Ocean Spirits Leatherback Sea Turtle Research & Education Programme, Grenada

Ex-Volunteer Feedback Extracts

Diana Maher, from Finland, describes her time with Ocean spirits

My experience with Ocean Spirits was excellent and will be a warm memory forever. A special moment was when one of the turtles managed eventually to lay her eggs on the third nights try, after we helped her to dig the chamber which was difficult for her to do due to her injured back fins. That moment and many others with the turtles as well the team are unforgettable. Grenada is amazing island, and the nature is overwhelming.

Steve Tranter, 47 yr old, British volunteer writes about his experience in May/June 2011
My name is Steve Tranter, working as a volunteer for Ocean spirits in May/June 2011 in Grenada. Having been to this beautiful country before on holiday some ten years ago. I knew from all the information booklet that I received before my trip was very helpful to prepare me for this wonderful opportunity of saving leatherback Turtles. Having arrived in Grenada the first couple of days were spent training and meeting the supervisors and receiving a warm welcome. The house was comfortable and basic the food was different sometimes exciting, there were occasions I wasn’t sure what I was eating but it was ok. After the training was over it was time for our first night survey after making sure we have checked and loaded all the equipment we set off for Levera beach it is where most turtle activity takes place. I remember seeing my first turtle and what an amazing creature after she found a suitable spot to lay here eggs we would check for tags and for tag scars and scan her microchip usually in her right shoulder and count the eggs and measure her and measure the location of the nest from markers on the beach we would record all this information on a data sheet this event would happen up to twenty times a night, at the end of the night survey we would rake over turtle tracks so as to deter predators and check for hatchlings they are so cute we would place them by the water edge and watch as they make there way to the ocean and hope they survive.
I found being with experienced supervisors was helpful, and during my time there with them found you were able to ask them questions they would know the answers top marks to them. I found you had quite a bit of free time after you had completed your rota jobs, you could just sit around and relax or go the beach. There were some mornings you would do a morning survey this would meen getting up at 5am and walk to Bathway beach and check for any turtle activity any turtle activity would need to be recorded.

I also found being with other volunteers it was interesting getting to know them and where they live and great working with them as part of a team.

I found the local people very friendly and would always speak to you very nice people, sometimes the supervisors would arrange trips for us sandy beach island was very nice, although one lady said it was known as sunburn island would recommend factor 50 sun cream and insect repellant by the bucket load, I was ok for the first couple of days and then I could hide no more the mosquitoes found me thankfully it wasn’t to bad.

My overall impression of the whole three weeks I was there I found every thing had come together and was impressed with the set up it was exciting experience the people I was sharing the house with and the supervisors were very helpful, the accommodation and the food and the location was just right, and going to Levera or Bathway beaches there were hardly any tourists due to the location every thing was brilliant and a most enjoyable experience and I would certainly recommend it to any future volunteers and hope to it again some time to return to this beautiful country of Grenada.

Canadian volunteer - Rachel Mitchell
Ontario based newspaper wrote an article about her time in Grenada May-June 2011 - “In Grenada, my work consisted of night surveys, morning surveys, nest excavations, data collection, protecting hatchlings, and working with local youth through the after school club,” she says.

Ms. Mitchell worked four nights a week from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Levera Beach, home of the Leatherback, a critically endangered sea turtle. “With every turtle that emerged, we were responsible for counting the eggs, measuring the carapace, checking flipper tags, and documenting any other information on the turtle, whether it was a missing flipper, or wounds.

“In the event that you came across a new turtle, untagged and with no micro chip, you were given the opportunity to name and tag your very own turtle. I was fortunate enough to discover two new turtles.”

She also completed morning survey work that involved waking at 5:30 a.m., walking to a nearby beach, and raking turtle tracks. “It was very important to cover the tracks, making it harder for poachers to steal the eggs,” she says. Full article under: http://stfx.ca/news/view/3812/

Jen Lipski wrote about her experience in Grenada May/June 2011

My name is Jen Lipski, and I was volunteering with the program for 3 weeks in May/June. I am an artist, but I love animals and have always been fascinated by marine biology. I joined Ocean Spirits because I wanted to help animals in any way I could, and I ...prefer hands-on work experience rather than throwing money at charities and letting them have all the fun.

