2nd Plett Ocean Fest draws to a successful close

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PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The second Plett Ocean Festival came to an end over the past weekend and has been labelled a massive success.

Not only did the festival raise awareness about the importance of marine conservation among young and old, it also raised funds for future conservation efforts.

The festival, which started with the three-day Marine Science Symposium at the Beacon Island Resort, included presentations on a wide spectrum of marine life by some of the top scientists and experts in the country, as well as a wide range of activities highlighting this important resource along the Plettenberg Bay coast.

The activities included relevant movie screenings, rock pool exploration, reef clean-ups, shark egg hunts, a pelagic birding trip and more.

The highlight of the festival was however the excited faces of youngsters who embarked on an underwater discovery in the Poortjies lagoon as part of an underwater workshop with the Black Mermaid Foundation and Adopt a Swimmer.

PHOTO GALLERY: Marine conservation in the spotlight at Plett Ocean Festival

Exploring the underwater world during an underwater workshop. Photo: Brandon Morris

The event brought together the two organisations to introduce a group of youngsters to the wonders beneath the surface of the water. For many of the youngsters - who learned to swim through Plett's Adopt a Swimmer programme - this was the first experience of its kind. They were under the guidance of freediving instructor Zandile Ndhlovu of the Black Mermaid Foundation.

Ndlovu founded the Black Mermaid Foundation with the aim to create diverse representation in the ocean arena of South Africa. Her work focuses on enabling local ocean communities to access ocean spaces and enabling inclusive participation, recreationally and professionally, while creating a new generation of ocean guardians.

Similarly, Adopt a Swimmer was founded as it became apparent to Louise Auersperg that nearly 80% of the youth in Plett could not swim. Adopt a Swimmer allows children of all backgrounds the opportunity to develop this essential life skill under the guidance and coaching of Auersperg.

"I have been so overwhelmed with the events. The weather, the people, the kids, all the events, CapeNature, all the sea creatures the kids found and the Black Mermaid, were beyond my wildest dreams," Auersperg said.

Another highlight of the festival was a pelagic birding trip. Participants were taken out on a boat along the Plettenberg Bay coast and came across 14 species of pelagic birds, including several endangered species Plett is renowned for, such as the Cape cormorant, African penguin and Cape gannet. Participants also got a glimpse of the shy albatross, Indian yellow-nosed albatross, white-chinned petrel, sooty shearwater, subantarctic skua and kelp gull.

The trip was fully booked, which meant valuable funds was raised to cover costs of first responders for the Plett Marine Animal Stranding Network.

Youngsters getting ready for their underwater workshop in Plettenberg Bay. Photo: Brandon Morris