Stepping off the plane into South Africa, I did not know what this country had to offer. I walked out of customs to find the other Latitudes student Olivia awaiting me, we would be driving to Marine Dynamics in Gansbaai our home for the next 10 weeks together. It was a 2 hour drive filled with amazing scenery, it was if we were in New Zealand one minute, the Tanzanian highlands the next and the rolling foothills of Italy the next. South Africa really has a little of everything to offer. Gansbaai is a great place to stay it is the Great White Shark capital of the world with over half the world’s population finding themselves here at one point or another. It is also known as where the wind is born, as there is never a time where there is not wind bowing. However, neither of these are the reason I have come, that reason lies on a an island about 15 minutes off the coast, Dyer Island home of the endangered African Penguin. Because of these animals being endangered, there is now a sanctuary in Gansbaai (The African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary) known as Apss. This is where I have worked the last 4 weeks and for most of my time. Apss is a wonderful place, I go twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Both times we feed the penguins and other seabirds that call Apss home. Many birds come through the facility from Cape Cormorants, to Giant Petrels, to Common Terns and the reason I came African Penguins. Currently there are 7 African Penguins, who all have their own personalities and make feeding time an interesting experience. Along with Apss, I have gone out on the boats twice where I have seen 2 Bryde’s whales, 3 Great Whites, A school of Bottlenose dolphins, an island of Seals and a pair of Humpback dolphins. Along with volunteer trips, we also have the opportunities to take side trips when there are no boats going out. We have gone to Panthera Africa a Big Cat sanctuary, as well as Cape Aghulas the southern most tip of Africa. So far the experience has been great and I look forward to what the rest of my stay here has in store for me.
-Joseph