Croatia Expedition – Marine Only

Diving in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe
2 weeks from 24 June 2021 to 7 July 2021
2 weeks from 29 July 2021 to 11 August 2021
4 weeks from 24 June 2021 to 21 July 2021
4 weeks from 15 July 2021 to 11 August 2021

Croatia & Silba

Duration

2-4 weeks

Interests

Marine

Opwall fee

From $1,900.00 ($190.00 deposit)

Reserve your place Express your interest

Overview
Objectives
Skills you gain
Costs to Consider
Site Conditions

Options include:

2 weeks (marine only) dates available:
24 June 2021 to 7 July 2021
29 July to August 2021
4 weeks (marine only) dates available:
24 June 2021 to 21 July 2021
15 July to 11 August 2021

Adriatic marine training and research experience

For the marine research experience you will be based on the beautiful and peaceful Silba Island. During this week if you are not dive trained you will complete a PADI Open Water dive training course. If you are already dive trained or would prefer to snorkel this week you can complete the Mediterranean ecology and survey techniques course, with two lectures and two practicals each day (either by diving or snorkelling). In addition to these training courses students can assist with some of the research surveys on Mediterranean fish communities, the recovery of the Noble Pen (Pinna nobilis) mollusc populations, the impact of sea urchin populations, seagrass and marine plastics.

Croatia Marine Research Objectives

Silba Island

Silba Island is in the northern Dalmatian archipelago and is a car and hotel free island. The island markets itself as a haven of tranquillity and much of the island is still covered by Mediterranean black oak and maquis. The objective for our partners on this island is to develop the first marine research centre for northern Dalmatia and they have a series of research projects on seagrass, sea urchins, protected species and fisheries, as well as marine plastics.

Attend lectures/workshops on biodiversity and conservation
PADI Open water dive qualification
Participate in Adriatic ecology course
Help in estimating the health of sea grass
Help in establishing No-take zones for fishing
Learn to estimate population of endemic and endangered Nobel shell
Learn to adapt to team work and experience its importance

Opwall fee
Cost of international flights into and out of Split.
Cost of internal travel to and from the start and end point of the expedition, plus any hotels you might require. This costs around £102 or $143. Extra nights’ accommodation in Split costs around £66 or $96.
Dive equipment rental – £50 or $75 per week for a full dive kit. If you only wish to snorkel and want to hire snorkel equipment, the cost is £25 or $38 per week. Please note that wetsuits cannot be provided – you should bring your own.
Park entrance fees – £26 or $38
PADI manual and PIC card (if you are completing your Open Water qualification) – £69 or $87 approx.
Vaccinations and prophylactic medicines – cost can vary depending on your healthcare provider.
All prices in GBP or USD unless specified

Most of our volunteers fundraise for their expedition costs. Find out more.

Climate
Croatia is hot during this time of the year! In both Krka and Silba the daytime temperature rarely drops below 30 degrees and can reach 40 degrees.

Fitness level required
Moderate. Whilst there are not many steep hikes in the forest, the hikes are still quite long and the temperature can make them tiring.

Creature comforts
In Silba it will be in dormitories with shared bathroom facilities and good phone signal.

Locations

Croatia
Silba

Croatia
Croatia is situated between the Balkans and central Europe with a long coastline on the Adriatic Sea. Encompassing more than a thousand islands it is also crossed by the Dinaric Alps and is geographically diverse, featuring craggy peaks, caverns, river canyons, waterfalls and picturesque lakes. The country covers an area of 56,600 square kilometres and has a population of more than 4.5 million. Croatia has a rich cultural legacy which is well in evidence in its largest and capital city, Zagreb, the historic coastal city of Dubrovnik and the Roman ruins of the ancient port city of Split. ...
Learn about Croatia
Silba
Silba Island is in the northern Dalmation archipelago and is a picturesque car and hotel free island. Covered by Mediterranean black oak and maquis, it has an area of only 15 km², and during the winter has just 250 inhabitants. However during the summer the population can rise to over 6000 inhabitants, and the island is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination. The local population has a high dependency on the marine environment and surrounding marine ecosystem, but this ecosystem is facing increasing pressure from the rising numbers of tourists.
Learn about Silba