Overview
The Great African Sea Forest Volunteer Programme places you at the heart of one of the ocean’s most biodiverse and scientifically significant ecosystems – the vast kelp forests of False Bay, South Africa, made famous by the Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher.
Working directly with professional marine biologists and conservationists, you will contribute to long-term scientific research that cannot happen without dedicated volunteers. Activities include underwater kelp forest surveys, shark and ray monitoring, citizen science data collection, and fish population studies, all contributing to peer-reviewed research programmes.
An optional 8-week Marine Conservation Divemaster Internship is available for those who want to take their experience further and earn a professional diving qualification while contributing to conservation.
WorkingAbroad works very closely with the team in Cape Town. We maintain ongoing relationships with the project scientists, Mike and Dylan, and we speak to volunteers before, during, and after every placement.
Highlights
- Dive the Great African Sea Forest – one of the world’s most biodiverse and visually
stunning cold-water ecosystems - Conduct shark surveys: encounter pyjama sharks, seven-gill sharks, and learn
species identification and survey methodology - Swim alongside African penguins, Cape fur seals, and occasionally humpback
whales and sunfish - Earn your PADI or SSI Divemaster certification through the 8-week Marine
Conservation Divemaster Internship (no prior dive experience required to start) - Contribute to citizen science data that supports active marine conservation research
and policy - Family-friendly: open to families with children aged 8 and over
About False Bay & Location
False Bay sits on the Cape Peninsula, 40 km south of Cape Town, and is one of the most ecologically significant marine environments in the southern hemisphere. It is the primary location of the Great African Sea Forest, a vast, ancient kelp ecosystem that supports an extraordinary diversity of marine life, from seven-gill sharks and humpback whales to colourful nudibranchs and the iconic African penguin.
The bay is the filming location of My Octopus Teacher, the Academy Award-winning documentary that brought global attention to the importance and fragility of kelp forest ecosystems. Volunteers work directly in these same waters.
Species encountered during research activities include: pyjama sharks, seven-gill sharks, Cape fur seals, African penguins, humpback whales, sunfish (mola mola), and hundreds of species of fish, invertebrates, and plant life unique to this cold-water ecosystem.
Testimonial
“My volunteer time on the Great African Sea Forest was great and one of a kind! They helped me with everything from picking me up at the airport to grocery shopping. The people who run the project, Mike and Dylan, made the experience great and showed me so much about ocean diversity and plant life. Working Abroad had such great communication and helped me through everything and always made sure to email me back whenever I had questions.”
— Madison Droste, volunteer, United States
About Cape Town
There is a reason people arrive for a week and start looking at property. Table Mountain rising from the city like something dreamed. Long Street at golden hour. The V&A Waterfront with the Atlantic glittering behind it. Bo-Kaap’s candy-coloured houses tumbling down the hillside. World-class food, extraordinary wine, and a warmth in the people that stays with you long after you’ve left.
This project is based 40–90 minutes from the city centre. Plan extra days. You’ll want them.
Free Time
Your days off on the Cape Peninsula will never feel long enough. Hike Lion’s Head at sunrise, ride the cable car up Table Mountain, paraglide off Signal Hill above the city, or try kloofing – canyoning through the Cape’s spectacular gorges. Down the road, Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town is home to thousands of wild African penguins nesting among granite boulders, and Cape Point sits just beyond, where clifftop trails look out over crashing surf at the edge of two oceans. When the pace drops, the Franschhoek Wine Tram winds through vine-covered valleys between world-class estates, Stellenbosch is an hour away, and Constantia Valley is closer still – centuries-old oaks, exceptional whites, and barely a tourist in sight.
