Edition 5 - 2015

R E S P O N S I B L E

edition 5 – 2015

be the difference

Oceans,

ISLANDS &

ADVENTURES w w w. re s p o n s i b l e t rave l l e r. c o. z a

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Comment Welcome to another DIGITAL edition of Responsible Traveller…

This edition is about oceans, islands & epic adventures!

Regular readers of Responsible Traveller mag will know that I love to travel, to see new places and to meet new people. And I have been very blessed to be able to visit two very different but equally intriguing Indian Ocean islands recently –Madagascar to check out the Fairtrade Tourism certified businesses, and Seychelles to experience island life and learn more about their Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label. Another special African island destination is Chole Mjini on Mafia Island –we get to travel with Louise as she shares her experiences of this magical place. In keeping with our ‘oceans & islands’ theme, Brenda looks at the wonderful conservation initiatives of Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Conservation Trust and Greg takes us on a Humpbackwhale watching adventure off St Lucia in KwaZulu-Natal.

An epic adventure for avid mountain bikers must surely be the Desert Knights tour in the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (South Africa and Namibia) - Rowan shares how his comfort zone was challenged and that the desert landscape offers way more than meets the eye.

So now that you’ve been inspired, go and book that holiday! But remember to choose travel that makes a difference... and choose to support local travel businesses - from accommodation and eating out, to fun activities and shopping. But above all, have fun connecting with people from different walks of life and different cultures… and share a laugh and a smile.

Enjoy the read… and be the difference.

tessa Magazine Information edition 5 - 2015 Editor Tessa Buhrmann Cell: 083 603 9000 tessa@responsibletraveller.co.za Design & Layout Michele Mayer Cell: 082 934 6940 creativelink@mweb.co.za Advertising & editorial enquiries info@responsibletraveller.co.za Digital Subscriptions info@responsibletraveller www.responsibletraveller.co.za

Responsible Traveller Published by Spotted Mongoose Media CC (CK 2008/178482/23) Contact Details P.O. Box 3, Gillitts 3603 KwaZulu-Natal South Africa Tel: +27 31 7674022 Fax: +27 86 542 9615 Publication details Responsible Traveller DIGITAL is published bi-monthly

Cover Image: Constance Ephelia Seychelles - North Beach pic - Constance Hotels ©

Disclaimer Responsible Traveller is published by Spotted Mongoose Media CC. The information provided and the opinions expressed in this publication are done so in good faith and while every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither the managing editor nor the publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors; or for any misfortune, injury or damages that may arise. All rights are reserved and no material from this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers.

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Contents Awareness: Comment

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Being a Responsible Traveller 06

Destinations & Places to Stay: Meaningful Madagascar

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Sustainable Seychelles

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Chole Mjini, Bare Foot Paradise

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Adventures & Activities:

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Desert ‘Nights 64 The return of the Humpback Whale

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Making a Difference: #ScienceSavesSharks

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News:

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World Responsible Tourism Awards 2015 - finalists

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Denis Private Island - winner World Luxury Hotel Awards 2015 62 Isimangaliso My Rhino, Our Future

Could strangers in your home be a new trend?

Initiative to champion young indigenous leaders

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www.responsibletraveller.co.za 04 responsible traveller

Being a

Responsible Traveller

Responsible travel is a way of enjoying the many sights, experiences and memories of the destination you have chosen. It ensures that visitors and local communities alike share the benefits of tourism and travel equally, and it promotes greater understanding of and appreciation for fair and equitable business practice. Responsible travel is about putting back into travel what you get from it, and here are a few considerations that you could make when next you travel.

• Ask to see your tour operator's responsible travel policy.

• Ask to see the environmental policy of the accommodation establishment that you have selected – don’t be fooled by vague and unsubstantiated claims.

• Help the local economy by buying local produce in preference to imported goods.

• Ask your tour operator to establish the extent to which local communities enjoy benefits from your economic spend during your stay at a location.

• If bargaining to buy an item, bear in mind that a small amount to you could be extremely important to the seller – be realistic and fair.

• Realise that often the people in the country you are visiting have different time concepts, values and thought patterns from your own, this does not make them inferior, only different.

• Cultivate the habit of asking questions and discover the pleasure that you can enjoy by seeing a different way of life through others eyes.

• Use public transport, hire a bike or walk where convenient – you'll meet local people and get to know the place far better – always be safe and considerate.

• Use water sparingly – it is precious inmany countries and the local people may not have sufficient clean water – challenge any wasteful practice at your hotel or lodge.

• Switch Something Off – whenever you leave your room, switch unnecessary lights and equipment off and play your part in reducing greenhouse emissions.

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• Don't discard litter when visiting outof-the-way places and attractions, take it with you and dispose of it at your hotel or lodge. Waste disposal is often a major problem at outlying attractions and sites and it leads to litter and unhealthy environments for locals.

• Respect local cultures, traditions and holy places. For example, ask permission before you photograph local people – in some countries it can cause offence.

• Learn more about the cultural experiences that you are exposed to – avoid ‘sound-byte’ tourism and encourage tour operators to provide more insight into the dances, songs and traditionalexperiences that they present to you.

• Do not buy products made from endangered species, hard woods, shells from beach traders, or ancient artefacts (which have probably beenstolen). When visiting gift and curio shops, be aware of the source of the products on sale and if in doubt, don’t buy.

• Read up on the countries you plan to visit – the welcome will be warmer if you take an interest and speak even a few words of the local language.

• When you get home drop your tour operator a note to let them know how you got on.

Essentials: www.heritagesa.co.za www.fairtrade.travel www.trees.co.za www.rhinoafrica.com

Meaning f ul

MADAGASCAR Words & pics - Tessa Buhrmann

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Zebu cart in the Tsaranoro Valley responsible traveller 09

&BEYOND

Hery Heritsialonina

Kids striking a pose in Fiana

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‘Hery is an absolute inspiration and walking through the Old Town of Fianarantsoa with him a delight....’

W

The Old Town of Fianarantsoa

e were greeted with “Bonjour Vazaha…” and “Foto, Foto…!”

Young melodious voices and delightful smiling faces - which in turn brought smiles to our faces and pleasure to our souls. This is what travel is all about, the unlikely connections in somewhat random places with people you would ordinarily never get to connect with.

Our party of five, guests of Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) and GoToMadagascar, were here to discover some of Madagascar’s hidden gems on what turned out to be a mammoth road trip.

On arrival in Tana, as the capital Antananarivo is affectionately known, we were met by our guide Sonja Gottlebe - GoToMadagascar representative and Boogie Pilgrim Director – and Solofo our driver.

Our forex dealt with (purses bulging with hundreds of thousands of Ariary - the exchange rate of R1 to AR 255 – July 2015) and luggage loaded, we set off through the traffic of Tana onto Route RN7 – the main route south.

We spent our first night at the charming TANIMANGA GUEST HOUSE in the town of Antsirabe. Our host Henri and his lovely Mum

welcomed us with chilled THB (Three Horses Beer – the local beverage of choice and one we would get quite familiar with). From there we set off for the Tsaranoro Valley and Tsara Camp, stopping in the town of Fianarantsoa for lunch with Hery Heritsialonina at Snack Imanoela in the Old Town district.

Hery is an absolute inspiration and walking through the Old Town of Fianarantsoa (Fiana) with him a delight. As we walked through the narrow pedestrian walkways, past old buildings and local homes, Hery explains the work of the Foundation that he was instrumental in creating. The Foundation works in different areas of conservation and activities range from supporting the rehabilitation and restoration of the historically rich buildings in danger of collapse, to working with the local community to responsible traveller 11

The tented accommodation at Tsara Camp

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The Tsaranoro Mountain bathed in early morning sun

‘…we would have to wait for morning to see the splendour of the famed Tsaranoro Mountain after which the camp is named’

help promote cultural tourism thereby helping to provide an income for those who live there.

So great is his passion for the Old Town that he chooses to live there and has renovated and restored one of the old buildings to call home.

It was late afternoon when we turned off the main road towards the FTT certified TSARA CAMP, the sun just dropping behind the surrounding hills… we would have to wait for morning to see the splendour of the famed Tsaranoro Mountain after which the camp is named. We were warmly welcomed by Tsara Camp staff members as well as Vivi Razaka, the lodge manager of Boogie Pilgrim, who oversees the management of both Tsara Camp and Bushhouse.

Besides the wonderful hospitality, it is the warmth and friendliness of the staff that impresses most. It is abundantly clear that Tsara responsible traveller 13

Camp management work closely with the local communities and are committed to employing locally – approximately 90% are from the surrounding Bara and Betsileo communities.

We had the opportunity of visiting three nearby villages where we learnt about the importance of the Zebu, the rice harvest and their respect for the land. Water is sourced from the nearby stream (in a piped system installed by Tsara Camp) and is used with great care – the people of Andonaka had a rudimentary irrigation system for their vegetable garden filled with wild spinach and cassava seedlings.

Mounds of rice were being cleaned, sorted and bagged; golden corn cobs added splashes of colour and the occasional fowl scattered as we walked by. Sparks flew as the local blacksmith (and carpenter) created tools from scrap metal heated in coals fired by a make shift forge – he even had a ‘waiting room’ for customers under the shade of a thatch structure covered by sprawling creeper.

The traditional clay homes are beautifully adorned with intricate carvings, colourful designs and pretty balustrades. Even though these people would be considered very poor to a western mindset, I felt they possessed wealth beyond measure with their beautiful simplicity, great work ethic and extended family support.

The kids loved to pose for pictures, shrieking in delight at the images portrayed on the screen of digital cameras. Even the oldies wanted pictures – which Sonja prints for them.

‘…mounds of rice were being cleaned, sorted and bagged; golden corn cobs added splashes of colour and the occasional fowl scattered as we walked by’ 14 responsible traveller

Village scenes

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Tsara Camp helps support the local school in the nearby village of Fenoarivo. Some 75 children between the ages of 5 and 15 attend, learning everything from Math to Geography, Malagasy and French - and in their free time get to play football on the field alongside the school where were given an impromptu exhibition of these skills.

In addition to feasting on wonderful local produce, much of which is grown on site or purchased at the nearby town of Ambalavao, Tsara Camp offers guests the chance to explore the Tsaranoro Valley and the adjacent Andringitra National Park. We hiked into the valley’s sacred forest with local guide Shedrick - we quickly learned from Sonja that almost no one in Madagascar uses surnames as these long family names with multiple syllables are often very difficult to pronounce.

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Walking back to camp from Fenoariva village, alongside the rice threshing area

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Vivi Razaka accompanying us on our walk to the sacred forest

Stone tomb in the sacred forest

‘As we walked through the sacred forest Shedrick explained the custom of fadi - things considered taboo, and how the local fadi of eating lemur meat had in fact resulted in a healthy population of ring tailed lemur in the valley...’ 18 responsible traveller

Ring tailed lemur enjoying the morning sunshine

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Marc Colombie in the organic garden

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As we walked through the sacred forest Shedrick explained the custom of fadi – things considered taboo, and how the local fadi of eating lemur meat has in fact resulted in a healthy population of ring tailed lemur (Lemur catta) in the valley.

