| Description |
The research focuses on the spectacularly large fin whale as well as on sperm whales, Risso’s dolphins, pilot whales, striped and bottlenose dolphins. We have places for volunteers to join for one or more weeks from May to September of every year.
Individuals, groups, families and students doing research all welcome.
The Project
Since 1990 this project has been investigating the ecology and behaviour of cetaceans living in the Cetacean Sanctuary - a special marine protected area extending between Italy and France. The research focuses on the spectacularly large fin whale as well as on sperm whales, Risso’s dolphins, pilot whales, striped and bottlenose dolphins.
The Project
Participants will be directly involved in field activities, helping the researchers to collect cetacean data and assist them in preliminary analyses of digital photos and acoustic recordings, while learning basics in sailing.
Description
You will be trained through specific lectures and work side by side with researchers. During this period you will be asked to contribute to the data collection and analysis (e.g. recording cetaceans number and behaviour at regular intervals, preliminary analysis of cetaceans digital photos, etc).
Sample day
The schedule of a research cruise depends very much on weather conditions. Surveys are conducted whenever the sea state and wind forecasts are favourable for data collection. Participants are full members of the crew, and they will be assigned a number of duties. These include sighting shifts (looking for cetaceans), computer shifts (data entry and hydrophone listening), navigation shifts (checking the boat course and velocity), cooking and boat-keeping shifts (participants as well as staff members will be in charge of preparing meals and cleaning-up, keeping the boat tidy and ready to sail).
Accommodation and Food
During your experience, you will be aboard a comfortable 21m sailing boat, which hosts 16 persons in five cabins: two single beds in the bow sharing one bathroom, two four-bed cabins and a very large room for six (two double and two single beds); each with private bathroom, shower and hot water. Volunteers take it in turn to cook with a staff member every night. Please note that those with special diets can also be catered for.
In case of unfavourable weather or harsh sea conditions, the boat stays in the harbour or in a sheltered bay. Participants may decide to stay on board assisting the researchers with data analysis and computer work (e.g. photo-identification of cetaceans) and attending the lectures held by the staff, or they may visit the surrounding area.
How to get there
Boarding is in the harbour of Portosole, Sanremo (Imperia), where the boat, the "Pelagos" is moored. Sanremo is a small town located along the Italian Riviera, a few km from the Italy-France border. It can be reached by train, by car, or by plane. The closest international airports are Nice (France), about 60 km to the west, and Genova (Italy), about 140 km to the east. From both airports there are bus services to the train station, where it is possible to take a train to Sanremo. Several national airlines and low-cost airlines fly to Genoa and/or Nice from all over Europe, including: www.flyairone.it/it/Index.asp, www.transavia.com, www.ryanair.com, www.lufthansa.it and www.blu-express.com.
Additional details
For further information, such as pricing, scheduling, et al. please visit the main project page here, or contact Vicky McNeil here.
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