In its fourth year, the Marine Month competition run by the Dyer Island Conservation Trust with eco-tourism partners Marine Dynamics & Dyer Island Cruises, and with the support of conservation partners, the Overstrand Municipality, Birdlife Overberg and the Department of Environmental Affairs, Fisheries and Forestry (DEFF), reached 28 schools in the Overstrand area. This campaign, held every October, aims to raise awareness of the importance of our oceans.
The four main topics across the categories were:
1. Secretary bird Conservation
2. Air Pollution Effects on Marine Environment
3. Marine litter
4. Oceans are home to all forms of life.
This competition is aimed at all ages with various categories:
Category 1-COLOURING (Grades 1-3)
Category 2-POETRY (Grades 4-7)
Category 3-ESSAY (Grades 8 – 11)
Judges deliberated over the final 280 entries received after the school’s submitted their top entries, and are pleased to announce the winners:
Category 1 – Colouring In – Grades 1-3
Curro Hermanus – Mason Carolus, Arran Muller, Julia Walton
Generations School – Maggie-Lou Fourie, Ava Caldwell
Okkie Smuts Primary – Samantha Horn, Onwaba Yawa
Laerskool Gansbaai – Martin Potgieter
Mount Pleasant Primary – Fazline Jacobs
Gansbaai Primer – Joseph Appel
Die Bron Primary – Domenique Benjamin, Annelle Phillips,
Bosko Christian School – Anntlouise Ngxiki
Northcliff House College – Makhosi Ngwenya
Kleinmond Primary –Nigel Plaatjies, Lisakhanya Faku
Category 2 – Poetry – Grades 4-7
Kleinmond Primary – Cee-Jay September
Lukhanyo Primary – Sintle Roto, Zininzi Livi, Lilitha Mzingaye, Okuhle Nondela, Lisa Soul, Isipho Zembe,
Laerskool Gansbaai – Nina Strydom
Gansbaai Primer – Jay-Jay Salo, Coren Hess
Category 3 – Essay – Grades 8-11
Gansbaai Academia – Aletta Xhaka, Owethu Ntanjana, Siyamthanda Ngaleka
Northcliff House College – Claudia Weich
The winners of the Marine Month competition enjoyed a Marine Big 5 trip with Dyer Island Cruises. Benjamin Kondokter from the Overstrand Municipality Environmental Management and Amanda Damane and Papama Mjelo from Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) joined the beaming scholars – for some it was their first time on sea. The Trust’s educator, Pinkey Ngewu, explained more about the Dyer Island ecosystem and the learners presented their poetry and essays at the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary after the trip. Each winner received a backpack from the Overstrand Municipality and goody items donated from DEFF (Department of Environmental Affairs, Fisheries and Forestry). Shopping vouchers sponsored by Marine Dynamics were also awarded to the top winners.
By Pinkey Ngewu, Trust Educator
Our proud winners! Congratulations once again.
All geared up, ready to embark!
Welcome on board of Dreamcatcher.
Look, there’s a shark.
Our marine guide & biologist Jade gave the kids some interesting facts about our marine life.
What an enjoyable trip.
