024 – Thursday

Our second full day in Mariarano. After yesterdays long yet memorable day, everyone slept very well and woke up rested to the sound of the chickens and roosters at sunrise.

Group A did the butterfly survey by the river in the morning, the view was as beautiful as the intricate designs of the butterfly wings. They caught many of the Monarch butterfly which had an ombré-orange wing with specs of black. Group B did the bird spotting route where they played bird sounds and investigated the variation of birds who flew to their call. The route was musical which kept it interesting as well as visual. Group C had an extremely tiring hike in the morning where they hiked 5.5 hours in the morning and found several day geckos and Chameleons with different colours. Group D were lucky to start the morning at 7 with the mist nets which, as aforementioned, was a relaxing, memorable experience. They found only 3 birds which is less than Group C but they all still got to experience how it felt to measure, hold and release a bird.

Luckily for us, in the afternoon we found out that there was a Malagasy market running in the Mariano village which we saw as the perfect chance to buy our souvenirs for loved ones. The village was a fantastic experience in itself, it was genuinely bustling with music, people and colours with so many different things to buy and admire.

After our enlightening time at the flourishing marketplace, the afternoon hikes and surveys consisted of butterflies, inverts and forest plots. As the evening began to rise, group C searched for spiders in the forest. They used their head torched to look out for ‘glittery eyes’ which helped to locate the spiders before collecting them and storing them for data collection.

Group D did a long lemur hike where they all attempted to spot at least 2 each and were highly successful and whilst that went on, group A did a herp survey where they witnessed night geckos hunting but unfortunately no snakes.

Simreen & Robyn

 

 

Day 9 -21/06/2024 – Friday

Friday was our last day in the forest site for this trip, we were all feeling many emotions as we completed our last survey and said our goodbyes to all the amazing staff we encountered. Group A and half of group B started off their last morning with the relaxing mist nets and they released so many different types of birds, from different physical features to different bird song.

 

 

The other half of group B spent their time doing spider and butterfly identification using magnification protocol to detect their species, the identification of these species is crucial for the production of knowledge in biology. For example, one of the lead researchers was working on a paper to aid in the acceptance of a new species of huntsmen, which hasn’t yet been properly acknowledged by science. Group C did the long lemur hike and found 2 brown lemur and a sifaka too.

 

 

All in all we enjoyed our time at Camp Mariano greatly and our so thankful to the Opwall staff, Ms Wykes and Mr Ferrari and our parents for making our experiences possible and so unforgettable.

We begin our journey to Nose Be and Antanarivo with the reverse four by four journey which was bittersweet as we realised we were saying goodbye to our newly made friends, however, we changed the vibe with our music blasting from the car as we wound our way through the savannah.

Simreen & Robyn & Rhia & Annika

 

 

Day 10 – 22/06/2024 – Saturday

 

Day 11 – 23/06/2024 – Sunday

Before making our way to the airport for our flight to tropical Nosy Be, we got to sleep in – getting our first restful start of the day in what felt like forever. During the short drive to the airport, we said goodbye to the bustling and comfortingly chaotic city of Antananarivo which we had begun to recognise as familiar from our few days in the area.

After checking our bags in and indulging in some lovely packed lunches, we were ready to board one of all two planes owned by Madagascar Airlines. Many of us were surprised by the size of the airport, as it was essentially just one small building divided into four sections. We all passed our time on the plane differently – from sleeping to watching tv or reading. We were also provided some aubergine and cheese buns – which were not the most popular among the group.

 

 

When getting off the plane, we were all relieved to feel the warm sunny air on our face – a nice contrast from the drizzly and rainy atmosphere Antananarivo had provided us with. We split into three vans and enjoyed a beautifully scenic drive to the Opwall site – during which we learned about the local cocoa farms. Once we arrived at the site, we were all pleasantly surprised. Not only was there real rooms with electricity all day long, there was running water – which we could drink! We got a quick tour of the area – including a lovely sunset on the beach. After making our way back to “the village” (the ‘camp’ site) and eating a delightful dinner of pasta – we had the pleasure of celebrating Diego’s birthday with some delicious cake and a card from the Opwall team. We went to bed that night excited for the days of diving to come.