The first turtle I saw during my stay was also the first turtle I got to rescue. I found him on the beach on my first day of work, all tangled up in the seaweed and baking out in the sun. He was upside-down and barely moving. I got him free of the weeds and brought him down to the water. We splashed some water to cool him down, then released him onto the sand so he could make his way to the shore. Rejuvenated by the cool water, he regained the strength needed to pull himself across the sand. We took some photos while he oriented himself, and then he headed out to brave the ocean. We helped him a little as he got knocked about by the first few waves, and then watched as he disappeared beneath the surf and headed out into the blue. The feeling of giving this little baby turtle a second chance at life was unforgettable, and already made my trip more than worthwhile. I got to repeat this feeling throughout my stay, every time I pulled a lost and disoriented hatchling out of the vegetation after night survey or protected a new nest from poaching and other threats.

Working with the females at night was another amazing experience. They are surprisingly unalarmed by our presence, even when it is their very first time nesting. I had the opportunity to work with one of the first turtles encountered by the program when it began, as well as with new turtles who had never been seen out of the water before. New turtles are especially interesting, as you may get to share with them their very first time emerging from the ocean and giving birth, which is also an incredible experience.

Aside from the animals, my favourite thing about the trip was having the experience of living in Grenada, not just visiting. You get to spend time hanging out with the locals, and experience the culture first hand without all the touristy crap. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and not just because they want to sell you things. (I have only been to Grenada once before, and it was on a cruise where all you get to see is blue sky and tourist traps). I much prefer the experience of living in a rural area and seeing what life there is really like. And you do get to live there. By the middle of the second week it is easy to forget that you actually have a home somewhere else and that you will eventually have to leave.

There is a fair bit of work involved with the program at times, but the job is extremely rewarding and I had a lot more free time than I initially expected. Most of the work is flexible too, and can easily be planned around day trips to the beach or to the island’s many other attractions. Overall the experience was incredible and I would recommend it to anyone who likes tropical adventures and hands-on work with animals.

Elin Pennanen from Finland, studying Veterinary Medicine in Denmark volunteered with Ocean Spirits between March 26th and April 16th 2011 and wrote about her daylight turtle experiences:

Here’s the story about my daylight turtles :)

The first week as a volunteer me, and a couple of the other volunteers, went to a nearby town, Grenville. While out, the volunteers at the house got called down to the beach because of a DAY-turtle nesti...ng!! The turtles normally only come up at night to nest and since we’re not supposed to take pictures with a flash, it’s almost impossible to get a good picture, proving you’ve actually been working with turtles… We missed a perfect photo opportunity for the little town, where there wasn’t even too much to see! We were so disappointed, especially since we hadn’t even had a morning turtle before (a turtle staying up at the beach until dawn).

The second week my luck seemed to have turned. At night survey with Praggi (one of the supervisors) we got a turtle at the point of the beach around 01:30. It was a new one; no PIT-tag and no scars from earlier flipper-tags, so I even got to name the turtle :). The newbie dug her hole, but wasn’t too lucky, the egg chamber filled with water from beneath without her noticing. We relocated the eggs for her by filling the chamber with sand, so we didn’t have to reach in too deep, and moving the eggs to a bucket as she laid them. We then dug a new chamber for the eggs further up at the beach, counting the eggs as we dropped them into the hole. We left the turtle and returned to our base.

When the other team returned after the next run along the beach, they told us she was still up. We didn’t think much about it, but when we got up for our next run, she was still there! She had started to dig a new egg chamber. She even got ready to lay, but she had no eggs left, obviously. When we were finishing the run, she was still up, and the sun was starting to rise. We stayed with her, radioed the other team and got some really good shots of her. At 06:15, she finally had had enough of the beach, and returned, in almost broad daylight, to the sea, leaving a horribly long track for us to rake… Thanks for the pictures, crazy “little” turtle :)!

I was even lucky enough to get two more morning turtles during my second week - one in pouring rain and another one in perfect dawn. The water was so clear that last morning you could see the shadow of the turtle under the water as she left the beach. It was magical when she came up for her last breath before disappearing into the ocean.

Kate Rooney, Marine Biologist from Scotland spent 9 weeks from April to June 2010:

1. Grenada is a beautiful country and has the nicest people I have ever met. The project is located in the north and I preferred this, there is very few tourists and it gives you a real taste of what Grenadian life is like, I also found people in the north friendlier and so warm and welcoming. I absolutely loved Grenada and would go back tomorrow if I could! The project houses have wonderful views and within walking distance of the beach and only a short bus journey to local town so ideally situated.

