Paradise Above and Below the Water

If you're looking for a diving experience that takes your breath away then this is the project for you. I am not going to tell you all about the island as a whole as i think this is not something you can get across to people in a letter, instead all i will say is this place is paradise both in and out of the water and everyone has different experiences there but i haven't met anyone yet who hasn't fallen in love with both the island and the project:)
Instead i will give you some advise on what to expect and some advise if you are thinking about joining this project.
Firstly make sure you understand what you are signing up for. I attended Cap Ternay and You have to remember that you are not going to be living in a hotel this is an expedition with shared dorms and bathrooms. There is no hot water (which you wouldn't want anyway as it is very hot here)You work in duty groups which cover cleaning, kitchen, Boat duties and operating the compressor these are done on a daily basis except for weekends. And you are living a fair distance from any local shops / bus stops etc. I personally enjoyed all of these aspects as i was aware of what to expect before i left.
My second piece of advise for anyone going on this project is to read through the training manuals which are given to you in advance before you leave. You will be allocated either fish or coral which will be the subjects you will survey during your time on camp. My main piece of advise is to revise this as much as possible before you leave and if you have time make up some flash cards for them, as i found this the easiest way to learn. The reason i advise this is because when you arrive in this paradise you are taken away by all the beauty of the island and get caught up in meeting new people and learning new skills that it makes revising more difficult than you think. The staff are very helpful in teaching you everything you will need to know but if you can arrive already prepared then it will make the first few weeks on camp alot less busy.
After the first few weeks of getting used to all the duties, getting signed off on your coral or fish spots and once you have passed all your exams you are set to be let loose into the ocean to start you surveys. After this point your days become more free so you have alot more free time during the day. I think personally that 4 weeks is not enough time to really enjoy this program as the first 4 weeks are the busiest and so you don't get the chance to appreciate or put to use all the training you have been given. I was originally on the program for 8 weeks and then extended to 12 weeks when i was out there as i enjoyed the program so much.
I would defiantly recommend this program to anyone wanting to get involved in marine conservation, this program allows you to not only have first hand experience in biological underwater surveys, it also allows you to spread your newly gained knowledge to the next generation of people though weekly teaching sessions with one of the schools on the island. You meet every Wednesday on the local beach with one class and you get to put together your own lessons with them to teach them the importance of saving our oceans.
I have only mentioned a few key aspects of the program as to be honest there are far to many to list. From the whale sharks, dolphins, sharks, scenery and amazing friends you meet i could not have picked a better expedition to go on.