In addition to wonderful sightings of lemur, we saw a variety of endemic birds including the Malagasy coucal, Madagascan magpie robin and Malagasy kestrel – a big ‘tick’ for the birders in our group. There are numerous hiking trails and climbing routes and the more adventurous can even try base jumping and paragliding!

Next up was the beautiful and luxurious family owned LE JARDIN DU ROY located on edge of the fascinating Isalo National Park with its towering sandstone cliffs and dramatic canyons – not surprising to find the region is sometimes known as ‘Madagascar’s Colorado’.

The stone bungalows blend seamlessly into their sandstone surroundings, punctuated with splashes of greenery. Owner Marc Colombie proudly gave us a tour through the property (which included the adjacent sister hotel, La Relais de la Reine).

This included their spectacular food garden complete with bee hives, orchard, organic

vegetable garden and its own composting and organic insecticide production area. The gardens provide almost all fresh produce required for both guests and employees… which certainly accounts for the fabulously fresh and beautifully presented cuisine. Which we not only expereinced in the restaurant but the open-air too as Marc hosted us on the mountainside to an awesome sundowner event.

Heading towards the coastal city of Tulear, en-route to Salary Bay, we passed through the sapphire mining region and the main town of Ilakaka. We were advised not to stop or take photographs as the gem stone bosses here can be quite ruthless!

We had the opportunity of briefly meeting Salary Bay owners, Michelle and Philippe Cotsoyannis, during lunch at the Hotel Hippocampo in Tulear – they were flying out and we were having a quick refreshment break before transferring to 4x4’s for the remainder of the drive to Salary Bay. Located on Madagascar’s south west coast, SALARY BAY overlooks the azure waters of the Mozambique Channel. This beautiful beach lodge with its white stone walls and reed thatched roof integrates perfectly with the white powdery sand dunes of this stunning stretch of coastline.

Le Jardin du Roy stone bungalows and pool area

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&Beyond Ngala Tented Camp

Time to relax at Salary Bay

After the very long journey, we were delighted to unwind and once again immerse ourselves in the chilled Malagasy way of life that we were becoming accustomed to.

Salary Bay is located in a protected area rich in biodiversity both on land and sea –one of Philippe and Michele’s first objectives was to get agreement and buy in from conservation bodies such as the WWF and Madagascar National Parks as well as local community associations.

To the north it is bordered by a unique spiny forest – where certain areas are considered sacred to the local Mikea people – and to the south the villages Salary Nord and Salary Sud, home to the Vezo fishermen.

We had the opportunity of visiting the spiny forest with a local Mikea guide, where he explained how they would sleep in small enclosures made of sticks and reeds and use traditional methods of making fire, how they would dig a hole in the path, place a sharpened sick in the centre and cover this with twigs so as to catch small mammals. A fair amount of this felt a little contrived, but I guess the reluctance to take visitors further into their sacred spiny forest is explanation enough.

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‘We had the opportunity of visiting the spiny forest with local Mikea guide, where he explained how they would sleep in small enclosures made of sticks and reed and use traditional methods of making fire ...’

&Beyond Ngala Tented Camp Guided tour of the spiny forest

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Traditional wooden fishing pirogues on Salary Bay

As part of its commitment to sustainability, Salary Bay works in partnership with the local communities for the economic development of the area as well as its conservation. Part of this includes the construction of a health centre for locals, hotel staff as well as guests under the management of a Malagasy doctor (who happens to function as dentist, obstetrician, surgeon and everything else in between!).

We visited the health centre as well as the Bekodoy School - here we were welcomed with song and dance and beaming children. Salary Bay contributes financially to the employment of 24 responsible traveller

teachers as well as providing financial incentives to children who pass their primary school exam.

In keeping with the Malagasy way, we jumped at the chance to experience the ocean from a traditional wooden fishing pirogue. The tide was out, and we waded through the shallows to the boat, the Vezo fishermen, our skippers, pushed us out and soon the breeze was filling the colourful sails made from old sacks. Salary Bay is the perfect place for a beach holiday offering diving, snorkeling, game fishing, kite surfing, seasonal whale watching and a magnificent baobab forest 37 km away (a great day trip option).

‘...in keeping with the Malagasy way, we jumped at the chance to experience the ocean from a traditional wooden fishing pirogue’

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Another FTT certified gem on this stretch of coastline is the HOTEL LE PARADISIER. Carefully designed to blend with its surroundings and proudly powered by solar energy, this delightful property overlooking the bay of Ifaty offers guests a variety of activities from diving and canoeing to botanical tours (through the mangroves and baobab trees) and bird watching.

The easiest way to get back to Tana from Tulear is an Air Madagascar flight – which was, unfortunately for us, not an option.

Our epic drive back started bright and early, with a shopping stop at Ambositra, known for its Zafimaniry woodcarvings and handcraft – proclaimed in 2003 by UNESCO as one of the ‘masters of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity’. We stopped overnight at the delightful TSARA GUEST HOUSE in Fianarantsoa.

Sensitively restored (the main house was an old church) and stylishly decorated by owner Hery Heritsialonina, with beautifully landscaped gardens and a wonderful classic car in the driveway – what more could a weary traveller need? Other than perhaps a refreshing cocktail on the terrace followed by superb French cuisine...

For some of us our Madagascan adventure was almost over (or so we thought) as we gathered in the conference room of the Royal Palissandre hotel in Tana for a presentation on the other FTT certified and GoToMadagascar tourism businesses… Mantasoa Lodge, Fanamby (“Friendly” camps), Bushhouse and Iharana Bush Camp.

‘What more could a weary traveller need? Other than perhaps a refreshing cocktail on the terrace followed by superb French cuisine...’

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Le Village des Tortues - baobab reserve

Cocktails on the terrace at Tsara Guest House

Sunset over the Bay of Ifaty from Hotel Le Paradisier

Hotel Le Paradisier

Verandah dining at Tsara Guest House

Tsara Guest House in Fianarantsoa responsible traveller 27

‘Saha Forest Camp overlooks the primary forest which is home to 11 species of lemur including the tiny mouse lemur and the large Indri Indri...’

Setting off on a morning forest walk

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Another travel curve ball – don’t you just love the unexpected? – saw two of us heading unexpectedly to one of the Fanamby Lodges, SAHA FOREST CAMP located in the AnjozorobeAngavo Forest Corridor.

Our 4x4, driven by the very capable Franko, made its way up from Tana to one of the last natural forests remaining in Madagascar’s central highlands, an area rich in biodiversity and of great conservation value – of the 423 plant species found in this forest, 65% are endemic to Madagascar.

The forest corridor has numerous low-lying valleys where rice paddies are the economic mainstay for local communities, supplemented now by employment as conservation guides and lodge employees. Saha Forest Camp guests are offered the opportunity of visiting the Merina villages and experience village activities such as rice farming, the building of traditional zebu carts, basketry etc. Needless to say we were delighted to be experiencing another facet of this unique country.

Saha Forest Camp overlooks the primary forest which is home to11 species of lemur including the tiny nocturnal mouse lemur and the large Indri Indri, and 82 bird species including endemics like the Vangas, Couas and the Madagascan pygmy kingfisher. Our levels of anticipation were high and the binoculars were never far out of reach!

Early the following morning we ventured into the forest with local guide Valisoa. Not long after entering the forest we heard the ‘phoof, phoof’ call of the diademed sifaka lemur (Propithecus diadema)… could we be so lucky? Soon we caught a glimpse of them gliding from tree to tree, not pausing long enough for us to get a good look. Never mind, there were still Indri out there. Valisoa pointed out the different plants and trees endemic to the area and of significance to the local people, there was much in the forest to keep us occupied.

The Indri in this part of the forest are monitored for a research project, and lucky for us they were spotted not to far from where we were. The eerie territorial call that pierced the air was nearby, unable to contain our excitement we forged ahead up the steep inclines scrambling through undergrowth until we reached the Indri guide.

He beckoned with hand signals where to look.

There she was… we watched her feed for a while before she moved on further down the valley.

Satisfied we made our way slowly down the hill… there it was again, the tell-tale ‘phoof, phoof’ . This time they passed overhead even pausing in the trees above us. What a privilege to see these amazing creatures in their natural habitat.

Just one of the many treasures we found on our epic Madagascan adventure. • Diademed sifaka lemur

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Fast Facts...

How to get there: Airlink, the regional feeder airline, offers a wide network of regional and domestic flights within southern Africa and operates as a franchisee to SAA. It offers direct scheduled flights between Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport and Antananarivo in Madagascar and through its alliance with SAA conveniently connects with the South African national carrier, its partner airlines and other airlines throughout southern Africa and the world.

Airlink is a member of Voyager, SAA’s loyalty programme. For more information and online bookings visit www.flyairlink.com, contact a booking agent or SAA central reservations on +27 11 978 1111.

Getting around: Because of the difficult road conditions, the easiest is to contact a local tour operator (like Boogie Pilgrim) to organise you a vehicle with driver. The more adventurous travellers can opt to travel like a local on the ‘Taxi Brousse’. Driving in Madagascar is certainly not for the faint-hearted and self drives are not recommended!

Drink local: Plenty of bottled water, the local THB (Three Horses Beer), local Madagascan rum – or our preference, Rhum arrangé , homemade rums flavoured with various fruit or spices (vanilla and ginger were a favourite).

Eat local: Malagasy food generally focuses on rice, and is usually accompanied with a smaller portion of meat, vegetables and sauce. Zebu (beef ) steak is a must, and often served with a creamy green peppercorn sauce. On the coast seafood predominates, and is usually freshly caught by local fishermen.

www.boogiepilgrim-madagascar.com www.fairtrade.travel www.go2mada.com www.flyairlink.com Huge thanks to FAIR TRADE TOURISM for the invitation, to BOOGIE PILGRIM and GO TO MADAGASCAR for facilitating our journey and to AIRLINK for flying us there.

Local beer

Rhum arrangé

Delicious zebu kebabs at Tsara Camp

Solofo our wonderful driver

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Images - Megan Alves ©

The jetty at Bushhouse

Fair Trade Tourism in Madagascar...

Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) promotes responsible and sustainable tourism in southern Africa and beyond. The NGO operates the world’s first and still only Fair Trade Tourism certification programme. The programme was developed 10 years ago and in December 2011 became the first tourism certification programme in Africa to be recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

FTT proudly includes six Madagascar tourism businesses in its certified ‘family’. With lemurs, baobabs, rainforest, beaches, desert, trekking and diving, Madagascar is a dream destination for nature and outdoor lovers – and half the fun is getting to all these incredible attractions.

Located on one of the most beautiful bays of Madagascar, with white sandy beaches, coral reefs with enchanting colours and well preserved primary forest, is SALARY BAY, the first Madagascar tourism business to receive FTTcertification. Not far from Salary Bay is the luxury eco-lodge, HOTEL LE PARADISIER. Overlooking the beach, Hotel Le Paradisier has been carefully designed to harmonise with the landscape, the lodge environs featuring stone pathways lined with fascinating spiny forest plants.

