Monday, 15th January 2024 - Lily

We were able to catch sunrise this morning because of our early start to our beach clean up, which was the perfect start to our action-packed day. The team really got stuck in and we managed to collect 28kg of rubbish!

We sorted this after a delicious breakfast so that young Kenyan mothers could come pick up and sell the rubbish to collectors, as it makes their lives much easier and the process quicker.

The afternoon was filled with learning and listening, from laughter-filled Swahili lessons to furious note-taking during our fish lecture.  I’ve found that the Swahili phrase ‘Mbwa mzuri’ (good dog) has been particularly useful for the lovely ridgebacks that have been visiting us as we tan on the beach.

One of the many highlights of the day was the raft building competition.  As the race began, excited shouts filled the air as the teams battled furiously to reach the shoreline.  Rafts literally falling apart did not stop anyone.  Tessa’s team emerged out of the water carrying a single bamboo stick with a wet towel attached - the remains of their once glorious raft flag.

We finished our day with some reggae and Lucy demonstrating some VERY traditional Bahamian dance moves up on the table, as the rest of us tried to replicate with little success.  This was, of course, barely two beers in, which pretty much sums up our groups energy!

Oceans Alive says:

Week 1 is all about ORIENTATION. We want the Leapers to feel at home as soon as possible - not easy when you’re in Africa and in an environment very different from anything most people have experienced before. Our team of Leapers are champs, however, and are getting stuck in to the Oceans Alive way of life. What better way to start than with a beach clean up!

Beach clean ups are a great way to get in the rhythm of life at the coast; up with the sun and on the beach as soon as. The plastic and waste on the beach is largely ocean waste and highlights the problem we all face of the sea being used as a dumping ground. It is quite humbling to see how much of the waste is household items (shampoo bottles, water bottles, toothpaste tubes etc) which we all use daily.

Swahili - we focus on almost daily Swahili lessons in the first two weeks to give the Leapers some useful words to help them while they are here. Many people speak English but Swahili is a great way to feel less like a tourist and more like a local.

Raft building is the first big activity done as groups. Each trip is divided into groups of 5 or 6; this group has 3 groups of 5. It is super fun and massively competitive with even the team leaders getting involved and sometimes bending the rules a little to get their team a win! Our legendary Juma usually manages to keep it clean and settle any ‘we was robbed’ disputes.