About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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This is a very exciting program and not for the faint hearted! You will be working with Great White sharks monitoring their behaviour both from the boat and from cages! You will also be working with the Marine Big 5 - sharks, whales, dolphins, seals and penguins as well as working closely with the team`s Marine Biologist. You will be amazed at what you will learn!
Today you will be met at the airport and taken to our volunteer house in Fish Hoek. You’ll need to arrive in before 4.15pm so that you’re all ready for the orientation which kicks off at 5pm. The journey from the airport to Fish Hoek should take around 45 minutes and if you keep your eyes open you might get to see Table Mountain on the way! The orientation will take you through what it’s going to be like at your project, do’s and don’ts, how to stay safe and it’s your prime opportunity to ask any burning questions that you haven’t yet had answered.
After the orientation you’ll have an evening meal and some time to relax and prepare before transfering to your main accommodation tomorrow.
If you aren’t able to arrange a flight to get you into Cape Town before 4.15pm then we’d recommend you fly in a day early. We can arrange an early airport pick-up for you including one night’s accommodation, please give us a call for more information.
Overnight in Volunteer house in Fish Hoek
Today you will be transferred by the team on a scenic drive to Kleinbaai which is situated 180kms South east of Cape Town. Remember to bring your books or your music for the journey or you may just want to chat to your fellow volunteers! The journey will take approximately 2.5 hours.
On arrival you will be met by a representative of the team who will then introduce you to the rest of the crew and people that you will be working with. If the time and weather permits you may even be able to go out on the boat for your first sighting!
After your return you will then be able to watch a DVD that was made on your boat trip and you will have the opportunity of spending some time with the Marine Biologist and skipper who will explain your duties and responsibilities for the program. The program representative will also give you a welcome briefing with house rules etc.
The representative will then take you food shopping and then onto the crew house were you will be staying for the duration of your placement. You can then have some time to relax and settle into your new quarters. An evening meal or traditional South African barbeque (braai) will be provided where you will meet and socialize with some of the crew and other volunteers. Here you can ask all the questions that you have and become more comfortable with your surroundings. You will receive information about the launch time for the next day.
Today you will meet the crew an hour before the launch at the Great White House (main office) for a briefing and you will then be going on the boat as a tourist where you will have the opportunity to dive and see what it is actually like from the guests point of view!
An itinerary will then be worked out for you for the weeks to come taking into account your days off or for no sea days when you will be based on land.
You will be working with the itinerary that has been set for you on your arrival. As cage diving is a daily working industry be prepared for some very early morning starts!
You will be spending your time on the project learning more about sharks and observing their behaviour. On the white shark dive boat which often does two trips per day, you will be working with the tourists, assisting the crew with baits, chum, the cage, the dive gear and also the cleaning. You will record data and will also assist in logging this data. On the whale boat, you will assist the tourists but your main task will be data collection and observations. You will be looking particularly for bite marks on seals, birds and dolphins as well as looking out for entangled animals.
The boats often do one to four trips per day depending on the season and you will be rotated accordingly. Please note that this project is weather permitting so it will be almost impossible to maintain a strict schedule. You will need to be flexible but we can promise that you will have a great experience.
As the project is dependant on the weather and sea faring days there are no set days off per week, however time off will be arranged in country. For times that you have 2 or more days off then you can always rent a car and go up the Garden route, do a game drive or some bungi jumping if you feel up to it! On other days that you are not able to go to sea there are activities things that you can do!
Having said goodbye to all your new friends you’ll be transferred back to Cape Town city centre or the airport. You will leave the project in the afternoon and will arrive into Cape Town at approximately 17.00 hrs. Please take into account your check in time when planning your onward flight, we suggest that you book any flights to depart after 20.30 hrs. You may however decide to stay in Cape Town for the night and book a departure for the day after.
The project is based in Kleinbaai, a small harboor town, and part of Gansbaai in the Western Cape of South Africa. The area is known as the best place in the world to see Great White sharks in their natural habitat. The sister company is a boat based Marine Eco Tourism company which allows tourists an unforgettable experience to see whales, dolphins, seals, penguins and sharks, as well as many species of rare pelagic birds that reside close to the shore. These two companies allow volunteers access to a diverse area of learning and a holistic insight into the challenges of ocean conservation at the tip of Africa.