Opal

 

 

Day 12 – 24/06/2024 – Monday

For the first day, qualified divers got their equipment for the week, and got onto the dive boat. They then had a refresher coarse both on how to set up the equipment and basic skills underwater, which included clearing masks of water, a second oxygen source, and buoyancy tests. After the skills were tested, we went on a fun dive, and took the boat back to camp. We then spent the next hour having an introduction to the Opwall reefs we had just dived in. We had lunch to refuel our energy, a short break, and we then set out for the second dive of the day. During this dive our main goal was to get our buoyancy right for the next few days spent close to and surveying the corals. We ended the day off with our last lecture which was spent identifying different types of corals, and how they grow, in order to prepare ourselves for tomorrow.

Monday was the first whole day in Nosy Be. The non-qualified divers started the day with an introduction to then scuba equipment and then moved on to a confined pool session where we learnt the basic skills of scuba diving. For example, we learnt how to share air with a buddy under water in case of the scenario of having no air. One of the harder skills we learnt was removing your mask fully from your face and having to put it back on and blow air into the mask in order to remove all the water from the mask.

After a nourishing lunch and a quick tanning session the non-qualified divers had a 1 hour lesson about the basic theory of diving, including water density, air expansion, and the 3 rules of scuba diving; 1. Breathe continuously and never hold your breath 2. Never dive past your limits and remain in control 3. Never dive without a buddy 🤿

The evening was spent eating more cake to celebrate Avi’s birthday.

Isabella & Fabian

 

 

Day 13 – 25/06/2024 – Tuesday

Tuesday was our second day diving in Nosy Be. The qualified divers spent the morning identifying corals using the information from Monday’s lecture. The OpWall staff on the dives with us quizzed us by pointing out differently shaped and coloured corals for us to try to identify, and we all found it so much more fun underwater after learning what everything we were observing was. In the meantime, the learners finished their confined water sessions, during which they did different certification exams, including an emergency ascent, scuba kit assembly and disassembly, and aiding another dive member in an emergency.

After the initial dives, the divers had a lecture on different underwater sampling methods, their uses, and their pros and cons. For example, the chain and tape method, which involves draping a chain over coral to measure the complexity of reef structures, was popular in the 70s, but is super damaging to the reef. We also were briefed on the quadrant method that we used in the next dive!

In the afternoon, both groups dove out in the reef. The qualified divers went to a site called Nosy Tanga, and used PVC quadrats to sample the reef biodiversity! Quadrats were placed (VERY gently) over the coral, and we estimated the percentage cover of different types of coral. Right after, we had a debrief, compared results, and had a lecture on fish identification, which we will be using tomorrow! At the same time, the new divers went on their very first open water dive. Everyone was very excited and nervous, as the boat carried us deeper into the bay. We had a small briefing before entering the water where we were told crucial information on the dive, such as duration (at least 15 minutes), and a recap on the hand signals. We were also taught how to enter the water using the giant stride technique which consisted of stepping out of the boat and into the ocean with the BCD (Buoyancy Compartment Device) fully inflated. After making sure everyone was okay, we started our slow descent downwards onto the sandy banks of the ocean bed. We all immediately felt the pressure changes in our eardrums and had to perform the equalisation technique to avoid pain and possible injury. Once that threat was surpassed and we were down by the corals, we were amazed by its beauty. It was hard to divert our gazes from the vast sea of fish and breathing corals as the instructor assigned us buddies and instructed us to repeat the practice exercises we had done in the pool: Removing the regulator, full flooding the mask and practicing neutral buoyancy. When we eventually resurfaced we were all astonished that we had spent over 30 minutes underwater! It certainly wasn’t long enough for us.

Overall both groups had a great time diving today, and we’re so excited to continue learning and doing surveys for the rest of the week.

Aviaja & Carolina & Lea-Sophia

 

 

Day 14. Nosy Be 26/06/24 – Wednesday

On Wednesday the reef ecology students did two dives and had some lectures and workshops. On our first dive all 4 student went down with Kat, the dive master, to do some fish ID practice. We had learnt about the different fish we would see and how to differentiate them in yesterday’s lecture. We would mark down and identify the fish pointed out to us by Kat on our diveslates. After our first dive we had a lecture  on threats to the reefs by Fliss, the other dive master. In this lecture we learned about many threats like pollution and overfishing, as well as the threat of algae to the reefs.

While algae is part of the economy as many fish feed on it it is also a competitor to the coral as they grow on the coral, stopping the zooxanthellae from preforming photosynthesis. Additionally they grow on top of the calcium carbonate skeleton of the coral stopping new generations from building on them. So too much algae is quite bad for the reef and algae tends to thrive in stressful conditions for the reef, meaning it can exaggerate the struggles of the reef.