2. I found the work very interesting and really enjoyed getting hands on experience. We spent two days getting settled in with training and learning where our working areas would be and then it all began! I found everything to be well organised and particularly liked being able to visit the beaches we would be working on in daylight before doing any night work on them. I dont think I would change anything, I found we learnt all we had to know with the training given and also the presentation given with background information on the project really explained why I was there and what my work efforts would go towards.

3.The houses are all lovely and perfectly adequate (much better than previous volunteer accomedation on other projects) and liked how only 2/3 to a room so you still had your privacy. The food was fine and I liked although it is vegetarian menu you could as a group make meat dishes too.

4. Positives: Being able to experience leatherback turtles and hatchlings close up, Being able to get involved with local community (eg going into local school) and beautiful weather, country and people.

Negatives: Mosquitoes, Mosquitoes and Mosquitoes!! I had such great time wasnt any negative points apart from having to come home!

5. Project Manager Nic is great, easy going and very approachable. The Supervisors, both local and international were all great and I liked how they all mucked in with everything. The project runs well and I found it very easy to settle in and was made very welcome.

6. I found the cost reasonable, its very similar to other projects and I like that once you paid for the project you dont really need to worry about money whilst on the project as accommodation and food is all provided.

7. I felt the handbook provided gave you a good idea how to prepare for the project, only suggestions I have is I would highly recommend taking own sleeping bag as you do get to sleep on the beach some nights and it can get chilly!! Also after speaking with Danielle (education supevisor) the section in guide book where it asks to take small gifts/prizes for local school events I would suggest putting a note that playing cards are not acceptable as local culture deem unsuitable for children as she getting lots of playing cards given!

8. I would just advise future volunteers that the project isnt a holiday, you get out of the project what you put in. If your prepared to work and muck in you will have the time of your life.

Don Schwartz, 57 yrs old Child Psychologist from the USA writes about his time there from 27th February to 20th March 2010

Let me start by saying that my experience at Ocean Spirits was extraordinarily memorable. I still share highlights with friends and acquaintances. What I most appreciated is that the project and experience was as advertised. When we applied, I was hopeful that the project would match the description, and it most certainly did.

We enjoyed Grenada. The people were extremely friendly; the beaches were uncrowded and lovely. The location of the project was a quiet and relaxing setting. We loved being on the beach at night, listening to the waves and looking up at a sky full of stars. We learned so much about leatherback turtles during our stay. The staff made us feel welcome and went out of their way to make sure we were happy. Regarding changes, I would have been happy to have contributed more in some way during some of the downtime during the days. We also ventured to Carriacou for a few days and really enjoyed the island.

The house and accommodations were comfortable. The community dinners were fabulous. Being vegetarians, we really appreciated having vegetarian meals. I didn’t expect anything fancy, and was satisfied with the accommodations. I am grateful that Nic arranged for Dana and me to share our own room.

Positives:
What an incredible gift to be able to work so closely with the magnificent leatherbacks.
The locals on the staff and in town were very warm and welcoming
There was a nice balance and sharing of responsibilities.

The research assistants, local staff members and Nic were all terrific. The orientation was interesting and complete, the roto was clear and flexible, and everyone wanted to ensure that we had a good experience. Our group got along well.

I felt the costs were reasonable. I could see the challenge of trying to accomplish what Ocean Spirits is trying to do with limited resources and I understood how the fees enabled them to accomplish their mission. We sent out letters to friends in an effort to help with their fundraising.

The pre-trip information sheet and checklist was very helpful. We came with everything we needed.
I don’t have any advice for future volunteers, but I would recommend the placement in a heartbeat.

Regards,

Don

Krysty Girardo from Canada aged 25 yrs, writes about her time on the project in May-June 2009

Getting involved in the Ocean Spirits program was one of the most inspiring and rewarding experiences of my life. The first time you see a turtle come up from the ocean you cannot believe it is real. The hands on experience is unbelievable, and learning how to work with the turtles and the community is something you will never do anywhere else! The volunteers are now friends that will last a lifetime, and Grenada was one of the friendliest and most beautiful places I have visited. The program is set up in a way that involves everyone, allows the volunteers to experience the project in a profound and complete manner, but also make time for you to explore the island! One of the greatest aspects of the trip is living in the house and having a 'family' dinner every night. The conversations and laughter will live on forever! If you want to have a memory to last a lifetime, I recommend this 100%, it changed my life and I hope I can go back in the near future!

