One of the culminating moments of the Arribada Club’s programme is, without a doubt, the visit to one of the island’s nesting beaches. Throughout the school year we talk about the sea turtles and the technologies that we use to study and protect them. And, nearing the end of our yearly activities, we finally get to see these incredible animals face to face!

The head of Príncipe’s sea turtle protection programme (Protetuga Project), Vanessa Schmitt, is ready to welcome our students when we arrive at the beach. Our trip starts with a few rules and pointers, so that the students know what to expect. There are three types of turtles visiting the shores of Príncipe: the green turtle, the hawksbill and the leatherback. The turtles use these beaches to make their nests –which the conservationists mark using numbered wooden stakes –, so we cannot disturb these. And, very importantly, we absolutely cannot throw trash on these shores!

Plastic pollution – as everywhere else in the world –, is a serious problem here. So, our first activity is to clean up every single piece of plastic we see laying on the sand. The students are divided up into groups and given a trash bag so that, on our way to the Kaxi-Tetuga Museum, we can give a hand to the conservation effort.