As shark populations worldwide are increasingly threatened it is only by getting to know these complex creatures more intimately that the impact of their current continuing decline will be understood. In scientific circles there is still research needed to fully understand and interpret shark behaviour.
Shark education features as a prominent part of the project and it is only by getting to know these complex creatures more intimately, that the impact of their current continuing decline can be understood. Therefore the project is particularly suited to those who are willing to take up a challenge and play a pivotal role in observing and promoting these graceful and majestic creatures.
You will have an amazing time as the project will enable you to see sharks in their natural environment, either from a boat or from a cage. You will also learn about coastal eco systems in the region and about what work is going on to help preserve them. Each link of the chain needs to be supported in order to ensure ocean sustainability. Because of this you will have a wide variety of tasks and activities to participate.
As shark cage diving is a daily working industry volunteers should expect some early morning starts!
This is an ideal opportunity for volunteers to partake in Shark and marine research. The project wants to be able to deliver an opportunity for the volunteers to experience the industry and also tourism in order to get a better knowledge of South Africa and its culture while working with these majestic animals.
On the white shark dive boat that will often do two trips per day, you will work with the tourists, assisting the crew with baits, chum, cage, dive gear and cleaning. You will be gaining very good boat and team experience and will be recording and logging the data. On the whale boat, you will be assisting the tourists but your main task will be data collection and observations. You will be looking out for any bite marks on seals, birds and dolphins. You will also be looking out for entangled animals.
The boats often do one to four trips per day depending on the season and you will be rotated accordingly. The project is weather dependant so it will be almost impossible to maintain a strict schedule. You will need to be flexible and go with the flow.
During the education part of the project you will be learning about the following;
Practical experience will include the following;
The project is based in Kleinbaai, a small harbour town situated 180 kms south east of Cape Town, and part of Gansbaai in the Western Cape of South Africa. The project is also located within walking distance from the accommodation.
The project is well resourced however you may like to bring your own snorkel/ mask and flippers or you can rent some from the project. Here is a list of personal items you may want to bring with you;
Please note that the weather can become quite cold during the months of May to September, please remember to bring some warm clothes with you.
It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you fora the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More
Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.
Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time - especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!
Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More
Your in-country team will arrange a pick-up for you at the airport and will conduct your orientation upon arrival. All coordination teams are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More
Aside from the local support from your in-country team you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by our response team in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. We also fly in our in-country coordinators to the UK regularly for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
We don't fund our projects directly from the project fee that you pay us. Instead we choose to support a number of projects every year through a grant scheme for tangible long-term initiatives. In the last 3 years we have distributed over US$250,000 to our most needy projects to help them in the great work they do.
We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.
Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here
The accommodation is a comfortable self catering accommodation that has 4 bedrooms based on twin share rooms. You will spend your time here on a self catering basis although breakfast and lunch during your time on the boat will be provided.
The accommodation is very comfortable with all standard facilities.
Valuables can be left in the safe in the main office, however you will need to be responsible for your own valuables left in the accommodation and should take care not to leave anything lying around. Internet is provided at the house for you and access to a mobile phone in case of emergencies.
There is a housekeeper that will clean the accommodation once a week although you are also expected to keep the house clean in the meantime.
Bedrooms are based on twin share and there are two bathrooms that have a total of 2 toilets, 2 showers and 1 bath, toilets are western style, with hot and cold running water.
The accommodation is fully furnished and has modern facilities including tv, dvd player, lounge and also a kitchen with good facilities.
Breakfast will be provided and will include cereal, fruit, coffee, tea and sugar. If you are working in the boat then lunch will also be provided. All other meals are to be provided by yourself.
You will do your own shopping and cook all your meals in the well equipped kitchen or you can always eat out if you would prefer!
You will be based in Kleinbaai, part of the Gansbaai area approximately 180 kms South east of Cape Town. The Western Cape area of South Africa enjoys a temperate climate with the majority of its rainfall in the winter months of July and August. However, its pleasant winter days compare favourably to European summer days.
Heating throughout the house is based on solar panels.
The house is within walking distance of the coast and Kleinbaai and also a 5 minute walk along the coast to the project so won`t cost you anything and will certainly be a lot different walk to work then back home! You will also be able to walk to Kleinbaai and Gansbaai for your food supplies.
Taxi to Gansbaai is approximately R5, and if you need any laundry doing then you would be looking at a cost of approximately R30 per load.