MANTASOA LODGE, is a boutique hotel on the beautiful Lake Mantasoa, not far from the capital city of Antananariva. BUSHHOUSE is a small ecolodge located in the east coast Toamasina region of Madagascar, within the Canal des Pangalanes Lake District, where fresh water lakes merge with the Indian Ocean.

Facing a massive Tsingys, not far from the Mahavavy river is IHARANA BUSHCAMP, the most unusual of Madagascar bush camps.

Here, synthetic tents are replaced by beautiful natural structures and the architecture inspired by the Malagasy traditional housing. The

combination of materials gives the camp a very original character, in complete harmony with its environment.

Lying in the Tsaranoro Valley, TSARA CAMP offers perfect comfort in completely secluded settings with tented rooms.

These tourism businesses all adhere to the FTT standard and use the FTT label as a way of signifying their commitment to fair and responsible tourism. This includes fair wages and working conditions, fair purchasing and operations, equitable distribution of benefits and respect for human rights, culture and the environment.

Specific initiatives range from contributing to the education of children in the local communities and offering health clinics on their premises to working with local fishermen and fish farmers, in order to support them in making their businesses more profitable and more resilient. Recognizing the importance of preserving the local farming sector and increasing the value generated from agriculture, FTT-certified businesses provide local farmers with the necessary tools as well as sharing technical and commercial knowledge with them. The businesses are also dedicated to water and energy savings and make use of local handicrafts to decorate their rooms. •

www.fairtrade.travel responsible traveller 31

#ScienceSavesSharks

T

he Great White Shark - If you listen to some of the dramatic news articles you might believe that the terrifying man eating great white shark is lurking off the coast just waiting for a human to come by. But this couldn’t be further from the truth and should you have the privilege to witness this legendary apex predator in what is known as the world hotspot for sharks your perspective will be forever changed. And if Marine Dynamics Tours has their way, you will become an ambassador for the great white shark.

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Image - Hennie Otto Š

CONSERVATION PROFILE

Words - Brenda du Toit Pics - Marine Dynamics & DICT

MARINE DYNAMICS TOURS, owned by conservationist Wilfred Chivell, does shark cage diving in Gansbaai and recently won the African Responsible Tourism Award at WTM Africa 2015. Competing with conservation work that focused on only terrestrial animals, the awards help highlight the plight of the iconic but much misunderstood great white shark. Marine Dynamics would like to believe that the great white shark is the true winner. Change of public perception is key to the survival of the species.

In 2005, owner Wilfred built on the success of his whale watching company DYER ISLAND CRUISES when he bought an existing shark cage diving company, Marine Dynamics.

As the years have progressed Wilfred has changed the way the industry works and the scientific research that is being conducted is invaluable in understanding the species and being able to affect conservation decisions. “The Dyer Island ecosystem is unique and fragile responsible traveller 33

CONSERVATION PROFILE and it is our priority to ensure the marine life in the area flourish and remain for many years to come,” says Wilfred.

Wilfred established the DYER ISLAND CONSERVATION TRUST (DICT) in 2006 in order to support daily fundraising of the endangered African penguin nest project and then soon after incorporated shark research. Marine Dynamics contributes approx. R1 million each year towards the support of research and conservation. This is measured in various ways: direct financial support; equipment and logistical support; complimentary trips to key people that ultimately benefits the conservation trust; time spent on rescues/research/trust issues.

Marine Dynamics strengths lie in leadership, partnerships and the creation of a sustainable business model that benefits conservation objectives. Marine Dynamics has an on board marine biologist and passionate crew who educate clients every day thereby changing any negative perceptions of great white sharks. Clients can also support the shark research which is a direct translation into action and a good measurable for the company of the resulting swell of support toward the conservation of the great white shark.

Marine Dynamics and DICT operate a dedicated research boat that is instrumental for research.

Activities include tagging and tracking of great white sharks, behavioural surveys, environmental parameter monitoring (oxygen, salinity, temperature, depth, water sampling) and assistance with strandings andrescues. In addition, all commercial trips have a marine scientist on board - research activities on boards these trips include photo fin identification, recording of shark GPS positions and biometrics (size, location etc), and any unusual abnormalities or behaviour of the sharks.

Three Master’s student’s studies have been supported through the business model - Alison Towner, Oliver Jewell and Michelle Jewell (nee Wcisel). Alison Towner, resident biologist for eight years is doing her PhD examining the relationship between cage diving and behaviour of white sharks in control and cage dive designated zones, using a suite of telemetry and passive tracking equipment to follow them through their different life history phases.

Other international students have or are being supported in studies that include: parasites on white sharks, personality of the species, ecology of white sharks, assessing the presence of 34 responsible traveller

‘The Dyer Island ecosystem is unique and fragile and it is our priority to ensure the marine life in the area flourish and remain for many years to come...’

WILFRED CHIVELL

CONSERVATION PROFILE

Shark cage diving with Marine Dynamics on Slashfin

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CONSERVATION PROFILE persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and their effects on white shark reproductive health, using non-lethal techniques to get samples such as tissue biopsies.

Some critically important research has come from the company’s marine biologists but the population study of great white sharks must be highlighted. The world population of great white sharks is unknown with estimates ranging from 3000 to 12000 – these figures are contested by scientists worldwide but even at 12000 that is a very small population.

The numbers of sharks found in the Gansbaai area was only half of what was previously assumed to be in the area, this after a long term study of photo ID’s of shark fins was assimilated.

The team used a software programme called Darwin (usually used for dolphin fin identification) and from this were able to identify 532 individuals suggesting perhaps an estimated 808 to 1008 sharks that come through the area - based on an open population size estimate. This study was a first for the area and for South Africa and crucial in establishing a national database and driving conservation decisions at a government level, as is all research DICT enters into. www.sharkwatchsa.com www.dict.org.za

Acoustic tagging a great white shark

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The great white shark reaches sexual maturity late (approx 20years) so is a slow breeding species. The great white shark is listed on IUCN as vulnerable but should possibly and most likely be considered endangered. Marine Dynamics opposed the decision of the Western Australian Government to cull sharks sending a letter of opposition to Hon Colin J Barnett and his council and participated at an anti-culling protest in Cape Town. DICT is concerned about the loss of many of our shark species including white sharks along our own coastline.

Marine Dynamics was the first company in South Africa to use only fish products in chumming practices while others continued to use shark livers. Although not illegal at the time, Wilfred found this practice to be highly unethical - using one shark species to attract another shark.

This has been instrumental in bringing about changes in permit conditions and following an exposé in 2012 of this practice, all operators were no longer allowed to use shark products for chumming.

“Marine Dynamics partners with tour operators and others in the tourism industry that value the work we do”, and as Wilfred says; “our motto is Your Choice Makes a Difference”. •

CONSERVATION PROFILE

‘Some critically important research has come from the company’s marine biologists but the population study of the great white sharks must be highlighted’ Alison Towner, resident marine biologist

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CONSERVATION PROFILE

HIGHLIGHTS OF GREAT WHITE SHARK RESEARCH 2010-2015 •

A humpback dolphin was bitten by a white shark and was photographed in Gansbaai in August 2006.The first documented interaction and potential predatory shark attack on any cetacean species in Gansbaai, and is evidence that large great white sharks may opportunistically hunt humpback dolphins in this region of South Africa.

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DICT biologists reviewed photographic data of white sharks previously SPOT tagged during an expedition in Gansbaai in 2004. Photos of resighted sharks indicated that bolted on satellite tags known as SPOT tags caused permanent damage if they remained on the shark longer than 24 months.

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In 2009 a white shark was traumatically injured by a boat in Gansbaai. The healing process was documented with photographs and video by DICT biologists and revealed extremely rapid healing in the species and no long term effect on the behaviour.

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Jewell et al. used acoustic tagging data and explored white shark movements in Mossel Bay South Africa. Tracking analysis revealed that larger white sharks are more selective and refined in the habitats they use, than smaller sharks. Spatially restricted management strategies would aid enforcement of current protective legislation for the white shark in similar environments of limited resources and capacity.

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DICT biologists performed population models on photographs taken over five years in Gansbaai of white shark fins. Their results found between 808-1008 white sharks may comprise the regional population, almost half as many as previously reported.

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Towner et al. 2013 investigated the effects of environmental parameters on the numbers and sexual composition of white sharks visiting Gansbaai over a five year period. This was a published chapter of her MSc thesis through the university of Cape Town and DICT. Warmer waters and climatic phase showed significant effects on numbers of sharks with females favouring warm and males cooler waters. The findings of this study could contribute to bather safety programmes because the incorporation of environmental parameters into predictive models may help identify times and localities of higher risk to bathers and help mitigate human white shark interactions.

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DICT BIOLOGISTS collected and analysed manual tracking datasets from five sharks at Dyer Island which Jewell used for his MSc with university of Pretoria and DICT. The results of the study were published and identified important core habitats used by white sharks at Dyer Island. It showed significantly different habitat use and movement patterns between white sharks in Mossel Bay and Dyer Island.

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Chapple et al. and DICT biologists tested a new design of camera and tag which minimizes attachment damage and captures more data on swimming speed and behavior than standard bio loggers.

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In 2012, Marine Dynamics and DICT worked with Ocearch and other South African scientists involved in satellite tagging of great white sharks. This data has revealed incredible distances and areas travelled to and is supporting our local research as this data is available for five years.

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Wcisel et al looked at the role of refugia around the Dyer island ecosystem in structuring the predator prey relationship between white sharks and Cape fur seals.

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Creatively the team uses infographics to make crucial studies more accessible to a wider audience.

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What’s news...

World Responsible Tourism Awards 2015 Finalists Announcing the Finalists of the World Responsible Tourism Awards 2015. A worldwide campaign to end canned hunting, a tour operator offering locally-led alternative city tours and a mangrove conservation and education project in Madagascar are among the organisations included in list of finalists for the 2015 World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM. But who will take the gold?

After intense debate by the judging panel, 37 organisations have been chosen across 12 categories, recognising achievements from animal welfare campaigns to accessible tourism practices in one of the most diverse lists of finalists the World Responsible Tourism Awards has ever seen.

The organisations, which range from tourism industry giants such as TUI Travel UK & Ireland, to tiny individual enterprises such as Cnoc Suain in Ireland, or Felin Talgarth Mill in Wales, UK, are based in 20 countries worldwide, with Cyprus, Hong Kong and Finland represented for the first time ever.

Commenting on the entries received this year, managing director of Responsible Travel, and founder of the Awards Justin Francis says “In our entries this year we’ve seen organisations clearly influenced by the work of our previous winners, for example city tours run by homeless guides.

It is our responsibility to find those inspirational people again.

“Looking at our hugely diverse list of finalists this year, I think we have found these people.

The organisations in the list really prove that responsible tourism is viable and can be successful in all types of tourism, from niche to mainstream. These organisations are the shining stars of responsible tourism.”

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Professor Harold Goodwin, chair of the Awards’ judging panel noted that 2015 has revealed some of the strongest entries ever received by the Awards team. He says “Our aim is to surprise and inspire, but the standard is rising, and we have to keep pushing up our expectations of our winners.

“Being a finalist for one of these Awards is not easy; the organisations are required to go through a rigorous process, evidencing the impact rather than intent of their work.

