Participants live on board of the research vessel Jean Gab that preferably navigates under sail. 
During your staying days will be almost entirely dedicated to the research activities and all participants will take part in the fieldwork. 

Every day, except for the arrival and the departure days, will be spent at sea. Survey tracks are laid out to provide a coverage of the study area, but might be adapted to prevailing weather conditions.

Participants will be asked to help researchers in the collection of data and sailing activities. They will rotate, together with the researchers, in watching shifts of one hour each during the whole navigation period until dolphins/whales are sighted. There are two observers on duty on every shift. 

Besides whales and dolphins, we record also the presence of sea turtles, tunas, swordfish, manta rays, large school of fish and sea birds. The acoustic system helps in the localization of the animals: the hydrophones detect any sound produced by cetaceans at an average distance of 3 nm and the software indicate the direction of the signal. It is then possible to approach the animals. 

In the evening, the boat go back to the harbour. Sometimes nights can be spent in a bay at the anchor or, for research reasons, out at sea.

Everybody have a role to play during sightings. A good teamwork is key to an enjoyable experience and a good data collection, such as filming dolphins with the underwater camera under the bow of the vessel, collecting behavioral data, recording sounds, filming and photographing the animals for their individual identification, and steering. A sighting can last several hours and in the meantime, normal duties on board such as cooking and washing dishes have to be carried out.

Please consider that we are looking for whales and dolphins in the wild, they are not always in the area and we cannot predict their moves, thus the encounters are not guaranteed.