After our first lecture we had a transect workshop. The dive masters had set up a obstacle course of sorts using the tables and benches in the common area to simulate the coral reefs. We got in buddy teams and using the transect tapes practised laying down a transect to try to simulate the conditions of under water transfer laying. It’s important to be very careful when doing this as corals are very fragile. For that same reason it’s important that we have very controlled and good buoyancy when doing it.

 

 

On our second dive we put into practice the skills we had learn in the workshop. One of the buddy teams got to lay two transects while the other did one. When laying the transect one of us swimming ahead and reeling out the tape while the other follows behind and tucked the tape into the coral trying to stay as close to the bottom at possible. Kat, the dive master, went over the transect and would correct any mistakes or problems with us to help us learn how to do it better. After having laid out the transect we then had to reel it back in while genially untucking it from the coral. Through the whole process we did our very best to be gentle and aware of our surroundings to make sure we didn’t damage the reef. The transect we set out today were practice for the ones we will do tomorrow.

After our last dive we had a lecture on the importance of mangroves. We learned about blue carbon and different threats to mangrove trees in addition to any diligent facts about the trees.

Meanwhile, the open water divers were having a blast finishing off all of their skill tests in the morning water with anticipation for the fun dives in the afternoon for the lucky ones. Over the course of the day many marine animals were spotted such as the renowned invasive lion fish and sting rays! The open water lectures covered topics such as types of coral and their functions which provided insightful detail into the marine environment we are grateful to be exploring.

As evening fell the Malagasy Independence Day roared to life with festive music and lively whistling heard late into the night. Unfortunately for us, this meant that the previously anticipated early night was not to be.

Lea-Sophia, Isabella, and Rhia

 

 

Day 15 Nosy Be 27/06/24 – Thursday

Morning for qualified divers:

After waking up at 6 am in the morning with tummies full of pancakes we got ready at the dive centre to collect our diving gear. An exciting dive was awaiting us – the benthic video dive survey, which is a survey where you record a 20 meter transect line with a waterproof camera. This footage we would use and analyse later to understand the concentration of different corals at a random spot at our designated dive spot which was “Nosy Tanga”. When entering the water and descending to the sea floor we found only sand and so we had to find the reef with the beautiful corals by swimming and following the expert dive instructors. After a little swim we found the reef and we started laying down a transect of 20 meters. One person would unreel the transect tape and then the dive buddy to that person will tuck in the transect tape by tucking it carefully under corals, sea grass, rocks, etc.  This ensures that the transect line does not swing around with the current is a more accurate representation of the length measured. This was a new skill we qualified divers had to develop and it was quite challenging as it was essential to maintain a good buoyancy because we did not want to bump or hit the coral, hence destroying the reef life to a small degree whilst still getting close enough to be able to tuck in the transect tape. Then after the transect tape has been placed and checked another dive pair from the same group would record directly over the transect tape and stopping every 25 cm for a brief moment. This was also a challenge as the current hindered the diver in keeping a straight line with the transect tape and also being able to stop the movement every 25cm.

The first benthic video transect survey took us almost 30 minutes as we had problems and challenges along the way with straight filming and tangling of the transect line. Whereas the second one was a little faster and took us around 15 minutes as we had learned from past challenges and improved.

 

 

After our dive was finished we had video analysis workshop where we would analyse the videos we had just collected from the dive. We would pause the video every time the video had passed a distance of 25 cm hence the the brief pauses in motion when filming. At every pause we would record the different types of corals that we could find close to the recorded transect line. This information allows us to understand the frequency of different corals in Madagascar and more specifically Nosy Tanga which we can use to help increasing the safety of the reef.

In the afternoon, an equally exciting dive was ahead. Our pre-dive workshop introduced us to an organisation called CoralWatch, which was built as a research project by the University of Queensland, in Australia. CoralWatch’s goal is to monitor and protect coral reefs around the world by providing people with a DIY coral health monitoring kit. Each of us divers were to randomly choose 20 different corals, then identify what type of coral they were and their lightest/darkest shades in comparison to the CoralWatch reef health colour sheet.