“We can only award those who enter, and I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to share their stories with the judges. The finalists we’ve chosen are just the tip of the iceberg of groundbreaking, inspirational work being done in responsible tourism across the globe” Voting is currently underway for the Awards’ only publically-decided category, the People’s Choice in Responsible Tourism in association with National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine, with the winner for this, for each of the other 12 categories, and the overall winner will be announced at World Travel Market in London on Wednesday 4th November.

Simon Press, Senior Director for World Travel Market London says “The judging for this year’s World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM has been the most competitive for many years. I am delighted with the quality and the diversity of the finalists.

“I look forward to congratulating the winners and all the finalised at the awards ceremony, which forms part of World Responsible Tourism Day -the largest day of responsible tourism action in the world- on Wednesday 4 November.” •

What’s news...

The World Responsible Tourism Awards 2015 Finalists: &Beyond Agri Tourism Development Company Pvt Ltd Aruba Tourism Authority Atlas Kasbah Ecolodge Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat Campaign Against Canned Hunting Cnoc Suain Connemara Wild Escapes Coral Cay Conservation Cyprus Tourism Organisation Endeavour Safaris Felin Talgarth Mill Gansbaai Grootbos Private Nature Reserve Hetta Huskies Hong Kong Airport Authority Honko Mangrove Education & Conservation LooLa Adventure Resort

Loophead Peninsula Lotus Travel AB Matava Resort North Island Seychelles North Sailing OneSeed Expeditions RuralSuite Hotel-Apartamentos Scandic Shangri-La’s Vilingili Resort & Spa, Maldives Soneva The Donkey Sanctuary Tiger Trails Jungle Lodge Travel for Wildlife TUI UK & Ireland Turtle Bay Beach Club Uakari Lodge Ullswater Steamers Uncornered Market Urban Adventures Gansbaai

Atlas Kasbah Ecolodge

Black rhino at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve

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Sustainable

SEYCHELLES words & pics - Tessa Buhrmann

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Shades of blue

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V

isiting the Seychelles islands must surely be on everybody’s bucket list.

An archipelago of incredible beauty, a fascinating history, vibrant Seychellois culture, intriguing legends and home to some of the rarest species of fauna and flora on earth – as well as two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Garden of Eden? Quite possibly…

Seychelles has always had far sighted conservation policies, with almost half of its landmass set aside as national parks – Morne Seychellois National Park on Mahé, the Praslin National Park and Veuve Reserve on La Digue – and six marine national parks along its shores. Not only do these areas offer protection to an incredible biodiversity of fauna and flora, they are enjoyed by thousands of visitors, both local and international.

In addition to conservation policies, the Seychelles government has a strong commitment to promoting sustainable tourism and launched THE SEYCHELLES SUSTAINABLE TOURISM LABEL (SSTL) on World Tourism Day in 2011. To date there are six certified tourism establishments with Constance Ephelia Resort, Hanneman’s Holiday Residence and Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort being the first three, followed by Banyan Tree Seychelles, Kempinski Seychelles and Heliconia Grove.

By choosing to stay at a SSTL certified hotel or resort you as a traveller can rest assured that the main pillars that uphold responsible

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tourism have been met – society, environment and economy. For them to have achieved the SSTL they have had to meet the set of standards in all areas of sustainability; these include management, energy, water, waste, staff, conservation, community as well as guests.

I had the privilege of visiting the Seychelles recently, of exploring a few of the fabulous islands and experiencing the hospitality of a number of these SSTL certified establishments.

In the process we got to see the incredible beauty of these islands and her people, learn about the history and fascinating legends, explore the Seychellois culture through the fabulous Creole cuisine and come face to face with some of the rare and unique flora and fauna.

Of the 115 islands, we visited only four – as spectacular and diverse as these were, there is a definite need to come back time and again and explore a few more!

Most of our time was spent on MAHÉ, the largest island. It is the cultural and economic hub of

the Seychelles islands and home to the capital Victoria and the international airport. Most of the island’s interior consists of forest clad granite peaks interspersed with tea plantations and tea houses, traditional homes and local communities - even a natural spring flows out of the mountains where locals catch this life giving elixir in large plastic containers.

‘In addition to conservation policies, the Seychelles government has a strong commitment to promoting sustainable tourism...’

The Morne Seychellois National Park, encompassing around 20% of the land area of Mahé, includes a variety of habitats from coastal mangrove forests to the country’s highest peak, the Morne Seychellois at 905m. These peaks are a hiker’s paradise, with walking trails leading through thick indigenous forest up to rocky outcrops with spectacular views.

An easily accessible spot along the road from Victoria to Port Glaud, is MISSION LODGE. This was the site of Venn’s Town, a missionary established by the London Missionary Society in 1875 for the children of liberated African slaves where they were looked after and educated – the mission closed in 1895. Today just a few crumbling walls remain, the highlight though is the viewing lodge inaugurated by H.R.M. Queen Elizabeth II in 1972. It is perched on top of the hill overlooking the west coast of the island, with stunning views and the option of buying tea and cake from an enterprising local.

The view from Mission Lodge

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La Grande Maison & the Takamaka Rum Distillery

Further down the road you pass tea plantations and a working tea factory offering free tours showing the tea-making process – pop into the Tea Tavern for a cuppa, and the gift shop for some locally made SeyTé. For a beverage of another kind, another must do is the TAKAMAKA RUM DISTILLERY, a National Heritage Site.

The sugarcane used to make Takamaka Bay rum is supplied a cooperative representing close on 40 farmers and the water is sourced from mountain springs on the island, making this very much a ‘home grown’ product. It’s no wonder the rum is wonderfully smooth with a distinctively Seychellois taste.

The Trois Des Frères Distillery, makers of the famous Takamaka Bay rum, is located in the historical gardens of the La Plaine St André in the Au Cap district on the eastern coast of Mahe.

The restored plantation house, La Grande Maison which dates back to 1792, offers a wonderful respite from the tropical island heat as well as rum tasting and an exotic Creole menu.

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Seychelles’ second largest island, PRASLIN, is an easy one hour ferry ride on the Cat Cocos from the Inter Island Quay in Victoria. Located in the middle of the island is the fabulous VALLÉE DE MAI, one of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites on Seychelles, is home to the spectacular cocode-mer palm and elusive black parrot. We stroll beneath the towering palm trees – there are six

Male catkins on the coco-de-mer palm

Female coco-de-mer palm

Spectacular Vallee de Mai

species found only in Seychelles – marvelling at this veritable ‘Garden of Eden’. Our guide points out a Seychelles bronze gecko, we see a tenrek (a small mammal resembling a hedgehog), a green tree frog as well as a Praslin snail.

Surrounded by the coco-de-mer you cannot help but notice the long, phalic like, flowers on some of the palms… Our guide explains that the cocode-mer comes in both male and female, the male producing this 1.5 metre long flower - the females less significant flowers are shadowed by the enigmatic somewhat human shaped double nut she produces. Science has yet to prove how fertilisation occurs but legend has it that on stormy nights the male palm uproots itself and

Coco-de-mer nut

‘walks’ to the female where they make passionate love, and should any one see this they will go blind or die – another version, which I prefer, is that should you come upon this passionate embrace you will instantly be turned into a black parrot. Clearly few have glimpsed this passionate affair as the black parrot can sometimes be heard in the early morning, but is very seldom seen.

In addition to this spectacular flora, Praslin is blessed with incredibly beautiful beaches (as is all of Seychelles), such as Anse Georgette and Anse Lazio, said to be one of the most photographed beaches in the world – next would probably be Anse Source d’Argent on La Digue. responsible traveller 47

Ah, LA DIGUE… an island where time seems to have stood still, a place where the pace of life is as slow as the means of transport - get around the narrow island streets, dirt roads and pathways by either bicycle, oxcart or on foot.

This intimate island boasts a traditional way of life, stunning beaches with white sands, magnificent granite boulders and warm turquoise waters as well as wonderfully lush vegetation. Look out for delicate orchids, vanilla plantations, giant takamaka trees (on the beaches) and the endemic and critically endangered Seychelles’ black flycatcher.

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‘...an island where time seems to have stood still, a place where the pace of life is as slow as the means of transport’

The pace of life on La Digue

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Mason’s Travel Catalina Island cruising

Perfect spot for snorkelling off Coco Island

We had the opportunity to do a spot of island hopping with MASON’S TRAVEL. Leaving the picturesque harbour of Praslin behind we cruised past granite outcrops and palm lined beaches dropping anchor off both Coco and Felicite islands to experience the wonders of the coral reef that lies beneath.

Snorkelling gear in hand we slip into the deliciously warm turquoise water to be greeted by a kaleidoscope of colour – blue and yellow, shimmering silver, midnight blue… angel fish, butterfly fish, parrot fish to name but a few, the green sea turtle unfortunately eluding us.

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Back on board a delicious barbeque lunch is served. Enjoying the warmth of the sun we continue on to CURIEUSE ISLAND NATIONAL MARINE PARK, home to a giant tortoise breeding project. This is also the only other place the cocode-mer grows naturally.

We spend some time appreciating seeing these gentle giants in their natural environment, unlike many other places where they are kept enclosed as a tourist attraction. A delight to both adults and children alike, we see even the surliest of visitor become like a kid posing for the obligatory photo.

Giant tortoise on Curieuse Island

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Next is a walk to Anse St Joseph and the doctor’s residence, a restored colonial villa that is now a museum on the history and ecology of the island – Curieuse was a leper colony from 1833 to 1965. The walk takes us through dense mangrove forests and intertidal wetlands, past giant granite cliffs, forest and swamps as well as the ancient ruins of the leper colony, whose walls are being smothered by thick vegetation.

The second UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Aldabra Atoll https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Aldabra , home to the Aldabra giant tortoise, the only place where they are found in the wild.

150,000 of these giants roam this uninhabited island that is also home to a large population of coconut crab, the largest terrestrial arthropod, and the largest raised coral reef in the world.

It is not just the unique flora and fauna, exquisite beaches and lukewarm water that appeals. What makes Seychelles such a wonderful destination is her people. The locals, known as Seychellois, are a colourful blend of different cultures, religions and race. It is this melting pot of ancestry and heritage that makes the Seychelles Creole culture so unique and such a delight to visitors.

Think beautiful French colonial architecture, romantic sounding names like Anse Lazio (beaches just sound better in French!), glorious gardens of exotic spices, the vibey rhythms of local music and dance, of and of course the wonderfully delicious Creole food – which we had ample opportunity to become well acquainted with.

‘...beautiful French Colonial architecture, romantic sounding names like Anse Lazio, glorious gardens of exotic spices, and wonderfully delicious Creole food...’

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Beautiful French Colonial architecture

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A morning walk on the Beau Vallon Bay beach

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‘It is not just the unique flora and fauna, exquisite beaches and lukewarm water that appeals. What makes Seychelles such a wonderful place is her people...’

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Beau Vallon Bay beach bathed in afternoon sun

We visited the lovely JARDIN DU ROI, located on a hillside overlooking Anse Royale on Mahes’ southeast coast. It is a renovated plantation that takes one back to the days when the islands were a hub for the spice trade. A tour of the garden takes one past a variety of spices, including nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon as well as other rare and endemic plants.

