What inspired you to work for Project Manaia?
I love the approach of working towards a solution rather than pointing out the problems. By involving students in the research work, we can collect data but at the same time involve people who will be making meaningful change in their lives.
Describe a typical day at work.
It could be VERY different days, but generally a good day starts with a swim around the boat before breakfast and kicking off the scientific work. That again could be anything from snorkeling and measuring seagrass meadows to sailing a full day and keeping a lookout for dolphins and whales. So a "typical" day as such does not really exist - which keeps things interesting.
Why do you do what you do?
I am holding a few jobs at the same time, being the skipper on board, but also head Marine Biologist and in the wintertime become the maintenance crew on board and office person.
Manuel at work at one of his jobs
What is your favorite part of your job?
That no day is like another. Things always change, keeping routine out of the way plus I get to do what I love, almost every day: get in the water and not only document, but experience the marine life around us.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
I try to teach people to both - appreciate the wildlife around them but also recognise the species and make sense out of the changes we witness every day.
What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?
The most unpredictable thing for us is the weather, which can at times change very quickly forcing us to change plans on short notice. But the lesson we learned is to plan a very slow trip, giving us the option to reschedule without missing flights. And also sometimes it is better to simply hold back and sit out weather rather than beating into waves for a full day.
What are some current projects you are working on?
Right now, one of our focus areas that become more urgent is marine debris - we encounter more and more of it and over the last months developed a method that enables us to showcase the transformation from trash to treasure. We manage to recycle ocean plastic on board!
Morning commute to the beach
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
Sit back and enjoy the show. Prepare for everything but accept that you can't control everything. There are always lessons to be learned and no matter how well prepared you might think you are, chances are there is one more thing that was missed.
What makes Project Manaia special?
The combination of sailing, snorkeling, marine biology and innovative technology is a unique package in a holiday surrounding. We do meaningful work and managed to lay the groundwork for two marine protected areas already and we will keep going!
Why should someone choose Project Manaia over competitors?
Because we offer you an option to not only be part of existing projects and research efforts, but encourage you to develop your own with our guidance, making the trip even more special with your own research objective on hand - and in good company and lots of helping hands around you.
What hopes do you have for the future for Project Manaia?
We hope to be able to grow and get more people excited about marine conservation in the long run. Perhaps upgrade to a bigger boat or get a second one? There are so many people who love the seas and it is important to understand the mechanisms that keep the sea healthy and pristine, and this is where we step in.
What makes Project Manaia easy to market to potential participants?
The amazing mix of options: Marine Biology aboard a sailing boat, with daily snorkeling, traveling by boat in the Mediterranean. There is a lot of good stuff right there.
Beach cleanup crew
What is Project Manaia's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
We work towards healthy living oceans. With every jump into the blue we understand more about the sea, with every observation of marine life we get a better idea of what happens under the surface and with every person we manage to educate a bit better, the seas will get better protection.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
Ultimately a better understanding for the sea and its inhabitants. But along with that new friendships, lots of good memories, new experiences, new talents, new skills and love for the seas
If you could participate on one of your organization's programs, where would you go and what would you do?
Anywhere really, as the boat keeps sailing the Mediterranean it doesn't matter where exactly I would join, either way I would get to see a stretch of the Mediterranean coastline from a very new perspective.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Traveling broadens your horizon, it gives you a new perspective on things, a different background to the same old image. It puts things in perspective, be it the luxuries we see as common items, be it the environment we are used to. It is good to move out of our comfort zone on occasion, as it shows us how well off we really are.
Dolphins visiting in the evening
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
Easy: DO IT! It will be scary at times, it might be uncomfortable but it will be an experience you will never forget and tell stories about for a long time to come!
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
It means making an impression, both on the person traveling as well as on the path traveled. Ideally we leave a place in a better state than what we found it - this for me would be a definition of meaningful travel.
What qualities in program & host community relations are important to you? (And Project Manaia?)
The ability to adapt. In our case the host and the participant share a living space, a sailboat that we all live and move on. Relationships are a tricky and changing thing, but being in the confined space we are in, we all do our very best to keep a friendly, healthy and happy atmosphere on board - which is a team effort, involving everyone who participates in the expeditions.
How is your company handling Covid protocols? What should participants know about your Covid readiness? How are you assisting participants with navigating the new travel landscape?
Everyone who wants to join on board should bring a negative test result with them. We also do a quick test on board upon arrival (tests are provided by us) and once this shows a negative result you can come on board and inside the boat as well. This makes the boat effectively a CoVid free zone, enabling us to live together without masks.