Feb 2012 - new field season beginning

During February, Ruth has been up in Walvis Bay running a MarWise course - this is a training and education course aimed at ocean users interacting with marine mammals - see her blog about it here.

Simon and Tess have been down in Cape Town, writing papers, writing grant applications for more funding, finding students and volunteers, buying the relevant equipment, building the new website and just generally sorting out a million little logistical challenges for the next field season.

We'll be heading up to Namibia by the end of Feb to start the new Nedbank Go Green funded project surveying the Namibian Islands Marine Protected Area in conjunction with the Ministry of Marine Resources and Fisheries.

In other news - YAMAHA have supported the Project by providing us with new 7-HP 4-stroke motors at cost price - this is very generous of them and they are currently being shipped to Namibia to be fitted for free by Skeleton Coast Yamaha.  Getting new engines for the boat will make a huge difference to the project - increased reliability and the ability to travel further will mean more data collected in more areas, 4-stroke motors are also quieter and more fuel efficient which will make a big difference to our pollution levels and carbon footprint on the water!   So a BIG thank you to both Yamaha and Skeleton Coast Marine!

One minor glitch in the plan is that cost price is still far from free. The NDP is looking for additional funding to cover some of the R150 000 for the motors.  If you are interested in supporting marine research and conservation (as a person or a company) - get in touch.  Your branding on our brand new Yamaha motors will look great!