There is a small museum that relates the history of the spice trade, giant tortoises (in an enclosure) and a wonderful restaurant serving delicious Creole cuisine. The menu included local speciality, breadfruit, baked and served with another island staple, coconut milk. I was very happy to feast on the breadfruit as legend has it that if you eat breadfruit in the Seychelles, you’re guaranteed to come back to the islands.

The MARIE ANTOINETTE, named after Queen Marie-Antoinette of France, is one of the oldest and most famous restaurants Seychelles for Creole Seychellois food. Located along the St Louis road towards Beau Vallon, this majestic old building - dating back to the 1800s – boasts colonial style architecture, high roof, a polished wooded staircase and floors as well as a very cool wall covered in business cards (mine included!).

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The mouth-watering menu is extensive, so be warned – come hungry.

My absolute favourite for Croele food was the BOATHOUSE, located on the north western coast of Mahe overlooking the popular Beau Vallon Bay beach. A family business, started some 20 years ago, that is ‘so authentic, it is considered the best Creole food in all of the 115 islands’ ( http:// thegoodholiday.com/the-boathouse-restaurantcreole-food-mahe/ - read my fellow traveller’s review of the fabulous place).

A speciality at the Boathouse is the sumptuous Creole buffet served in the evenings consisting of over 20 local specialities, from delicious barbequed fish (caught fresh daily) to papaya satini, green mango salad, and assortment of curries as well as breadfruit chips.

Bathed in late afternoon sun, we sit and enjoy a glass (or two) of local Sey Brew beer, contemplating the highlights of our time in Seychelles – the people we met (and friends we made), the beaches, the palm trees, the history, the food… the wonderfully warm and calm sea, the shades of blue, and green. Our days too few, left us longing for more. •

Fast Facts...

HOW TO GET THERE: Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Seychelles, operates international flights as well as interisland services. The airline currently offers international flights to Abu Dhabi, Antananarivo, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Mauritius, Mumbai and Paris. Air Seychelles also offers more than 200 domestic scheduled flights a week throughout the archipelago, including domestic charter services.

As the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, Air Seychelles is a pillar of tourism, the island nation’s strongest and growing economic sector. The airline maintains a strategic partnership with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and 40 per cent stakeholder.

www.airseychelles.com WHERE TO STAY: Listed below are the current SSTL certified establishments…

Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort and Casino Located on the picturesque Beau Vallon Bay on the north coast of Mahé, it goes without saying that guests take pleasure in spending time on the beautiful beach with warm sea and panoramic view across the ocean towards North and Silhouette islands. This large hotel is set within lush tropical vegetation, with a lovely pool area and a number of dining options.

Sustainability highlights: Rain and river water is used to water the garden and low energy lighting has been adopted where possible. www.berjayahotel.com responsible traveller 57

www.banyantree.com

Banyan Tree Seychelles Located on the south-western coast of Mahe on the beautiful Intendance Bay, Banyan Tree Seychelles is an easy 30 minute drive from the International airport and 45 minutes from the capital, Victoria. The luxuriously furnished villas are either dotted along the beachfront in their own private garden or nestled amidst exotic flora and fauna with breathtaking views over the bay and the ocean.

Luxury is paramount with villas boasting a private swimming pool, outdoor pavilion and sundeck, with equally luxurious interiors – and locally sourced, culturally relevant artwork. Dining is a treat and options include the award-winning Saffron, Banyan Tree’s signature restaurant, which serves authentic Thai cuisine and Chez Lamar, overlooking a rehabilitated wetland, which offers guests authentic Seychellois dishes.

Banyan Tree Seychelles Resort is tucked away in a private cove boasting the best view of the picturesque South Western coastline of Mahe, with the vicinities decorated with natural wetlands, a herb and vegetable farm and a lush forest that is home to 120 endemic species.

Sustainability highlights: The commitment to conservation as is evident by the wetland rehabilitation project – along with its protection of the yellow bellied mud turtle, of which there are nine of the remaining population of 120 in the world - and the monitoring program for the endangered hawksbill turtle that nests on Intendance beach. READ MORE… 58 responsible traveller

Constance Ephelia Resort Situated on two of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Mahé, overlooking the marine national park of Port Launay and Morne Seychellois National Park, Constance Ephélia enjoys a unique location set within 120 hectares of land with lush indigenous vegetation. The five-star Constance Ephelia offers a wide range of exclusive accommodation with all suites and villas spaciously designed and stylishly decorated – all have breathtaking views on either the garden or the ocean.

There are numerous dining options available for guests, with five restaurants and bars to choose from, each with its own individual concept, design and décor that is both elegant and functional with subtle African touches - feast on delicious dishes created from local produce (where possible), sample fresh local fruit for breakfast or sip a cocktail made with local rum…

In keeping with their focus on conservation, activities include non motorised water sports, kayaking through the mangroves and hiking in the National Park. Guests can also enjoy a sensual spa after a gym workout or energetic game of tennis or squash.

Sustainability highlights: Constance Ephelia is Green Globe certified and as such has an impressive resource management system (water, energy, waste) that has shown remarkable savings in water (25 million litres water saved in one year!) and energy consumption as well as a high reduction in waste produced – approximately eight tonnes of food waste is supplied to a local pig farmer each month. A state of the art water treatment plant ensures grey water is safe to be used in the extensive gardens and waste heat from the generators is recycled to heat the water used throughout the resort.

READ MORE…

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Hanneman Holiday Residence The Hanneman Holiday Residence, located at Beau Vallon consists of seven wonderfully appointed self-catering apartments. All bedrooms have an en-suite bathroom with shower, balcony, air-conditioning and ceiling fans, and all kitchens are fully equipped, including a dishwasher, washing machine with integrated tumble dryer and drying rack for clothing. Guests have use of the lovely onsite natural salt pool which is topped up with rainwater.

Mahé´s most popular beach, the Beau Vallon Bay, is just a four minute walk away – this beach offers wonderful snorkelling and diving opportunities.

A number of great restaurants (including the Boathouse) are close by as are local shops and take-away outlets. There are a variety of evening entertainment options close by for those who enjoy an active night life.

www.hanneman-seychelles.com

Sustainability highlights: A substantial investment to reduce water and energy consumption for a small establishment – these include rainwater harvesting, low flow devices on all taps and solar panels for water heating purposes. Being a relatively new establishment, new technology appliances were installed in the apartments which helped to reduce resource consumption.

Heliconia Grove Heliconia Grove is a Seychellois owned self-catering establishment located on the famous Côte d’Or Bay on the island of Praslin. Eight self catering villas are set within a spacious garden with direct access to the beach.

Sustainability highlights: All villas are equipped with solar-based hot water systems while a bank of 40 photo-voltaic panels provide over 30% of the estimated electricity consumption. The architecture is Seychellois-creole with an exposed wooden roof structure that favours natural ventilation. All furniture in the villas was made and supplied by a local carpenter.

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www.kempinski.com

Kempinski Seychelles Resort The Kempinski Seychelles Resort is located on the stunning Baie Lazare on the south end of Mahé, a mere 30 minutes from the international airport and 40 minutes from Victoria. The natural surroundings make the perfect setting for guests to have memorable experiences, from exploring hidden bays surrounded by majestic granite rocks and lush vegetation, snorkelling and island hopping or simply soaking in the sun and being pampered with indulgent spa treatments.

Sustainability highlights: A commitment to effective waste management and recycling as well as the re-use of water.

A number of other establishments are in the process of SSTL certification and are still in the reviewing stage. We had the opportunity of visiting the Petit Anse Reef Restoration Project at the FOUR SEASONS RESORT on Mahé, lunching on wonderfully local produce at L’ARCHIPEL HOTEL on Praslin and staying at LE SURMER CHALETS on La Digue.

Huge thanks to SEYCHELLES TOURISM BOARD for hosting us and to AIR SEYCHELLES for getting us there - thanks also to SEYCHELLES SUSTAINABLE TOURISM LABEL and their certified establishments for accomodating us and the Seychellois for being such wonderful hosts. www.seychelles.travel www.airseychelles.com www.sstl.sc responsible traveller 61

What’s news...

Denis Private Island – winner in World Luxury Hotel Awards 2015 ‘Luxury Private Island Resort & Best Scenic Environment’ awarded to Denis Private Island, Seychelles.

online for their preferred hotel, whereby the votes were tallied over several months and announced this weekend.

On Saturday 24th October, the World Luxury Hotel Awards Gala Ceremony was held at the Grand Harbour Hotel, Hong Kong whereby 400 guests attended the soiree having flown in from all ends of the globe. Denis Private Island had been nominated in the following categories for the Indian Ocean; Luxury Private Island Resort, Luxury Hideaway Resort and Best Scenic Environment. With much anticipation over the last few months, the evening revealed Denis Private Island as a winner in two categories.

Denis Private Island, where one can experience a ‘forgotten luxury’ is the ultimate getaway for those in search of a true island escape – private beachfront cottages which open onto an expanse of white sand, activities abound in the safe, crystalline waters around the island and most importantly ongoing conservation projects ensure that the ecosystem remains pristine.

Owned and operated by a Seychellois family, this island is the authentic Seychellois experience.

The awards were accepted by PR Manager, Nicole St.Ange on behalf of the Denis Island team. “These accolades represents the beauty and individuality of the island, but most importantly the outstanding service delivery that our guests have become well accustomed to”, says Mrs St.Ange.

Image - Mason’s Travel ©

As proud recipients in 2014 for the Best Scenic Environment Award, the island team were delighted to have been nominated once again in 2015 and would like to take this opportunity to thank their guests for their continued loyal support. Guests had the opportunity to vote

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The World Luxury Hotel Awards celebrate the world’s finest hotels committed to the highest standards of quality service and was founded on the principle that celebrated extraordinary hotels with attentive service and encourage and maintain excellence within a highly competitive industry.

This award is all about congratulating and recognizing these establishments that have taken the extra step to provide their guests with outstanding experiences and as such proven to be part of the ‘very rare legendary hotel’ association. •

www.denisisland.com

EXPLORE THE EXOTIC ISLANDS of the Seychelles

The Seychelles Islands has long been a favoured destination for adventure seekers and nature lovers and has even been used as a hideout by 17th Century pirates! A destination filled with action, wildlife and discovery you can most definitely find a new adventure everyday across MahĂŠ and the smaller islands.

Embark on an adventure of a lifetime with our 3 weekly flights.

Contact your local tour operator for your best holiday deal Air Seychelles South Africa Contact Centre on either 011 326 4440, 011 326 4443 or 011 326 4388 or email us on reservations@border-air.co.za The information above is correct at the time of printing. However, changes after publication might occur and will affect the accuracy of the content.

DESERT

‘NIGHTS words & pics - Rowan Buhrmann

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W

hat is your idea of an adventure? Is it just getting out and heading somewhere different for a change? Or possibly something extreme, like climbing Mt Everest? Obviously these are two very different forms of adventure… But what if there was something out there that would leave both groups of adventurers enthused and wanting to get involved?

