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A new group of students means a new season of learning, fieldwork and plenty of time on the water! 🐋🦈🐬

Orientation Day is all about getting everyone settled in and ready for life at @oceansresearch. Our new students receive an introduction to the programme, the different research projects they will be involved in, and what it means to work with marine wildlife in the field.

We also take a tour around Mossel Bay to introduce them to the town and some of the places that will become part of their daily lives during their time with us.

And of course, no orientation is complete without meeting our most trusted fieldwork companion, Triton! 🚤 Our skipper @skippy.gi takes the students through the important aspects of the vessel, from safety procedures and what to expect at sea to what to do in an emergency.

Before the fieldwork begins, we make sure everyone knows the programme, knows the boat and, most importantly, knows how to stay safe while working on the ocean.

Now it is time to get out there! 🌊🔬

#oceansresearch #studentprogramme #marineresearch #marinescience #marinebiology

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There are moments in the ocean you cannot plan.

You don’t chase them.
You don’t force them.
You just slow down enough to stay present and let the ocean decide when to invite you in.

No expectations. No agenda. Just being there when the moment arrives. 🌊

When the ocean loves you back, you don’t just see it, you feel it.

#SALTEscape #FreedivingSouthAfrica #OceanConnection

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teachers pet paid off #withhonors

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Had the privilege to fly all the way from Sydney Australia to the other side of the world where I spent a whole month with @oceansresearch in Mossel Bay South Africa 🇿🇦

During my time we worked on four different projects.

White shark population which focused on us capturing photographs of the great white sharks we found present in Mossel Bay their dorsal fin to later trace and put into a database to help identify between individuals.

Ethical fish biodiversity assessment where we would identify any parasites found on the species and measure the size of larger fish species within the bay including smaller shark species such as Leopard & Pyjama sharks.

Intertidal biodiversity assessment where we would place a 1x1 m quadrant on a transect and identify the different invertebrate species found within the quadrant in that area of sample.

Marine mammal land survey which involved us scouting the bay for any dolphins and whales and tracking what each animals behaviour at the time.

Met some of the coolest people, got to see great white sharks weekly and got to fall in love with the beautiful bay that I got to call home for a month. Definitely will be missing those sunrises 🌅 🦈

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A great #sharkawarenessday from the @scar_sharks Team 🦈💙 can you identify all the sharks in the video? Put your answer in the comment. The first one to guess all of them correctly will receive a price, based on where does she/he lives. …note: not all the sharks in the video are from South Africa 🫢 there is an intruder…

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I’ve been thinking about how to put this part of my journey into words, because it’s been less about “where I’ve been” and more about what I’ve actually learned by doing the work.

My experience in terrestrial conservation started with understanding how complex wildlife environments really are. At Mabalingwe Game Reserve, I was exposed to the realities of reserve work, supporting animal care-related tasks, monitoring enclosure and habitat conditions, and assisting with general conservation maintenance. It quickly became clear that animal care doesn’t start with the animal itself, but with the environment everything depends on.

At Kevin Richardson Foundation, I saw a different side of wildlife care, one built on structure, strict safety, and consistency. Working in controlled predator environments showed me how much discipline and attention to detail it takes to maintain both animal welfare and human safety at the highest standard.

On the marine side, my time at Oceans Research introduced me to fieldwork at sea, where observation, data collection, and adaptability become the foundation of everything you do. Being in that environment gave me a real understanding of how marine research translates into conservation decisions.

At Shark and Marine Research Institute, I gained further exposure to shark-focused research and monitoring. It deepened my understanding of apex predators and how local ecosystems depend on their role far more than most people realize.

Across both land and sea, the biggest lesson has been that conservation is not separate worlds, it’s one connected system. Everything relies on observation, consistency, responsibility, and respect for the environments and species you’re working with.

Still learning. Still building experience. But more certain than ever about the direction I want to grow in 🌿🌊

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What better way to spend Friday morning than a fun dive?!🦈🤿🌊

#godive #scuba #naui #explorepage✨ #mosselbay

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For @unworldoceansday I've decided to share a collection of shark (and a skate) egg images I have captured in False Bay over the years.

My Master's project this year with @marine_ecology_group_uct and @oceansresearch is focusing on the spatial and temporal distribution off chondrichthyan egg cases that wash up on the shores of Mossel Bay. Often they are overlooked, but to me that are very interesting. I have been lucky enough to dive and find many shark egg cases.

They can come in a range of sizes, and vary in what they attach their eggs to. Some choose kelp, and some choose gorgonian corals, depending on what may be available in their environment.

The eggs are quite a bit tougher than they look, and often other organisms start to grow on them. For skates this can be advantageous in keeping them from blowing away as much, as biofouling can weigh them down a bit. But there are risk of predation, from snails who may want to feast on the developing animal.

I've never been lucky enough to see a skate in the wild whilst diving, but I have come across the eggs of the spearnose skate (Rostroraja alba). These eggs are massive, and take many months before anything will hatch out of them. Unfortunately very little is known about skates in general in South Africa.

Whose egg is it?
Image 1: Leopard Catshark (Poroderma pantherinum)
Image 2: Puffadder Shyshark (Haploblepharus edwardsii)
Image 3,4,5: Pyjama Shark (Poroderma africanum)
Image 6,7: Spearnose Skate (Rostroraja alba)

#worldoceansday #wildlifephotography
#undwaterphotography #natgeoyourshot

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Dr Enrico Gennari @enrshark @Ocean Research and I spent over 20 hours at sea off Chintsa, we encountered 6 individual white sharks across 4 days of fieldwork 🦈💙

What did we learn? White sharks are present in this region, but not in the large resident numbers many people assume. Two full survey days across multiple locations resulted in no sightings at all, highlighting just how dynamic and mobile these animals are.

Our observations, together with local ecological knowledge from the incredible fishers and local community members, suggest Chintsa may provide important feeding opportunities and unique environmental conditions for white sharks.

We also witnessed the incredible biodiversity supported by the Amathole MPA, the spill-over effect and the positive role local communities are playing in protecting marine resources. 🌊

This is only the beginning! Through collaboration between scientists, local communities, fishers, students, and conservation organisations, we hope to build a long-term research project focused on understanding and protecting this remarkable ecosystem - while supporting coexistence between people and sharks.

Thank you @Gary Arnold for lending your boat and time to us! And thanks to @oceansresearch @sharkvoice.official @italtilesa and @scar_sharks for the ongoing financial support!

#sharkconservation #protectouroceans🌎🐬🌊 #whiteshark #marineconservation

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Big thanks to @oceansresearch for joining us for a hands-on gear servicing session and pre-sea prep! ⚙️🌊

There’s something special about getting to know your gear inside and out before hitting the ocean — building confidence, skills, and trust in every dive. From learning the ins and outs of equipment to sharing laughs along the way, it was an awesome session all around.

We love collaborating with passionate ocean people who are as stoked about diving and conservation as we are. Can’t wait to get you all in the water again soon 💙

#GoDive #ScubaTraining #GearServicing #OceanInterns #PreSeaPrep

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Today I had the chance to experience the largest species of antelope known as Elands! Such amazing creatures along with Southern Weaver Birds. Apparently the males make nests to attract mates!
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#southafrica #infanta #travel #ocean #research

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The numbers are far higher than known orca kills.

Link to the full article is in our Stories!🔗

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