Lorraine’s work experience travel log

There are five species of sea turtles which can be seen around the Maldives. The green turtle and hawksbill turtles are the ones people are most likely to see when snorkelling around resorts as they are seen most coastally. Loggerheads, leatherbacks and olive ridleys can also be seen but are found much deeper as they are found more pelagic waters. Here is some information about the turtles we currently have at the centre: You can follow the Marine Centre on our Instagram which I am in charge of updating whilst I am here: https://www.instagram.com/atollmarinecentre/  As well as our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atollmarinecentre/  Our website if you're interested in adopting a turtle: https://www.atollmarinecentre.com/

I started writing this blog on the first day of the new year. Back at this time last year I had no idea I would be bringing in the new year in the Maldives! But here we are! I've now been on Naifaru for a whole month! How time is already flying! Some highlights of my first month have been meeting and getting to know the turtles, snorkelling with a manta ray and taking samples turtle for an X-ray at the hospital!  I am living on Naifaru, which is the captial Island of the Lhaviyani Atoll (North of Male). It is a local island rather than a private or resort island so it is very conservative and we must have out Knees, shoulders and everything inbetween covered at all times. This mean we swim in leggings and rash vests most of the times, we are allowed to wear swimming costumes and bikinis when we go on excursions to uninhabited islands though.  I left the UK on the 14th December, only two months after leaving Ascension Island. Th...

Last week on Ascension! On Saturday evening (30th September) Lorna had a games evening and drinks around a fire for her birthday celebrations. We played Scrawl which is a drawing version of Chinese whispers where you’re given a phrase to draw then the next person has to write what they see, then the next person draws the new phrase, and this is repeated until it returns to the original drawer. It was a very funny game. We then sat outside Haye’s in their garden where they have a fire pit area and had a few drinks whilst we looked at the Stars, Tobias was showing Anna and I his new stargazing book which teaches you about the visible features on the moon which was really cool. At around 22:15 Anna and I decided we were going to head to long beach to stargaze for a little while before heading to bed. We walked along the back of the beach and were going to walk all the way to the end when I decided we should turn onto the middle and sit in the centre. I’m not quite sure what made me wa...