‘Life begins at the end of your comfort zone…’ this is what came to mind when I was first asked whether I would join the Desert Knights Tour in September 2015. The idea of travelling to Namibia and spending five days of my time there on a mountain bike seemed a bit absurd and crazy. But then again, how often do we get to experience an epic country in its wildest form on a mountain bike! So I jumped at the opportunity to go, having no idea what I had just gotten myself into…

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The Desert Knights tour is like no other tour you would ever have gone on before. It takes place in and around the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, which stretches across both the South African and Namibian Border. This park just happens to include the truly magnificent Fish River Canyon (and what an amazing canyon it is!) as well as the mighty Orange River, which we had the opportunity to paddle down on one of the days to our next campsite!

First ride of the tour, heading towards the Fish River Canyon

‘Life begins at the end of your comfort zone...’ NEALE D. WALSCH

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‘The /Ai/Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park just happens to include the truly magnificent Fish River Canyon as well as the mighty Orange River...’ 68 responsible traveller

Fish River Canyon at sunset responsible traveller 69

As most of us know, Namibia isn’t known for its extremely lush landscape with cool temperatures and high rainfall, but rather is a land of spectacular scenery, both arid and very mountainous! If you are a rider, you would probably agree with me in saying that a tour across the middle of a desert during the day, in the blazing sun, could sound like some kind of sick torture.

Thankfully for us, the ‘Desert Knights’, we only rode from the late afternoon well into the night.

And with the tour being planned around the full moon, when the sun sets and you let your eyes get accustomed to the darkness, the light from the moon is bright enough to do a fair bit of your ride! Obviously we still needed to take our own 70 responsible traveller

lights with us, but the trick was to hold off using this light for as long as your sanity held.

There is something extremely magical about riding at night… The moon welcomed us into her world not too long after we left our camp each night. A world that was strangely quiet, but left you feeling welcomed and secure. Maybe it was an overdose of fresh, crisp air rushing into my lungs as I went about my ride, or the stillness of the surrounding landscape with only the sound of my gears meshing together. Whatever it was, I couldn’t get enough of it.

Each ride had a varied length ranging from around 30km up to 70km. Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a walk in the park, but it

‘There is something magical about riding at night – the moon welcomed us into her world... a world that was stangely quiet, but left you feeling welcomed and secure...’

definitely isn’t excessively hard. Let’s just call it ‘a challenge’… You also need to remember that this event is not a race. The point is to enjoy the moment and take in the wonder that is around you! This was easier said than done though…

For those of us who race, slowing the pace down took a while to get used to. We were informed that there would be a booby prize for whoever came into camp too early! This was to keep us out in the moon light for as long as possible, but there are always a couple of racing snakes, well to my pace at least!

What also made each ride that much easier, were the pit stops along the way. Each ride usually had three stops; two water stops with a couple of light snacks, and then a food station which

served amazing hot chocolate and coffee and a variety of foods. My go to food during each stop was the biltong… You can’t even begin to imagine how great it can taste after riding 30kms or so!

Once we eventually made it back to camp, we were greeted with a couple of cheers from those that had arrived earlier in the evening as well as some of the staff helping out. Things were pretty chilled in the evenings, as you would expect after most of us had spent the last few hours in the saddle.

For dinner each evening, we were always greeted by a hearty meal prepared by Marion and her team of truly amazing caterers! Our meals consisted of pretty simple foods from the area, with little touches of the landscape put into the responsible traveller 71

Taking a dip in a hidden pool near Hobas

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The Nama women cheering the riders as they set off towards Gamkab, 61km away

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‘Besides the little expeditions into the surroundings, we were also treated to some gems, like a unique Nama Stap dance by the Nama women...’ responsible traveller 75

View over the Orange River after a great day of paddling

Our picturesque campsite in De Hoop

The camp ‘pirates’ enjoying some gingerbeer around the camp fire

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‘There is nothing better than a chilled beer on a scorching day in the /Ai/AisRichtersveld, while soaking in the location with great company...’

garnishing We even had a group of caterers from a small village nearby come and cook for us a very traditional Nama meal. Which of course had to include a generous helping of offal! These meals really set the scene for this area, very rugged but simple. With most of the foods we ate coming from the surrounding areas and villages.

The camp was divided into two; a social/food area and our tented area. Believe it or not, the tented area had TENTS… They served their purpose and were all a pretty decent size (we each had our own 2-man tent!), with a few larger tents for couples or teams. Now the go-to area of each camp had to have been the HUGE Bedouin tent that was set up at nearly every camp. Not just because it provided MUCH needed shade during midday, but also because it was usually located right near the open bar and ‘kitchen’!

There is nothing better than a chilled beer on scorching day in the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld, relaxing in a comfy camping chair while soaking in the location with great company.

During the day was out ‘downtime’. Our time to catch our breath and enjoy the beautiful Namibian scenery. We were usually invited to go on walks, hikes or excursions to somewhere nearby the general area of the camp. I definitely wasn’t going to miss out on exploring the area on foot! So I always picked the longer trips into the unfamiliar environment around us. All the trips we did were worth the extra expenditure in energy. We got to visit a little hidden ‘oasis’ snuggled into the nearby canyon at Hobas, an incredible view after a hefty climb at the /Ai/AisHot Springs resort, and an extra bit of paddling up the Orange River for a thrill!

As a biologist myself, it was really great getting out and exploring, looking for the different plant and insect species that were around. Surprisingly enough, this seemingly inhospitable place actually has a huge diversity of plants. Yes, they aren’t all visible like the iconic Halfmens scattered across the landscape, but once you actually spend a bit of time looking closely around the rocks at your feet, you start to see these weird and wonderful looking plants! Like the clever little Window plant that is endemic to this region.

The /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld is truly breath-taking, and you would do yourself a disservice by not getting out and exploring at each camp. Besides the little expeditions into the surrounds, we were also treated to some gems, like a unique Nama Stap dance by the Nama women and an epic evening of drumming and didgeridoo storytelling around the camp fire. The whole responsible traveller 77

Leaving the comforts of river life to hit the trails heading towards Hakkiesdoring

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Casting a long shadow as we ride into the sunset

experience seemed to bring us all that bit closer to the Nama lifestyle, with most of the staff being from the local villages.

For those of you hating on life right now, thinking this is all just a pipe dream because you have no idea what a mountain bike even is, the tour is open to non-cyclists. You will still get to join in on everything we got to do and as well as enjoy the scenery from a game viewing vehicle without even working up a sweat. So not all is lost!

And if you do know how to cycle, but are lacking a little confidence on your bike, don’t stress too much! There are only a couple of places you might want to get off and walk. I would suggest that you get some time on your saddle before doing this tour as it will let you have a lot more fun during the rides!

So to sum it all up, to me the Desert Knights tour isn’t just about the riding, it’s about the experience, going out and doing the unthinkable, and having memories that will last a lifetime. • 80 responsible traveller

‘...the Desert Knights tour isn’t just about the riding, it’s about the experience, going out and doing the unthinkable, and having memories that will last a lifetime.’

Chilling with Lee as we hiked to the canyon near Hobas One of the many abandoned trucks we found on our journey

The Halfmens standing alone like a sentry in the vast desert

Memories are made of this - part of the way up Helskloof Pass Endemic Window plant.

An unexpected flower

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Strange landscape dominated by white quartz, unique plants and wonderful single track!

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The day-to-day details...

Day 1: Everyone was introduced to the camp layout and the staff everyone needed to know (mostly Marion, our camp mother and food provider!).

Riders left Hobas on a short 35km ride to the epic Fish River Canyon view point and back. Magnificent scenery along the ride towards the canyon with some crazy views over the Fish River at the view point. Great way to start the tour off!

Day 2: Short hike to the hidden ’oasis’ in a nearby canyon, which was utilised by most in cooling off! Departed Hobas on the bikes for the /Ai/AisHot Springs resort in the afternoon. A much longer ride up into the mountains, with a breath taking descent down towards the resort. After arriving, the warm pools accepted our weary bodies with great pleasure.

Day 3: A few of us hiked up to the view point above the /Ai/Ais- Hot Springs resort. A tough climb, but well worth the effort! Stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Before leaving for Gamkab camp, the local Nama women performed the Nama Stap, to lift the fatigued spirits of those about to set off on a mammoth climb back into the hills. Riding through the towering cliffs as we arrived at Gamkab was quite the sight, leaving lots of us staring up instead of looking ahead as we rode on.

Day 4: A short ride in the morning from Gamkap to our canoe launching site on the Orange River started the day off. Great scenery along the river and a much needed rest out of the saddle! Arriving at De Hoop nestled in the valley along the Orange River was quite the sight. A relaxed evening of Nama food and homemade ginger beer, followed by campfire stories and drumming ended off a magnificent day.

Day 5: A nature walk led by Pieter, the parks resident botanist, took us into the surrounding area to talk about the abundant biodiversity in these mountains. The day pasted by quickly as everyone relaxed around the river, with the next ride to Hakkiesdoring coming faster than most would have liked. With the full moon rising, the picturesque climb back out of the valley lead us along some epic mountain roads, leading us towards the final campsite of this incredible journey.

Day 6: An early start saw the riders setting off with the full moon still high in the sky and the sun slowly starting to rise over the mountains. An incredible climb up to the top of the Helskloof Pass revealed majestic views all around and a stunning drop into the valley below. This was the leg the more technical riders were waiting for, with some fast single tracks winding their way down the rocky mountain slopes. After a 70km ride, some were happy to eventually make it back, with others craving for more. The evening ended with a wonderful dinner and some pictures of the riders taken throughout the epic journey.

Day 7: We all said our good byes and swapped details with new found friends.

Bidding farewell to the Desert Knights team and the epic mountains of the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park. •

www.desertknights-mtb.com 84 responsible traveller

The iconic Helskloof Pass

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What’s news... iSimangaliso My Rhino, Our Future “iSimangaliso must be the only place on the globe where the oldest land mammal (the rhinoceros) and the world’s biggest terrestrial mammal (the elephant) share an ecosystem with the world’s oldest fish (the coelacanth) and the world’s biggest marine mammal (the whale)” - President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, 2001 President’s Nelson Mandela’s words have inspired the iSimangaliso Authority and a consortium of partners to implement a large scale community conservation awareness and rhino protection programme with 75 schools and over 11 250 learners from around iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

The broad-based programme specifically targets youth in the protection of rhinos and other iconic and endangered species in iSimangaliso and South Africa. It also enables youngsters to take pride in and ownership of South Africa’s first World Heritage Site.

Given the depth and breadth of the initiative, a multi-disciplinary partnership – including the Department of Environmental Affairs, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Wildlands, Project Rhino KZN, Wildlife ACT, African Conservation Trust, Peace Parks Foundation and the Zululand AntiPoaching Wing – was required. Each partner has brought its own strengths and experience together, as well as a deep commitment, to stop the scourge of rhino poaching.

The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa (MP) says: “We have long acknowledged that the fight against rhino poaching cannot be won alone. We are especially proud to partner with iSimangaliso as part of a consortium of environmental organisations rooting an innovative anti-poaching initiative deep in the communities of northern KZN – and, in particular, turning a new generation of learners into conservation ambassadors. It’s only through this combined, community-based effort that we will be able to rid South Africa of this scourge.”