On an evening you can relax at the house with a pizza and DVD, or there are also arrangements with local restaurants whereby they can pick volunteers up to come and have dinner and then drop them back off, or have a get together with the crew for a Braai (BBQ, payable locally)
If you are able to have 2 days of more days off together then you can always hire a car and travel further afield along the Garden Route, do a game drive of if you are feeling more adventurous then you could always do a bungi jump!
On other days that you are able to take the day off due to the weather you might want to try some of these as well;
A journey into South Africa’s history is to haul through periods of racial tension, oppression and hope. Its multicultural mix originates from the earliest settlers, the San (also known as Bushmen) and Khoi-Khoi tribes, followed by Bantu-speaking groups, and through to the swarm of European traders. The Dutch were among the first European settlers and arrived in the 17th century, establishing their presence through their own dialect, Afrikaan, and religion in the form of the Dutch Reformed Church. By the end of the 18th century, the British began to push their presence forward into the country’s towns. It was a period of flared tensions with Zulu chief Shaka renouncing war on neighbouring tribes. Meanwhile, the Boers (Dutch Afrikaner farmers) and the British became locked in conflict; the Anglo-Boer War lasted from 1899 to 1902, ending with the British taking control of the Boer republics of Transvaal and the Orange Free State (OFS) and consequently ruling the country.
By 1910, the Union of South Africa was created and gave political power to whites, while blacks set up political parties in protest, the African National Congress (ANC) the best known. It ushered in the beginnings of apartheid, which became widely ingrained after the Afrikaner National Party came to power in 1948. Violence against protests from blacks was enforced and the black population were evicted to so-called Homelands. In the 1960s, leaders of the ANC were imprisoned, notably Nelson Mandela, and the country became isolated having left the Commonwealth and declaring its republic status. After a long period of racial divide and conflict, in 1989 FW de Klerk came to power with the aim to rid the country of apartheid and instil democracy. The following year, Mandela was released from prison and in 1994 became president after the ANC won the country’s first non-racial general elections; the country also returned to the Commonwealth. The country’s democratic stance has steered it toward a more harmonious future, though economic inequalities between whites and blacks exist, but as the most developed economy on the continent it is in a good position to reconcile with its past.
Naturally, South Africa’s seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere with summer heat burning from November to March and cooler winter temperatures from June to August. Temperature wise, spring (September to October) and autumn (April to May) provide a happy medium. Certain must-do activities are restricted to specific times of year: safari is best from June to September and the whale watching season is June to December. The busiest time, hence the most expensive, is during the summer months, while the major school holidays are during December and Easter.
Given the distances involved, flying is the most convenient way to travel between the main destinations, while land transportation can efficiently pick up the rest of the mileage for exploration in and around. There are an assortment of domestic carriers to choose from that fly the main routes, with most running from Johannesburg or Cape Town; these include South African Airways, Nationwide Airlines, Kulula and 1Time. Booking early is advisable to secure discounted rates.
There country also boasts a comprehensive bus network that covers the main cities; the road trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town is around 20 hours (compared to a 2 hour in a plane). The main bus companies are Translux, Greyhound and Intercape. Baz Bus is aimed at the backpacker crowd and provides a hop-on, hop-off service and also travels to remote areas. It’s a good way to discover the picturesque patch of coastline that is the Garden Route, which it services en route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth.
Train travel can work out longer than by bus, with the trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town edging toward almost 30 hours. If you’re after a little luxury, try the Blue Train or the Rovos Rail for a taste of stylish travel.
Car rental is an attractive option thanks to the good road conditions, great scenery and the flexibility driving allows. The big car rental companies like Avis and Budget have outlets and it’s essential to be fully insured and have a valid driver’s licence. It’s also a convenient way to get around cities as public transport can be unsafe.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas
The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA)
Bus company Baz Bus
Domestic airline 1Time
Bus company Greyhound
Bus company Intercape
Domestic airline Kulula
Nationwide Airlines
South African Airways
Bus company Translux
We work in partnership with hundreds of established projects that are run by local communities. The information on our website comes directly from the projects and we work with them to ensure this information is as accurate as possible. However, due to the very nature of the projects themselves the exact details of what happens on a daily basis can change with little or no notice. If you have travelled with us and have any updates to this information, please let us know.
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