As we descended down to the reef in Nosy Tanga, we stumbled upon loads of marine life. Shoals of fish dotted the reefs, bigger ones hid under table corals, and we spotted a lone lionfish sat in the sands right under our entry point. While admiring the wildlife, each of us selected and collected data on our corals using underwater slates, and once we returned to the hostel, we reviewed and sent to the University on the CoralWatch website. The data sent included not only our observations (the shades of colour of coral), but the location, time, depth, and weather conditions for accuracy.

An important thing to note is that the health charts provided by CoralWatch consist of only four colour gradients, which are mostly green, burgundy, and brown. We learned during our workshop that this is because while there are plenty of multicoloured corals, many of those colours can also be indicative of disease. Therefore, we couldn’t record a purple coral as purple, because it may not naturally be that colour.

Alongside our data submission was a quick lecture given by OpWall staff on mangroves and seagrasses. Specifically, their importance for the environment – both as nutrient and carbon sinks – adaptations for survival, and their current threats. Many of which had to do with deforestation/habitat destruction by the fishing, shrimp-farming, and tourism industries.

All in all, we learned a lot about determining the health of a reef, and the importance of the protection and restoration of mangrove and seagrass environments, and we really enjoyed our last day diving!

Otto and Aviaja

 

 

Morning for almost-qualified divers:

This morning we had our last official mandatory dive before receiving our certification this afternoon. The dive began at 10:30 and before hand we spent our mornings filling ourselves up with energy from Nose Be’s amazing pancakes and fruit juice! We can’t forget about us also completing an early morning lecture about different fish species and their importance.

At 10:30 the groups assembled at the dive gear collection point and we excitedly put on our wetsuits in hopes to complete the final mandatory dive before the afternoon “fun free dive” where we would later receive our certifications. Full of emotion, we speedily put on our wetsuits, grabbed our gear and speed-walked toward the boat. On the boat we set up our stuff, got our marine computers and compasses and set off for the final mandatory dive. Each group said that the dive, as usual, was amazing and in one way it was already a fun free dive because we only had a few exercises to complete such as the “tow” exercise where we practiced saving each other in case of an emergency, in my opinion taking the activity seriously was the hardest part of the course since we couldn’t stop laughing at the fact that we had to drag one another through the ocean in a variety of funny positions.

All in all, we enjoyed the first dive and seeing all of the coral reefs made us feel even better and more ambitious for the fun coral reef exploration dive waiting for us this afternoon.

The afternoon dive was utterly amazing! Not only did we get to dive into the water in super fun ways but we also saw 3 marbled rays which are extremely rare on the island, they were as big as me! We also saw hundreds of new fish species and lots of different corals, it felt surreal after all of the hard work! Overall the dives we even better than we could’ve ever hoped and by the end of the day my group was ecstatic, WE ALL PASSED!

Simreen

 

 

Day 16 & 17 Nosy Be 28/06/2024 & 29/06/2024 Friday & Saturday

Our last day at the Opwall site in Nosy Be consisted of a special snorkelling trip to offshore small island called Nosy Tankelly. We all ate breakfast filled with excitement, knowing the prospect of seeing so many amazing animals and crystal blue waters were upon us. The boat ride ended up being about 20 minutes long, the small waves causing the boat to jump up and up and down. As we arrived everyone waited patiently and then jumped off the beach onto the white sand. We had a briefing from the two Opwall staff who came with us and got into the water.

The snorkelling morning was separated into two parts, two rounds of snorkelling to help ease the tiredness that comes with it. The group saw some many amazing things, such as an red and brown octopus, a bunch of turtles and a massive fish. The expertise overall was breath-taking and one the group won’t forget quickly. Between the two snorkelling rounds the group relaxed along the beach, lying on the sand, soaking in as much sun as possible. This resulted in a bit of burning for a few of us so we eventually all moved into the shade. As the afternoon rolled around  the boat took us all back to the main island were we all enjoyed some lunch and spent the afternoon on the beach. Most people also enjoyed a last sunset swim, a beautiful one with orange and pink shining bright.

On the Saturday we had to move from the Opwall site so they could clean it for the next group to come. We moved just a few spots down the road to a very quaint little white hotel on the beach. Straight after putting out bags in our room everyone rushed to the sun beds on the beach to soak up our last day in paradise. All afternoon everyone just relaxed with the bittersweet feeling knowing we were leaving tomorrow, back to reality. Most of us also walked up and down the beach spending our the last of our money on small gifts for family and friends. We ended our day with a group dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Robyn