Join us for a boat adventure that makes a difference - learn about citizen science then put what you've learnt into practice with whales, dolphins and underwater marine life.

Learn about our local species - who they are, the threats they face, and important science you can contribute to - with our new online Ocean Champion Citizen Science course. Then head out to sea to put what you’ve learnt into action with a boat trip and snorkel in the Byron-Tweed Hope Spot (we'll look for whales and dolphins, then snorkel at Nguthungulli/Julian Rocks).

Our local Byron-Tweed Hope Spot is part of a network of global Mission Blue Hope Spots and celebrates our incredible biodiversity. Join marine biologist Alice Forrest, marine mammal researcher Dr Liz Hawkins (along with our Captain - sea turtle researcher Joshua James) on this awesome boat day to contribute to citizen science.

When:

Sunday October 25th, 7am - 1pm

Plus the online learning module - must be completed anytime before the boat day, takes around an hour

What:

Part one is the online course (~1 hour), where you’ll dive into biodiversity and our coast, learning about our local species and citizen science - it'll give you all the tools you need to be a citizen scientist anytime in the future.

For part two (Sunday morning), we take the learning to the sea, heading out by boat to look for migrating humpback whales or our local bottlenose dolphins followed by a guided snorkel adventure at Nguthungulli/Julian Rocks where you'll have a chance to learn more about our local marine species. Throughout the morning we'll learn how to contribute to citizen science platforms like iNaturalist (and our Byron-Tweed Hope Spot Biodiversity Project), East Coast Dolphin Watch and HappyWhale.

When we return to the shop we'll go through the process together of uploading your citizen science sightings.

This course isn't just a fun adventure, but a training session to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to contribute to science on your future beach walks, kayaks, snorkels, or however you like to be in the sea.

Where:

We’ll meet at 7am at Byron Bay Sea Turtle School, Byron Plaza, 5/90-96 Jonson Street, Byron Bay

Who:

Anyone 16+!* You don't need to be a scientist, expert or marine biologist. All you need is passion for the ocean and a desire to give something back to this big salty playground that gives us so much! And you also need to be able to snorkel and comfortable on a boat to make sure this is a safe and enjoyable experience.
* Aged 16+, if you're under 18 you'll need to come with a responsible guardian over 18.

Note: this is an adventure, we’ll be spending around 3 hours on a boat looking for whales and dolphins then snorkelling so you must be comfortable snorkelling as well as being on a small open boat. If you get sea sick - this workshop isn't the best one for you as we will be stopping regularly for long periods to observe dolphins & marine life. Be prepared to feel the ocean swell & conditions.

We’ll be there to assist and answer questions, but this is not a learn-to-snorkel experience.

How Much?

The workshop costs $100 per person, and is limited to just 8 people.

A Note On Weather.

Ocean conditions and weather can be unpredictable, so we’ll monitor the forecast and provide an update a few days before the event, with a final decision made the day before. We’ll email to confirm if the event is going ahead, or contact you by email and text if the date needs to change. Please ensure your contact details are correct, and thank you for your understanding and flexibility as we work around conditions beyond our control!

What's Included?

The online citizen science course - you’ll learn about our local species and biodiversity, citizen science, and how you can contribute important data to on-going scientific research projects - you'll receive a link to the course after you purchase your ticket.
A three hour ocean excursion - you’ll head out to the bay to look for whales and dolphins, and learn how to document them for citizen science platforms. Then we’ll have a chance to get wet, heading out to Nguthungulli/Julian Rocks for a snorkel with a marine biologist guides
Snorkelling equipment & wetsuit
All the equipment you need to participate in the science (see the equipment list below - we encourage you to bring an underwater camera if you have one)
Transfer from Byron Bay meeting point to The Pass
The opportunity to learn from marine scientists about how you can conduct, and continue, citizen science here in our local community (& throughout the world’s oceans)
A Species Guide to Local Cetaceans - a quick guide to help you identify whales & dolphins on our coast
Membership to Dolphin Research Australia (valid for one year) - members receive exclusive opportunities for events and field research volunteer positions, a subscription to newsletters, and it's a way to be part of and support conserving marine life into the future (valued at $30)
Bonus :) By participating in this workshop, you'll also earn your Ocean Champion Nudibranch Guardian badge (https://oceanconservation.org.au/ocean-champions-program/)

Any Questions?

We know you probably have a few questions—so we’ve put together answers to the ones we get asked most often in the FAQ section. If you have others, don't hesitate to get in touch.

This series of Byron-Tweed Hope Spot Ocean Champion workshops are being run by Dolphin Research Australia | Ocean Education & Conservation with support from a grant from Patagonia Australia to increase understanding of our marine life and marine protected areas; train participants to be leaders in citizen science; survey local marine life; build capacity to identify, monitor and respond to key threats to our oceans; increase compliance with local regulations; and increase custodianship for our aquatic wildlife and marine protected areas. Big thanks to the support from Byron Sea Turtle School too!

Contact the host of Ocean Champion Citizen Science Workshop

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