- Spain
- Palma de Mallorca
About Program
Sailing the high seas, binoculars aloft, cameras ready, scanning the horizon for whale blows... What could be better? An expedition with Alnitak is, quite simply, life changing. With the Toftevaag, our historic Norwegian ship, as your home and work place you will join a crew of biologists and filmmakers and contribute actively to ongoing research on whales, dolphins, sea turtles and the impact of plastic pollution.
Days can be long, but very rewarding: whales and dolphins may be sighted, sea turtles may be tagged and released, plastic will be collected from the sea surface, meals are cooked, the deck is scrubbed ("a clean ship is a happy ship!"), and much more! In the evenings, we sleep either in bunk beds in cabins below, or under the stars on deck! During expeditions we also have small opportunities to explore different ports in Mallorca, Menorca and the Cabrera Archipelago, but most of the time is spent on the water. The blue heart of the Mediterranean awaits!
Video and Photos
Program Highlights
- Population studies on whales and dolphins.
- Sea turtle research.
- Classic sailing on board a historic wooden ship.
- Fantastic climate and sea conditions in the Mediterranean.
- Team work doing research in the high seas.
Program Impact
Volunteers are regarded as part of the crew, not mere assistants or deckhands. They collect data with the science team, which is used for ongoing research, use all the equipment, take photographs, learn why their work is important to conserving marine ecosystems, etc. This is why volunteers always leave having felt extremely useful, they will have made direct contributions to protecting the oceans.