WWF TRAVEL SEARCH EXPEDITIONS: 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 holidays. 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 Anzio , a port that is very easy to reach both by train and by own means. Our route will be directed towards the archipelago of the Pontine islands : we will admire the magnificent Ponza islands, between Palmarola and Ponza. We will admire the thousand colors of the sea, rocks and vegetation.
We will decide the 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

The skipper of this experience will be Francesco N .. Click on her profile to read the reviews she has received from travelers on other yachting experiences. Together with Francesco, a second person will be present on board who will help him in the maneuvers and in the management of the schooner. For those who wish during the experience it will be possible to learn sailing notions with a small course held by the skipper .

Sailing with Francesco means taking a step back in time, it means experiencing those emotions that only history with its traditions can give you. Lie down on the deck, your eyes closed, the sun warming your face and feel the gentle roll of the boat as it safely plows through the water. The schooner is in fact built entirely of wood and designed for an environmental awareness project on the theme of plastic in the sea. The guest cabins are two doubles, one triple (with double berth + 1 single) and one quadruple with 4 single berths. As the triple cabin is passing through, it is not a "closed" cabin.
This boat is deliberately spartan but very fascinating , which is why the small price to pay is the lack of some comforts: there is no 220v (therefore it is not possible to use the hairdryer on board) and it does not dispense hot water.


To participate in this experience you will be required to show the Green Pass, or a negative swab certificate carried out in the 24 preceding boarding. A quick swab is also sufficient, which can be done in the pharmacy, with results in 15/20 minutes.