A day in the life of a volunteer in Africa working on a marine conservation volunteer project

Wake up.

9:00am

Set off on bike through Watamu village to the WTW office 4km away (all flat so not so bad!)

9:30am

Warm welcomes from the team including Merry the dog! Turtle rehabilitation first thing. Feed two turtles. Prawns and snapper are on the menu. Diced for one turtle but tube fed for the other who can't eat independently yet.

10am

Half hour observation and recording of turtle movements following first feed.

10:30am

Tank cleaning. Don those wellies and scrub out that algae!

12:30pm

Lunch time. Ugali with maharagwe (like refried beans but better) eaten with your right hand or go Western and bring your own sandwiches.

1:30pm

Work on a WTW newsletter for the local residents. Write information on recent marine park news, numbers of turtles released back into the sea, local and national campaigns going on and how residents can help.

3:30pm

Phonecall - a turtle has been caught by some fishermen. Headed out to Chafisi, a tiny village, to collect it with Kahindi, Field Manager. Took measurements, removed barnacles and tagged the turtle. Then released it back into the ocean watched by the local hotel and its residents.

4:30pm

Check up on two unhatched nests in the marine park. The sand starts to move! See one flipper, then two, then four, 10...over one hundred tiny hatchlings emerge from the sand and make their first journey to the water. We stand on guard for dogs, tourists or crabs to make sure the hatchlings have the best possible chance to make it.

5:30pm

Cycle home, tired but happy.

6pm

Shower, tea and a well-earned beer.