Wondering what it's like to volunteer with sea turtles in Greece? Hear about my experience this summer
When I needed to change my trip dates, the staff at The Mighty Roar accommodated my request with ease and were incredibly understanding.
When I arrived off the ferry I was greeted by 2 lovely members of the team who walked me to the accommodation (about a 15 minute walk) and explained what the first few days would look like. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was going to share a room with two Italians and one British girl. I absolutely loved hearing about how the Italians lived and more about their culture. Our accommodation was a spacious house with two kitchens, one huge terrace and six dorm rooms, each with up to four bunk beds. It provided a comfortable and communal atmosphere where we could all join together, eat home-cooked food and play games.
"The breathtaking views along the way made the journeys unforgettable."
Initially I was really worried about the amount of cycling that was required to get from the accommodation to the different beaches however the team always waited for us to catch up and were really supportive.
We did a wide variety of shifts each day such as beach surveys (checking for new nests), beach profiles (measuring the beach), litter picking, night surveys (walking the beach at night checking for turtles and nests) and night rescue (sleeping on the beach next to a nest to ensure it was safe from light pollution). My favourite shift however were the voluntary inventories that we could do almost every evening. We would go to the beach at sunset and the team leader would dig up a nest and count the living hatchling turtles (which we put in buckets) and hatched eggs. The team would then ensure the hatchlings made it to the sea - it was incredible.
One of my initial concerns was the intensity of the trip, fearing that I would be working tirelessly throughout. However I had two days off every week, and most days had a large amount of free time from about 10 am to 6 pm. This free time allowed me to relax on the beach, visit the local swimming pool, and explore the surrounding areas, each of which were stunning!
In total, I had the privilege of visiting 15 local beaches and helping (personally) 63 hatchlings to the sea. My time with The Mighty Roar in Greece was incredible and unforgettable. If you're seeking a meaningful and enriching experience in turtle conservation, I wholeheartedly recommend this trip.