Helen Radley, aged 20, from the UK May to June 2009 gives her feedback

After the first night survey on the beach with the turtles, I wrote in my diary that: ‘it was a magical experience and a privilege to watch the turtles lumbering up the beach and laying their eggs’. By the end of the three weeks, I still felt that same excitement at watching such a prehistoric ritual. It was wonderful to be able to help these amazing creatures through joining in the worthwhile work of this project. As a group we had a great time, the volunteers and supervisors all got on really well. We especially enjoyed all getting together at meal times which take place on the balcony with the beautiful Pacific Ocean and Sugar Loaf Island in the background. It felt like we were really welcomed into the community too, it’s such a friendly place and there’s lots of places to visit as well. I was sorry to leave at the end and really hope to go back in the future!

Cathinka Rondan, Radio Station Manager, Norway, March to May 2008

One of the things one most definitely should do in life, is leave everything "normal" at home for a while and get into a project like Ocean Spirits in Grenada. It was amazingly inspiring and fulfilling to spend two and a half months working with the majestic Leatherbacks on a beautiful island with warm and fun Grenadians, and great volunteers and supervisors. I went from being in complete awe of the first turtle my first night of survey, to relaxed enjoying 29 crawling up in one night. Saving the first hatchling was a very special experience. I can't think of a better way to start the day, than doing morning survey on Bathway. And the best sleep I ever got were some of the nights on the beach. It was also a great experience working with the kids at school, and heightens the experience sharing why Ocean spirits do what they do. It is an unforgettable experience working so hands on a job that is so meaningful, and being able to do that with nice people in a charming and beautiful place. You have to be able to and really want to work several busy nights a week, but at the same time you also get more time in the world to do several things you don't normally do. The more you pitch in the better the experience, but it isn't difficult in the superb environment.

Lucy Le Maitre, 9 week volunteer - April-June 2008, talks about her life changing experience working in Grenada

Unfortunately, I can't stay anymore although I'd really like to and have been trying to find a way to stay for the last two weeks.

I have loved every minute of my time in Grenada, all of the supervisors have done a fantastic job and have made me feel so welcome working with them, I know they have had a hard time with some of the volunteers but they have done a fantastic job.

Working with Ocean Spirits has really changed my life - I intend returning home for just long enough to find another Sea Turtle conservation project that would benefit from my help, they are fantastic and incredible creatures that amaze me every time I work with them. Levera is by far my favourite place to be.

Please can you pass on my comments to Carl, I know he appreciates what a great team he has out here but I just wanted to let him know that from a volunteers point of view there could not be a better group of supervisors in place.

Thanks a lot for everything. Please keep me on your e-mail list for Working Abroad Projects.

Review from Swiss volunteer, Olivia Meier - March 2008

My experience with Ocean Spirits in Grenada

A gust of wind blew the salty spray right into my face, yet I didn’t even realize. With my eyes wide open, I was starring into the subtle darkness to where the scent of wet sand comes from. Inch after inch, a huge leatherback turtle was crawling up the beach, breathing heavily. We gathered several feet away to let her dig her egg-chamber in peace. Once she was done, we rushed to her, trying not to disturb her too much. Guided by the moonlight we got to work.

Of course I was tired after a night on the beach. However, thanks to the overwhelmingly beautiful view from our house, I didn’t feel the urge of going to sleep at all. With a glass of water and a green orange in my hand I went down into the dancing heat. Not really intending to get burned I went back into the shade after a short while. Soothed by the natural soundings of our environment, I dozed off, dreaming of turtles and the funny trip to Grenville.

Not long after, a gentle hand was placed on my shoulder and a friendly face was chuckling at me… dinnertime! In my back, I could see the purple sunset while I was sitting around the dinner table with my so beloved new friends. Not even the mosquitos could lessen the idyllic charm of this very moment.

Hopefully, I will be back!

Feedback from Anna Maton, a teacher from the UK who joined our teams from July to August as a Research Assistant volunteer

My time spent with the Ocean Spirits was definitely one I will not forget. It was an amazing experience not only to be working with such an interesting conservation project, but also to share these experiences with strangers who quickly became friends and on one of the most beautiful and unspoilt Caribbean islands.