The ‘Rhino Walk’ took place from 7 September – 2 October 2015. Learners, principals and educators walked with conservation agencies, NGOs, traditional leadership, land claimant groups and local, provincial and national government, from school to school across the length of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park - which is over 220km from Maphelane to Kosi Bay. The Walk provided an opportunity for all these groups to show 86 responsible traveller

solidarity for the conservation of rhinos and other iconic species within iSimangaliso.

Says Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of iSimangaliso Wetland Park: “We have an established developmental partnership with these schools.

The aim of this environmental awareness and rhino protection intervention is to nurture a generation of wildlife ambassadors and leaders who are committed to all threatened species, big and small – the eco-system processes, biodiversity, and incredible beauty of the region where we live. We will only achieve long term success in stopping rhino poaching if we have the support of conservation-minded local communities and most importantly, the next generation.”

Francois du Toit, CEO of the African Conservation Trust endorses this comment: “We cannot sustain or conserve South Africa’s resources nor alleviate the current environmental crises we face without the participation of the very people affected. A community-based awareness programme like ‘iSimangaliso My Rhino, Our Future’ engages local communities by giving them a platform to discuss conservation issues.”

And the ambitious scale of the project is no accident. “Critical mass is key to beating this epidemic,” says Sheelagh Antrobus, Coordinator of Project Rhino KZN, an 18-member conservation association that represents provincial, private and NGO stakeholders in the province. “We are aware that the poaching of rhino is symptomatic of the overall, bigger environmental crises facing South African parks and its neighbours and recognise that the work in conserving and protecting rhinos in iSimangaliso from the threat of poaching is symbolic of the broader threat faced by all wildlife. Broad-based community conservation awareness plays a vital role in eliminating South Africa’s current poaching crisis”.

The universal languages of art, drama and song - which transcend language barriers - have already been employed during the foundation phase of the “iSimangaliso My Rhino, Our Future” programme. Completed on the 28 August, this involved ‘Rhino Art’ at each of the 75 schools, with learners using their own artwork to send their messages of support for conservation and express their feelings about rhino poaching. These works have been curated into a powerful visual message that will cross the seas to other nations.

What’s news...

Playing an integral role in the ‘Rhino Art’ project was the Kingsley Holgate Foundation. “We cannot win the war against rhino poaching if we don’t involve the communities living alongside the reserves, no more so than the 220km long iSimangaliso,” comments Kingsley Holgate. “We need to be conscious of their concerns and include communities in conservation activities”.

A highlight of the Walk included a celebratory event on World Rhino Day, the 22nd September, which turned the spotlight on the youths’ commitment to conservation. Learners, educators, community leaders, government and conservation organisations came together and symbolically joined hands as a united front in the fight against poaching and our combined efforts to tackle the greatest threat to this iconic population – human greed.

Greed, however, is not the only negative force we have to fight. “Poverty,” according to Dr Andrew Venter, CEO of Wildlands, “remains a major problem in northern KZN and it is impossible to over-emphasise the importance of connecting wildlife conservation and the protection of threatened species with socioeconomic development. Creating a new generation of environment advocates doesn’t happen in isolation and so it is important that we partner iSimangaliso, at the World Rhino Day celebration, as we show the thread that connects everything.”

Werner Myburgh, CEO of Peace Parks Foundation, echoed the critical influence that the voice of the younger generation can

have in affecting change: “As part of our Rhino Protection Programme, Peace Parks Foundation recently engaged youth from Vietnam in a demand reduction awareness programme. These youngsters returned to their home country with a fervour and determination to transform the behaviour of their communities towards conservation – reminding us again to never underestimate our youth. We are proud to be part of the iSimangaliso programme, which will surely ignite the same passion and resolve in the youth of South Africa.” iSimangaliso’s conservation partner, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s CEO Dr David Mabunda says: “We are excited to be part of this project as it will compliment Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s enforcement efforts with iSimangaliso and our nearby parks like Hluhluwe-iMfolozi on the ground by building a critical mass of people in the area who believe in conservation.”

“But to win the war against poaching,” says Lawrence Munro from the Zululand AntiPoaching Wing,“we need innovative approaches.

ZAP-Wing is South Africa’s first public-private aerial anti-poaching initiative and provides support to 26 provincial and private reserves.

Combine aerial surveillance with local support from the communities living next to the Park, and we could be unstoppable in catching poachers. A coordinated effort like iSimangaliso’s conservation awareness programme is required to garner local support and create future rhino ambassadors”. •

www.isimangaliso.com

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Chole Mjini Bare foot paradise

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Words - Louise de Waal Pics - Chole Mjini

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D

rinking a cool beer in the Red Herring Bar, I ponder my stay at Chole Mjini, while traditional dhows with their lopsided sails gracefully pass by. Some stop and drop off a handful of tourists from the neighbouring and bigger Mafia Island to do a guided tour of Chole village, others carry drinking water and supplies between the various islands in the Mafia Archipelago. Life at Chole is as slow and laidback as the dhow crossing Chole Bay. Time is of no consequence here and it has taken me a while to adjust to this island pace, but it’s a wonderful feeling to fall into that same pattern as the Chole community. Nobody is in a hurry here. People take time to stop and chat, enquire about your day, work and family. With a small population of about 1,000 people, everybody knows each other or is at least acquainted.

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It’s on this small island off the coast of Tanzania, where the multiple award winning Chole Mjini lodge is situated. When the owners, Anne & Jean de Villiers, arrived here more than 20 years ago, there was no tourism and islanders used to subsist on farming and fishing. However, since 1995, their fishing practices have been restricted when large sections of the Indian Ocean surrounding the islands were gazetted as Marine National Park.

Chole Island has no fresh water, no electricity, no sewerage system, and is only about 2 km2 in size. The coral rag and its natural vegetation is sensitive, as well as its mangroves lining the coast. To build a lodge in such a delicate and complex location amongst a small, underprivileged community had to be done not only in an environmentally sensitive way, but also in a way that benefitted its community. This is when the treehouse concept was born and Jean built his first and still most popular treehouse Moja, next to one of the most magnificent Baobab trees on the island.

All six treehouses and its one groundhouse were built using local and sustainable building materials, local craftsmanship and artisans who, where necessary, were trained for the job.

The treehouse concept has an extremely small footprint and blends in with its surroundings, so the lodge is almost invisible from the outside.

The open sided treehouses give you a sense of being one with its jungle like environment. For obvious reasons, all toilets are dry composting loos and the ground floor bathrooms have brackish water for showering heated by surprisingly effective paraffin burners. The paths through its extensive gardens are lit by solar lights and hurricane lamps and dinner by candlelight is set in various romantic locations, like in the Persian ruins, under the tamarind tree, or on the jetty.

‘To build a lodge in such a delicate and complex location amongst a small underprivileged community had to be done not only in an environmentally sensitive wa, but also in a way that benefitted the community...’ responsible traveller 91

From waking up to the lapping waves beneath your treehouse and the bird chorus from the surrounding baobab and mangrove trees to sun-downers in the Hanashi Bar, while 100s of Comoros Fruit bats leave their roosting trees on the island, a Chole stay is an experience that is hard to put into words.

Chole allows you fall into island pace and relax.

It strips away all the superficial layers of modern day life. It takes you back to basics and provokes life questions we often forget to ask ourselves, because we are too busy chasing our own tails. •

www.cholemjini.com 92 responsible traveller

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The return of the

Humpback Whale A

surf launch off the St Lucia coastline is an experience on it’s own, not to mention the fact that this launch is the first phase of a two hour journey to experience whales. In St Lucia it’s almost always an early morning call that begins with a short journey over the 400m of beach, on a 4X4 vehicle, that brings one to the formidable craft that have been specifically designed and built

by Danie Bennet, co-owner of Advantage Cruises.

Here the coastline runs from the northeast to southwest causing the rising sun to emerge from the horizon of the ocean – another amazing experience. The early morning temperatures are surprisingly warm for those not accustomed to the warm Elephant Coast weather and the sub tropical sea temperatures are inviting. A relevant fact considering the chances of you getting your feet wet are almost 100%.

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The seriousness of a pre-briefing and safety check is marked by the Advantage captain reiterating the fact that his catamaran craft will be hurtling through the St Lucia shore-break, something other whale watching permit holders do not have to endure, but he reminds his clients to enjoy the experience as they are in safe hands. There are only a handful of permit holders allowed to go closer than 300m to whales. This relevance is

Words - Greg Vogt Pics - Advantage Tours

of paramount importance to those wanting to go whale watching by boat as the operators are bound by restrictions to the type of boat they operate and a code of conduct that protects both the animals being watched and the watchers of the animals. The laws even extend to prosecuting the clients on a boat that is not permitted to watch whales closer than 300m.

Whilst this stretch of St Lucia coastline is blessed with a very high diversity of marine mammals, winter months coincide with the migration of the mighty Humpback whale, heading northward from their feeding grounds – the Antarctic – to their breeding and calving grounds off Mozambique and Madagascar. A ‘baby’(calf) will not survive birth in the cold waters of the

Antarctic, for this reason the whales which have a gestation of 12months, will mate this year, and come and give birth next year. In this migratory term, swimming up as far as Madagascar, the calf will drink about 600liters of condensed milk per day in order to grow enough blubber to migrate back to the cold Antartic with mom – your captain will give you all this educational information whilst on board.

If you happen to be new to whale watching, just getting up close and personal with 45 tons of marine mammal will be an amazing experience.

Your tour will include narration about their behaviour and detail that researchers have learned about the animals. It is interesting to know that one of the conditions of a permitted responsible traveller 95

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whale-watching operator, is to complete logbooks of every trip made to whales. This includes filling in the GPS readings of every encounter with marine mammals, weather conditions and descriptions of unusual behaviour by the animals. These completed logbooks detail sighting positions that can be correlated with the data from the other operators along the coastline. This data superimposed on to a map of the coastline and correlated by time, begins to tell a story of micro migration patterns of various species and can be helpful to other research projects being undertaken on marine mammals.

The area off the St Lucia coastline is an interesting section of coast with regard to the Humpback whale. Firstly Humpbacks sing. A habit described as singing but best described as a series of low-toned tunes used to communicate during these mating months. This ‘singing only begins from shortly after Richards Bay, indicating that the animals are in mating territory and that the objectives of their 10 000+km journey is nearly over.

Contrary to romantic belief these animals do not choose one lover. The affair is a sordid orgy of sex, driven by testicles that nearly reach a joint mass of 1 ton; another indication that most facts about these animals come from the years when whaling was allowed. Few facts are derived from these animals whilst they are living. Other than photographic identification, counting the whales and limited satellite tagging, most of their lives remain a mystery to us.

Why these animals breach, lobtail and spy-hop, are speculation, other than if the whale whisperer has received inside information and not passed this on. This said, do not underestimate the many years of collective experience an operator like Danie brings to your outing. He has been privileged enough to experience many breaches during his years of operating the St Lucia permit, and has collated this information with weather conditions and other coinciding criteria to formulate ideas and opinions that seem credible. Most interesting

is the fact that Danie has contributed skin samples and thousands of photographs for ID purposes to scientists at Marine and Coastal management. This data is incredibly valuable to the scientists and has been a source of vital information in their quest to learn more about these gentle giants.

