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Steer South!
April 2006 - NAUSICAÄ's Expansion
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Name: NAUSICAÄ - French National Sea Experience Centre
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6th-Mar-2006 04:37 pm - Steer South!: The Voyage

 

 

The first part of this voyage begins aboard the vessel.

Experience a real life sea voyage with some amazing settings, special effects and interactive features.  Through the portholes you will sense the omnipresence of the sea, often quite choppy. Be careful, you may get seasick!  But you are not alone on this journey; Jean-Michel Cousteau accompanied by three young children will be your guide all along the way as you discover the ocean and the dangers that threaten its future.  You are sailing off the West African coast.  A quick virtual dive into the awe-inspiring sights and sounds of the ocean interrupts this sea voyage.

Now we come to the first port of call in West Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And what a change of scenery!  As you disembark you will discover some exceptional natural surroundings: the Arguin banks, the mangroves of Senegal and the Bjiagos archipelago.  The inhabitants here are completely dependant upon marine resources.  In this mangrove setting you will discover the impending risks that the population are confronted with, like the changing behaviour patterns that jeopardize the precious marine resources.

Next stop is a barren seashore miles from any human activity, somewhere along the Namibia coast.

Walk along a pontoon of glass and observe the eagle-rays at your feet as well as lots of other fish too.   Suddenly everything comes to life on the shore opposite you with a multi-media show in which appears Jean-Michel Cousteau, who warns us that pollution knows no boundaries.
At last we arrive in South Africa, crossroads of the oceans.  An emergent country that shelters an exceptional flora and fauna, but it also has the two fold problem of being an industrial country and an underdeveloped one.  On a flood lit beach you will discover the African penguin population.  While meandering beside the abundant and rich flora that line the rocks, you will be able to observe more closely these penguins as they shuffle along the beach or dive into their tank. It’s the encounter between the Atlantic and Indian oceans that produce this explosion of wild life.  

Now follows a 4D film show with computer-generated stereoscopic images and special effects. Jean-Michel Cousteau and his young companions are still our guides in this film that will take you on a voyage across the oceans.  You will not only see the wonderful things that the ocean offers, but also become aware of the enormous pressures that afflict it due to our activities.

Fantastic and dramatic pictures that will make us think about how the world is developing: the over-consumption on the one hand and poverty on the other hand.
We are all in the same unique ‘ship’: the Blue Planet.  But no-one is just a mere passenger; we are all part of the ‘crew’.

6th-Mar-2006 04:27 pm - The African Penguins

The African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus)

In skirting around Africa to reach India in 1497-1499, Vasco de Gama became the first to relate the existence of the African penguins. (Spheniscus means “like a corner”, a metaphor that illustrates the triangular form of the penguins’ wings, and “demersus” means diver).

The Africa penguins can measure up to 70cm and have a life span of between 25 to 28 years.  They live mainly along the South African coast, as well as on some of the nearby islands.

The Africa penguins are gregarious and monogamous birds.  The females lay 2 to 3 eggs and the gestation takes place from the middle of November to the beginning of December for a duration of 5 weeks.

42% of the Africa penguins’ diet is made up of fish and in particular anchovies and sardines.

The Cape of Good Hope penguins are protected since 1975 by the Washington Convention.  They also appear on the red list of The World Nature Conservation Union.
In addition, a series of decrees have been established by the South African government that aim to protect the African penguins all along their coasts.

The citizens of South Africa are now aware of how important these penguins are to the country’s economy, they are a real boon to the local tourist industry and are becoming the purpose of many expeditions.

For instance, in the year 2000 when the “DV TREASURE” was shipwrecked causing the invasion of an oil slick on to their coasts, the Cape of Good Hope inhabitants toiled altogether and saved 90% of these Penguins.
It is nevertheless the case that the whole penguin colony of the African, which is so popular with tourists, could be completely destroyed by just one average sized oil slick.   

National decrees have been put into force by South Africa in an attempt to ensure the protection of the African penguins in several nature parks and reserves.

The specimens you will see in NAUSICAÄ, which were reproduced in captivity, come primarily from the “Doué la Fontaine” zoo in France.

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