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Malta Cetacean and Sea Turtle Research Program

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KAI Expeditions
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KAI Marine Services will be embarking on an ambitious marine research program around the island of Malta in the central Mediterranean. KAI Expeditions will be offering week-long sailing expeditions that not only offer you an opportunity to explore the waters of the Republic of Malta but also participate in two international scientific projects, LIFE+MIGRATE and OASIS, developed in conjunction with the Government of Malta, the European Commission, the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The National Geographic Society, the Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System, and KAI Marine Services.

Each expedition departs from the Maltese capital, Valletta on the luxury motor-sailing yacht Luis Ginillo, where expedition members will be an instrumental part of the research team, assisting in spotting, counting and identifying marine mammals, birds, and turtles, and adding to our knowledge of these important species.

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  • Support 10
  • Fun 10
  • Value 8.5
  • Safety 10
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Christian
Age:
44
Male
Italy
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Incredible knowledge, great hospitality

Apr 16, 2013

I have been part of a television documentary cruise with KAI in 2012 on cetaceans and turtles. If you want to be sure to get the best of Mediterranean pelagic wildlife join this very experienced and dedicated crew of sailors, biologists and conservation experts.

What would you improve about this program?
One thing you can hardly control is your peer guests. On a ship some might be less compatible than others. Come with friends and have even more fun.
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Sarah
Age:
44
Female
New york
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Fantastic experience

Apr 16, 2013

I enjoy the 2012 KAI EXPEDITIONS PROGRAM. It was a great week where i could experience a very nice equilibrium of marine knowledge and mediterranean life style. The conservation program that they run is fascinated & their team very genuine.

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Christian Lott

Program
Malta Cetacean and Sea Turtle Research Program

Christian Lott is a marine biologist and underwater filmmaker.

Christian studied biology in Germany and is now one of the directors of the HYDRA Institute for Marine Sciences Field Station on the Island of Elba, Italy. Being on a ship with 12 highly skilled and motivated people from 9 countries doing research is the work situation he likes best.

Man going diving

Why did you decide to volunteer with KAI Expeditions in Malta?

I joined KAI Expeditions as a member of an international film crew in 2012. We sailed for 3 weeks along the Spanish coast of the Mediterranean to do research on big open ocean animals like whales and turtles. For me, as a biologist working mainly at the coast, it was an excellent chance to widen my view on life in the ocean with experts who do this type of research for almost 25 years.

Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.

Days at sea are quite intense. Either you get up before sunrise if you were in port overnight to go out with the first light, or you are already out and it is your turn to get up for watches of different kind. Helping to prepare the ship to leave the harbour and set sail in a team gives you a great kick-start into the day.

Out at sea, you have to take watches for lookout, navigation, cooking, and cleaning. If you are able, you are involved in driving the inflatable boat to find and eventually catch a turtle for tagging, or take photos of pilot whales and dolphins for later ID work, or run the hydrophone set-up. During night sailing, you also have to assist the master and the ship's crew in doing watches.

In between, there is always time to have a chat, to ask "stupid" questions to the experts about sailing, navigation, weather, animals or the political implications of conservation in one of the centers of maritime traffic, the southern Mediterranean Sea.

What made this experience unique and special?

Being in the water and filming pilot whales and basking turtles is for sure one of the most exciting things to do both in a cameraman's and marine biologist's life. During normal volunteer tasks, you will not be allowed to go in the water with the animals, but if you have and can proof special skills like underwater photography you may be involved in this research activity and allowed to contribute by gathering photo or video data.

How has this experience impacted your future?

Since we did our expedition together, our relationship intensified.

Apart from having become friends, I brought in more contacts and we are now planning to set up new projects together. The first has just started as I joined KAI on this year's campaign of the OASIS project around the Balearic Islands. I hope I will be able to join the "LUIS GINILLO" later this summer in the waters around Malta.

Location

Location:
Malta
Currency:
Euro
Weather:
Jan-Mar
63 F / 48 F
Apr-Jun
82 F / 48 F
Jul-Sep
88 F / 68 F
Oct-Dec
75 F / 52 F
Airports:
Malta International
( MLA )

Visiting Malta tend to take a backseat when being ocmpared to other popular mediterannead destinations like Greece, Italy, and France. THis island location boast incredible year round weather that will keep you enjoying your beach holiday, whether you are on peaceful Gozo, on the beach, or paragliding.

About KAI Expeditions

KAI Expeditions offers genuine marine research programs for the conservation of natural and cultural marine resources while offering intrepid travelers the opportunity to work with marine animals, sail the high seas, experience ancient cultures, explore unfamiliar lands, and meet like-minded adventurers while contributing to our better...