Whale watching cruise with WWF researcher between Liguria and the French Riviera

WWF TRAVEL SEARCH CRUISES: WHALE WATCHING BUT NOT ONLY!



WWF Travel offers a cruise on a sailing boat where travelers will be involved in WWF scientific research activities for the protection of the Mediterranean megafauna. A sea and navigation experience accompanied by WWF researchers , where you can learn to observe, identify and protect, with strictly non-invasive methods, the cetaceans of our seas.

For travelers it will be an opportunity to enjoy naturalistic and marine beauties , to have fun in the most beautiful seas of the Mediterranean and at the same time to develop skills of great scientific interest such as:

• naturalistic photography techniques and photo-identification techniques

• monitoring methodologies

• behavior sampling techniques

• use of research instruments : GPS, navigation software, binoculars with reticles, video camera and BORIS software for the acquisition of surface behavioral data.

The atmosphere that reigns on the boat is serene and informal and all the people on board will be involved in the activities on board (such as cooking, keeping the boat in order, ...) , in order to preserve the spirit of sharing that characterizes this type of vacation. The daily activities, in agreement with the skipper and the researcher, will be modulated and variable according to the weather and sea conditions and the identification of itineraries that lend themselves extemporaneously to scientific research. For this as a crew we will need to be flexible and to understand that working with animals in nature is not 100% planned. Sometimes the observations of cetaceans will require more prolonged navigations in order to make an observation. But this is precisely the beauty of a cruise that has a scientific research component!

WHY CHOOSE WWF TRAVEL?

1) RESPONSIBLE TOURISM : we are among the founding members of AITR, the Italian Association of Responsible Tourism; for us, making a trip means first of all implementing all good practices aimed at respecting the environment , local communities and supporting the protection of biodiversity;
2) COMPETENCE and KNOWLEDGE : we give enormous value to competence in fact the WWF researchers all come from naturalistic training courses, but above all they have a very clear objective, that is to give depth to the emotions experienced on board and ensure that your wealth of knowledge is much heavier when returning from an experience with WWF, enriching with details every moment lived in search of the inhabitants of the sea.
3) FUN AND PLEASURE : we never forget that we are talking about holidays. We want to get to know the nature that surrounds us better, but we want to do it by enjoying the beauty of the places we are visiting and appreciating the pleasure of sharing the experience with our travel companions in a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere .

PLACES AND ITINERARY

We will leave from the port of Marina degli Aregai (IM) to experience a wonderful week discovering western Liguria and the French Riviera. We will immerse ourselves in the beauties of the area, stopping in the most enchanting bays and admiring breathtaking landscapes. During the week we will also have the opportunity to discover the beautiful Lerins Islands , facing the French Riviera and the Bay of Cannes. If time permits, with the right timing at our disposal, aware of a longer navigation, we can also reach the island of Porquerolles.
It will be an experience dedicated to outdoor life and contact with nature.
We will decide the exact itinerary based on the weather conditions and the indications of the skipper and the WWF expert.

Do you want to get excited with little? Fun and healthy life on the boat are also waiting for you, including aperitifs, dinners under the stars and swimming in natural pools, respecting the environment, with new and old friends.

OUR SKIPPER

On board this experience there will be Ivo M. or Gian Luca F .: click on the name to find out more about them. Sailing enthusiasts and friends from an early age, Ivo and Gian Luca will take you to discover the magical places where they grew up and of which they know every cove very well.