Having been involved in whale watching since its inception along the South African coastline, every trip to me feels like a first trip. My adrenaline pumps during the surf launch and then the excitement settles during the searching phase.

The first sighting is something everyone can get involved in and is usually interrupted by sporadic sightings of dolphin groups who join the boat for some special viewing. Then the first animals are sighted and Danie begins the calculated approach.

Skilled skippers can approach whales in such a way that they do not disturb their behaviour patterns. Once the boat is within the no wakespeed zone, the animals will be close enough for you to see clearly. But keep your cameras down for the moment and enjoy the approach as the vessel slowly edges closer. Depending on the animals on that day you may be in for a surprise – as Humpbacks can so often do. They disappear below the surface, leaving all heads on deck turning from side to side, searching. Then whoosh! They blow inches from the boat emerging from their dive, giving all on deck the fright of their lives. Then the game is on and you will be left wanting to know more about these animals that breathe air just as we do, but live in the ocean.

The KwaZulu-Natal ‘’whale watching ‘’ season starts around the end of May until the beginning of December. In the Cape waters you will mostly see the Southern Right whale (adult weight 60ton) – on occasion in the Kwazulu Natal waters we are blessed with a bonus sighting of a Southern Right, sometimes we also see Bryde , Minke and False Killer whales, but these are an extra bonus and not guaranteed - for more info come join a cruise. •

www.advantagetours.co.za

‘Danie has contributed skin samples and thousands of photographs for ID purposes to scientists at Marine and Coastal management...’ responsible traveller 97

What’s news...

Could Strangers in Your Home be a New Trend?

An interesting concept concerning travel accommodation has made its way to Durban, and is showing promising growth potential; however, it involves sharing a property with complete strangers. How have South Africans been responding to this idea? An amateur research study conducted by a tourism student at DUT sheds some light on the present situation.

Popular tourist destinations in both Europe and North America welcome large numbers of travellers each year, but many of these visitors are no longer making hotel reservations. So where are they booking their accommodation?

Many are choosing to stay in the homes of locals.

This trend is related to the ‘sharing economy’ concept, which is characterized by the sharing of assets, whether it be cars, homes, offices, or even power tools, as opposed to individual ownership. The organisation of these exchanges is arranged online. For example, if a tourist visiting Paris wants to rent out a single room for one week, they are able to search for available rooms online, which have been posted by the locals who are actually offering this extra space in their own homes at a price of their own choosing. Therefore, the cost is usually lower than that of say, a hotel booking, and there tends to be a wider variety of choice in location, style, and personal preferences with regards to the accommodation options.

In terms of accommodation, Airbnb, the pioneer company capitalising from the ‘sharing economy’ trend, is the current market leader with over 1.5 million lodging options worldwide – all of which are owned and managed by individuals referred to as ‘hosts’ (Airbnb 2015). Essentially, Airbnb is an online platform which allows ordinary people to create accounts enabling them to either offer their own properties, ranging from single bedrooms to entire houses, as short-term rentals to travellers, or to search for accommodation options for their personal travel plans. Airbnb provides and manages the secure payment transactions between hosts and guests, as well as an online messaging system for users to communicate with each other in order to arrange travel accommodation.

In South Africa at present, Airbnb has over 30,000 listings, with certain areas of high host concentration such as Cape Town and Johannesburg. However, KZN seems to still be in the early adoption phase of the trend.

Image - www.wikipedia.org

Durban in the early morning

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What’s news...

Therefore, this research study was conducted to determine whether Airbnb would be likely to become a major competitor within Durban’s accommodation marketplace. In other words, to reveal whether Durban residents would be accepting of the idea, and actively engage in welcoming visitors into their own homes using Airbnb’s services. Although the study was limited to specific suburbs, lacked funding, and was restricted to a 6 month timeframe, the results offer a glimpse into Airbnb’s potential for success within Durban.

surrounding suburbs currently offering over 300 listings to travellers (Airbnb 2015). Depending on the company’s future marketing efforts and media coverage within South Africa, the success of Airbnb is difficult to predict at this stage, although it seems that there is sufficient support and acceptance within Durban to maintain a steady increase in host numbers.

Further research including a larger sample size and a more diverse selection of suburbs would yield a more accurate representation of Durban’s population.

10 active Airbnb hosts located in Durban were interviewed, and 32 local residents participated in an online survey regarding their level of awareness, along with their perceptions of Airbnb and the trend in general.

Looking at Airbnb from a responsible tourism point of view, there are several impacts to consider. Firstly, Airbnb allows individuals to supplement their income, and essentially enables self-employment. It has been found that in many cities, hosts tend to be freelancers, students, or part-time employees. This means that Airbnb provides employment opportunities for locals in one sense, although a major increase in supply and demand for hosts in Durban could also lead to losses in hotel revenues, and therefore cuts to traditional hospitality staff due to lower occupancy rates. In other words, Airbnb promotes one form of employment, while potentially negatively affecting another.

Findings indicated that the majority of locals (61%) were not previously aware of Airbnb’s existence. Both hosts and residents favoured the opinion that the platform would experience successful growth in Durban, especially in the B&B and guesthouse market segment, although Airbnb would not be a source of direct competition for hotels.

Surprisingly, the current hosts expressed that they were not at all skeptical of the concept when they were first introduced to it, suggesting that there may be great potential for further expansion – or perhaps these hosts share certain personality traits. On the other hand, more survey respondents agreed that they would consider using Airbnb for their own travel, but were unsure as to whether they would rent out their own homes.

Another finding worthy of mention, exposed the purposes for travel amongst people booking Airbnb listings in Durban to vary drastically.

Hosts claimed that 35% of their prior guests were visiting Durban for business, followed by 30% vacationers, and the remainder staying for special events, academic purposes, or to visit family and friends. The nationalities of these guests were also diverse, along with their age, occupation, and marital status.

A high percentage of the study participants revealed a positive perception of Airbnb and the sharing economy concept, although they believed that its success in Durban would not reach the same level as it has in other cities due to factors such as crime rates, lack of adequate public transport, regulatory issues, and backlash from existing competitors. Overall, the trend appears to be growing within Durban and its

Secondly, the sharing economy concept on which Airbnb is based actually promotes resource preservation. Instead of individual ownership of assets, the lending, sharing, or renting of assets is a more environmentally friendly option for consumers. Although efforts by hotels are improving with respect to their eco-friendly practices, they still produce more waste, use more energy, and require more physical space than Airbnb listings.

Lastly, when tourists choose to stay in the homes of locals, they are usually more dispersed throughout different neighbourhoods within a city. This directs economic benefits to auxiliary businesses in less popular areas, such as restaurants or local shops which normally do not serve out of town visitors. This wider distribution of tourist spending helps rejuvenate neighbourhoods which are otherwise largely ignored by travellers. In sum, Airbnb appears to be a responsible form of tourism, offering unique and authentic experiences to tourists who choose to participate.

So the questions remains, would you be comfortable opening your doors to strangers?

• words - Alexa Kosovic responsible traveller 99

What’s news...

Initiative to Champion a New Generation of Young Indigenous Leaders Qantas together with its Ambassador Hugh Jackman, today announced a new grants initiative with the Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF) that will empower young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be leaders in their communities.

The initiative will be funded by a $1.4 million donation from the Qantas Foundation and help IMF graduates, known as Frontrunners, further their education or career, pursue a business enterprise or support a community development project.

Founded by world champion marathon runner Robert De Castella, IMF selects a squad of 18-30 year old Indigenous men and women from around Australia to train for the New York Marathon with little or no running experience.

The IMF squad members, of which there are 10 this year, graduate when they cross the finish line in New York.

Qantas Ambassador Hugh Jackman said he was proud to represent Qantas as it deepened its relationship with IMF. “I’ve been so impressed by the inspirational work that Rob does and the brilliant young runners he’s mentoring through IMF,” said Mr Jackman. “I’m a passionate believer that if you give young people the opportunity and the tools to make a difference, there’s no limit to what they can achieve. That’s what IMF has been doing for the past five years and with the Qantas grant program we want to take it to the next level. The finish line in New York is really just the starting point for these young leaders and I can’t wait to see what they do next.”

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said creating opportunities for young Indigenous people was fundamental to Qantas’ role as national carrier and at the heart of its Reconciliation Action Plan.

“We’re hugely excited about the potential for this initiative,” said Mr Joyce. “We know that the most powerful thing Australia can do for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is develop the skills, the ideas, the social programs and above all the leadership that can make a concrete difference in Indigenous communities.

“The Qantas-funded grant program will give IMF graduates a platform to build on their achievements and realise their potential as Australia’s next generation of Indigenous leaders. IMF changes the lives of its graduates.

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We want to enable those graduates to change lives in their communities.”

Robert De Castella welcomed the Qantas investment. “When the runners cross the finish line of the biggest marathon in the world they know they can achieve anything. They become role models within their communities and are leaders in the promotion of health and physical exercise to help alleviate the high instance of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.”

“Qantas is making strategic decisions that will have a very real and direct impact both for individuals in the short term and for entire communities in the longer term. The Qantas Grants will help kick start our graduates’ journey to step up and lead change in their community be it through creating a small business or developing sports programs like previous graduates,” said Mr De Castella.

Qantas is committed to reconciliation and building relationships for change between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In July 2015, Qantas’ Reconciliation Action Plan - first launched in 2007 - was awarded Elevate status, the highest level of endorsement by Reconciliation Australia.

Since 2010, there have been 43 graduates of IMF, all of whom have contributed in some way to creating change in their lives and those of their families and communities. By 2018, there will be over 80 graduates. •

www.qantas.com.au

Awarded

World’s Best City Hotel World Responsible Tourism Awards l World Travel Market 2014

In the unlikely location of Cape Town’s Airport Industria, Africa’s Greenest Hotel is waiting to be discovered by you. Enjoy the comfort of our 4 star hotel with 5 star services & 3 star prices. Stay at Hotel Verde, the first Hotel in Africa to offer carbon neutral accommodation & conferencing to guests.

An experience like no other By staying one night at Hotel Verde you will personally Offset 27.4 kg of carbon

Save 76 kWh of electrcity

Save 492 liters of water*

divert 2.1 kg waste from landfill

*saving accounts for guest water use across the entire hotel

Carbon Neutral Accommodation & Conferencing l 145 Rooms & 7 Conference Venues l 400m from Cape Town Airport Complimentary Airport Shuttle & Shuttle to City Centre l Complimentary Wi-Fi l Urban Beehives & Urban Farming Restored Wetland l Restaurant with 24hr Room Service l Breakfast from 4h30am l Contemporary Bar 24hr Deli l Indoor & Outdoor Gym l Africa’s First Power Generating Gym Equipment l Jogging Trail, Eco Pool & Terrace

reservations@hotelverde.com l +27 (0) 21 380 5500 l www.hotelverde.com 15 MICHIGAN STREET, CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SOUTH AFRICA