Blogs

The mid-winter sun was shining, the school doors closed for the mid-year break, and that meant it was time for Capricorn Primary Grade 5 learners to join us on another Marine Awareness Camp at the Soetwater Environmental Education Centre, sponsored by the Save Our Seas Foundation! The risk we run…

Our current group of Marine Explorers, all grade 5’s from Capricorn Primary School, have spent the last term building their confidence in the water and growing their love for the sea with weekly surf sessions. This has prepared them well for their next challenge – learning to skin dive and…

We are lucky enough to spend quite a bit of time on the rocky shores of the Dalebrook Marine Sanctuary in False Bay, South Africa. Even though we visit regularly, we quite often find creatures that we have never seen before! And then there are those that we see again…

The Save Our Seas Shark Education Centre kids holiday club offers a stimulating opportunity for kids to express their insights, observations and understanding of their natural environment through the creation of art and activities. They are given the opportunity to learn about the ocean and why it is important to…

False Bay is a body of water defined by a finger-like projection, the Cape Peninsula. Surfing is an integral part of the culture in this area. Surfers from all over the world can be seen getting their daily dose before their day begins. Today, surfing is one of the most…

The 2017 conference of the Marine and Coastal Educators Network (MCEN) was held from 15 to 20 January in KwaZulu-Natal. We were 30 delegates from different provinces in South Africa and we started off at the Ushaka Sea World Education Centre in Durban. After the welcome on 15 January, the…

Apart from a tiny, competitive minority, nearly all people who surf do so for one simple reason – to have fun! In our last few posts on beginning surfing, we’ve looked at ensuring safety while maximising the fun. We’ve also acknowledged that surfing is ultimately a self-taught skill, but that…

Most people who surf do so because it’s fun. But it’s only fun as long as you are safe. The last post on this topic offered some suggestions on how to keep safe. Once you’ve absorbed these safety tips and appreciate that safety must always be the priority, it’s time…

In the surfing component of our Marine Explorers programme, our aim is to develop water-confidence and a love for the oceans. We are not focussed on producing the next world champ – the most successful surfer in our group on any given day, is the kid with the biggest grin!…

  “The best way to learn to surf is to just get out there and do it”, is the advice that many experienced surfers have for beginners. It’s good advice! After all, most people who can ride a wave were not taught – they just started getting in the water…

The Save Our Seas Foundation’s Shark Education Centre in Kalk Bay, South Africa has been upgrading and adding new exhibits, with an emphasis on creating an experience for visitors that is unique, educational and fun, and the brand new Shark Senses VR exhibit, which uses virtual reality, is part of…

Words by Claire Metcalf Executives from the Passenger Rail Association of South Africa (Prasa) and the Mary Kihn School for the Deaf joined us for their Mandela Day Outing. The learners were given informations sessions, provided with refreshments and taken to the beach at the Dalebrook Marine Sanctuary to explore.…

The winter school holidays are almost over, and we’ve had another successful holiday programme. Getting the balance between staying warm and dry indoors and embracing the wild Cape winter outdoors is inevitably a bit of a juggling act! Fortunately, the mixed weather we’ve had has ensured a healthy portion of…

The second term of the South African school year is drawing to a close, and the winter holidays are looming. While this past week saw some of the first real storms of winter, the weather cleared up beautifully just in time to celebrate the winter solstice with some sunny (but…

With today’s option of soft surfboards, surfing can be a blast from the very first wave. And Muizenberg, with its anything-that-floats vibe, is the kind of carnival environment that inspires enthusiasm in all who take to the water. Having spent the first term learning to love the waves while getting…