I am in Sodwana Bay for the month. It is a marine protected area within the Isimangaliso Wetland Park, which, like the Cradle of Humankind, is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Sodwana Bay is renowned for its pristine coral reef system with over 1500 species of fish, around 350 coral species, and a wide variety of megafauna and invertebrates. The region also boasts the largest forested coastal dunes in Africa, the largest natural freshwater lake in Southern Africa.

My role here, however, is more of a community engagement one—something I am becoming increasingly passionate about as I learn more about the value of community-led conservation.

A Sad State of Affairs

Amazing as it is to be in the beautiful, tropical paradise along the Indian Ocean, I am feeling a great deal of FOMO. Here is something I don't love admitting—I can't actually swim.

And here I am, in a diver's paradise, watching everyone around me spending their days exploring the magnificent reefs, and my heart sinks a little more each day.

I have always been mesmerised by reef animals. Every day, when my peers return from the ocean, I spend hours looking through the footage, dreaming of the day I could boast of my own encounters with sea turtles and whale sharks.

I made a silent vow to myself that I would learn how to swim. And I would return someday, and I would explore the hell out of these reefs (as conciously and sustainably as possible). But for now, there are still adventures to be had.

Exploring New Environments

It's wonderful to be in a new environment. Sodwana bay is an incredibly relaxed town with a laid back hippie vibe.

The town is small – just one street really - and although quiet now, I have heard it comes alive during the peak season. I am glad I will miss that part. I am definately enjoying the stillness and simpleness of beach life.

On this project there's a lot of downtime and I've taken advantage of that by doing some exploring.

I've made friends with some of the scuba diving interns sharing our camp and we have been spending afternoons hiking random trails from the beach into the forested area. And I have been joining volunteer groups for sundowners at the picturesque highpoint Ngobo Seleni.

Learning about Marine Life

The camp is run by an awesome couple passionate about marine conservation. I was lucky enough to tag along on one of their turtle tours.

We drove from Sodwana bay through coastal forest north toward Mozambique and hiked along the beach for about eight kilometers looking for turtles.  Leatherback and loggerhead turtles nest on these beaches from around December until March.

In the few weeks I've been here, I have already learnt so much -  sitting in on lectures wherever I can - and I must say, my mind is blown. Evolution in the marine environment is unbelievably advanced. It is really an alien world to me, and one I am very much looking forward to exploring.