Conservation

Our love and passion for the oceans drives our desire to conserve the underwater environment so that future generations can experience the same wonder that we have discovered.

Research

An intense curiosity for understanding the inner workings of our ecosystem has led us down a path of academia. We study our oceans to better understand how to conserve them.

Adventure

Above all else, we are driven by excitement and thrill. There is no better way to stimulate passion than to fill our days with adventure.

Cape RADD is a marine field station that serves as a platform for researchers in the False Bay area of Cape Town. Cape RADD is dedicated to advancing marine science education, promoting conservation, and fostering a deep connection between people and the ocean. Our mission is to provide hands-on marine field experience and citizen science experiences, equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills to protect and preserve our marine ecosystems. Through research, education, and adventure, we strive to better understand the underwater world and share our passion for the ocean, ensuring its wonders are safeguarded for future generations. Find out more about our story!

Our work contributes towards the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

United Nations Sustainability Development Goals Logo
Quality Education
Climate Action
Life Below Water

Merchandise

woman wearing diving poncho-towel

Cape RADD Hooded Poncho-Towel

Hooded microfibre poncho-towel.

R900.00 – R1,000.00

front view of cape radd cap

Cape RADD Cap

Navy cap with embroidered Cape RADD logo.

R250.00

front view of cape radd t-shirt

Cape RADD T-Shirt

Cape RADD T-Shirt with printed logo on front and back.

R350.00

Meet the team

Course Director Dylan

Dylan Irion

Co-founder

Dylan is a marine scientist and Save Our Seas Foundation project leader, working towards a PhD that aims to unravel the drivers of white shark population dynamics in South Africa. He is a passionate freediver and SCUBA diver, and volunteers as a Sea Rescue crew member.

Course Director Mike

Mike Barron

Co-founder

Mike is a marine biologist and conservationist and a PADI master scuba diver instructor. He has travelled the world diving and experiencing many ecosystems and their inhabitants. His main interests lie in the field of inter-specific animal behaviour and he has worked on shark deterrents using killer whale stimuli.

Jessie

Jessica-Jade Barron

Jessie has always been a wildlife lover and manages the social media platforms for Cape RADD. She is also a budding photographer, freediver and hiker, and is on hand for student needs - ready to assist with trips, travel and anything else you might need whilst on the field course with us.

Mark Fitzgibbon

Mark Fitzgibbon

Junior Biologist

Mark is a commercial SCUBA diver and marine scientist, currently working on a Masters degree focused on the complex relationships between marine parasites and their hosts. He has experience in animal health, microscopy and marine diseases, with a particular interest in sharks. Mark prefers to be in the water, and also volunteers at the Two Oceans Aquarium as a diver.

Dani Maia

Lead Marine Guide

Dani says one of the best parts of being in the ocean is that you will always see something new. This is one classroom you can never be bored in. She loves seeing peoples' eyes light up when showing them things they have only been able to see on TV or in textbooks!

Dr Sam Manning

International Outreach Officer

Dr Sam Manning is a dedicated conservationist with a diverse career in wildlife and ecological research. Holding a PhD in Wildlife Conservation from Imperial College London, her work has encompassed community-based conservation projects in Madagascar and managing telemetry studies on Amur tigers and leopards in the Russian Far East. Her extensive field experience includes conducting ecological surveys in the Peruvian Amazon and training local researchers, with a strong focus on empowering communities to protect biodiversity. More recently, Sam has integrated her passion for conservation into education as a biology teacher, with the hope of inspiring future environmental stewards.

What our students say

Cape RADD intern Amanda

Amanda Gardiner

University of Washington

"I had never actually been out in the field doing field research. I had done stuff in labs and in classes, but I never had hands on experience, so I saw the Cape RADD field course as a perfect opportunity not only to dive but to actually learn how to take data in the field, learn how to ID animals. It turned out to be all of that and so much more... We got to dive a variety of environments, reef to kelp forests to urchin barrens...
It was so amazing because every day I got in the water, I just knew that was what I wanted to do, I just got happier everyday that I went diving..."

Cape RADD volunteer Courtney

Courtney Luing

University of Wisconsin

“I found out about this course through my advisor and I am so happy that I did because I really enjoyed it...
I got to hone in on my SCUBA diving skills and I got to learn a lot about researching in the field...”

Cape RADD student Anne

Anne-Sophie Roux

My Coral Garden

"I wanted to come to Cape RADD to gain more experience in marine sampling techniques, and to discover new ecosystems that I didn’t know anything about and improve my diving skills. I think its mission accomplished for it all.
I would advise anyone to come to Cape RADD.”

News

Cape Clawless Otter Sighting

Recently, during an early morning dog walk at Scarborough Beach, I stumbled upon two inquisitive Cape clawless otters playfully navigating the stream. At first it was a rustle in the reeds that caught my attention. Read more…

Contact Us

Find us in the water...

Or at the Ocean Hub!

117 St. George's St.

Simon's Town, Cape Town

South Africa, 7995

Give us a call

+27 79 734 4884

Contact Us

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