The Ocean Spirits team was quick to welcome us to Grenada and make us all feel at home. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly as well as being a serious working environment. For example as well as learning a lot about the Leatherback Sea Turtle, waking at 5am every morning and working hard on the nearby beaches, we learnt how to pick and prepare fresh coconuts, cheat at Monopoly and survive on a tropical island!

The weather was inevitably very hot! However, being the rainy season, the almost daily showers were very welcome especially when we’d gone without running water for 24 hours. We all managed to wash our hair in the rain too – the most refreshing shower I have ever had!

We also managed to see a lot of Grenada, experience the Reggae Buses, Carnival, the neighbouring towns of Sauteurs and Grenville, the rain forest and Seven Sisters waterfalls and of course the Chocolate factory.

Once in Grenada, the cost of sight-seeing is very cheap compared to UK prices. I would recommend volunteers stock up on high quality mosquito repellant as we all got eaten alive! It didn’t spoil the most amazing life experience to date though! Thoroughly recommend this project to anyone with high sense of adventure and fun. As long as you are a team-player and not afraid to get your hands dirty…

Denice Ogilvie, a business manager from the UK, aged 45 yrs old writes about volunteering with Ocean Spirits March-April 2006

Our first night of working on the beach with the turtles was both the most amazing experience as well as probably the most physically demanding thing I have ever had to do. To see your first turtle to touch them and to play such an important role in their future existence by way of ensuring their nests were in the best possible place and to relocate any that were not and then to rake the beach to hide their location, made the hard work and the feeling of total exhaustion at the end of the shift worthwhile.

Our free time was very precious to us, you looked forward to a night off, a chance to relax and get out and about, I think we all fell in love with both the island and its people, they were friendly and the locals appreciated the effort had been made by Ocean Spirits to integrate into the community and to support the locals by way of the purchasing of some of the shopping items from the local markets.

The weather was perfect the beach was idyllic and to wake up every morning to the view from our balcony was breath taking.

Over the 3 weeks we all worked hard and played hard and some good relationships were formed.

I am still amazed by the dedication of Carl and although I did not meet her, Becky, for their commitment to this project and the sacrifices they have made to ensure its continued success, have I benefited from this experience, I certainly feel that my time in Grenada has made me look at my life and has made me question whether I actually contribute to this world we live in and take for granted. I am conscious that I do not have a real passion in my life and I feel that I can address this by way of some worthwhile voluntary work working with animals in some capacity.

As to whether I was prepared, I am not sure you can ever be prepared for an experience like this unless you have been there before, the work was hard, worthwhile and rewarding, in the first week we thought we would not survive the next 2 weeks, by the end of the 3rd week no one wanted to come home and a few tears were shed saying goodbye.

Can anything be improved, I would not want to change a single thing, and even the fact that my suitcase was mislaid and I did not get it until the end of the 3rd day would not make me wish for anything to be different in any way.

I look forward to going back sometime and doing it again!!

Thanks, Denice

Ocean Spirits Research Assistant Volunteer July-August 2005 - Amy Morton, from the UK gives her feedback on her time volunteering in Grenada:

I volunteered with Ocean Spirits at the end of last summer, on a six week placement and had most possibly the best six weeks of my life!! Grenada is a warm and wonderful island and being a member of the Ocean Spirits team really gives you a true insight into the Caribbean way of life and you are really treated as a local. The project itself involved long hours sometimes but you often found yourself going to the beach to do night surveys in the hope of spotting a mother nesting. At one point myself another a volunteer had lost all hope of seeing a mother, and the other volunteers even went to the extremes of sneaking to the other end of the beach one night to build us a sand leatherback for us to find on our morning survey. Finally I got lucky and found myself with my head by a nesting mothers bum!! My job, to catch the eggs the mother was laying so that other members of the team could relocate the nest in the hope that the eggs would be more likely to survive than in the damp spot their mother had chosen. I met some wonderful people working in Grenada, spent the night on a real desert island, saw hatchlings nearly every day for six weeks and more importantly have come away from my Ocean Spirits experience with wonderful memories. I am now in my third year at University, and after my experience have decided to write my dissertation on sea turtles!! Thanks to everyone at Ocean Spirits and I guarantee that if you volunteer with this company you will receive brilliant treatment and times :)

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