Sodwana Bay Festival around the corner

CELEBRATING the marine and terrestrial miracles that take place within the Sodwana Bay section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park is the theme running through this year’s Sodwana Bay Festival.

The festival is set to run on the long weekend of 26 April to 1 May and is for divers and non-divers alike.

With the renowned photographic competition the core activity, there are many items on the action-packed agenda, including the kids’ club, a music festival, micro-seminars and a community drive.

A new item on this year’s programme is the Small Steps Surfing Programme, an initiative of Ufudu Tours’ Peter Jacobs and his son Jurgen.

‘The Small Steps programme is a brilliant initiative which brings youngsters from the surrounding community to the beach to learn to surf and to show them fun ways to enjoy their beautiful environment,’ said iSimangaliso Marketing and Brand Manager, Lindy Duffield.

‘Together with a few facilitators, they teach the basics of surfing to 30 to 40 children from seven years old and upwards.

‘The project is going exceptionally well and we are thrilled to be able to integrate this into the kids’ club programme, with junior festival visitors joining the local children in the waves.’

With numerous categories in which to enter, the photographic competition is at the heart of the festival.

‘With the stunning reefs and dramatic landscapes of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park serving as the backdrop for these images, we encourage both divers and non-divers to participate in this idyllically set competition,’ said Duffield.

Aiming to give back to the community, there will be basic skills training in swimming, first aid and ‘discover scuba’ courses on offer, which teach the value of conservation of the underwater world.

‘The iSimangaliso Sodwana Bay Festival has evolved into a fully-rounded family event with a strong focus on bringing the next generation into the fold – to experience, appreciate and celebrate the beauty and immense value of our World Heritage Site, whether ocean or land, and why we must continue to protect it.

‘While the photographs produced during the competition capture and convey the wonder of iSimangaliso to the world at large, the work being done on the ground every day by so many passionate individuals, is every bit as vital to ensure continuity of our conservation efforts.’