Tickets go on sale for return of the Black Mermaid at Plett Ocean fest
PLETTENBERG BAY - The eagerly anticipated third Plett Ocean Festival is scheduled to take place later this year and tickets sales are open.
Kicking off the festival is the three-day Marine Science Symposium to be hosted at the iconic Beacon Island Resort from 21 to 23 June.
The festival will be a vibrant celebration of Plett's most cherished treasures - our ocean, marine life and beaches - while fostering crucial discussions on marine conservation. Notably, the festival aims to engage a diverse audience including families, nature lovers, conservationists, students and more. You're invited to 'come curious'.
As a destination for marine conservation, Plettenberg Bay is an accomplished destination: six international Blue Flag beaches, two Blue Flag boats, a Mission Blue Hope Spot, and a Whale Heritage Site that is surrounded by national parks and marine protected areas.
Festival director Cindy Wilson-Trollip sums it up: "The Plett Ocean Festival is committed to promoting awareness and appreciation for our oceans, fostering a sense of shared environmental responsibility, and encouraging Plett community engagement. Plett Ocean Festival endeavours to be an inclusive, unparalleled event celebrating the conservation and sustainable enjoyment of Plettenberg Bay's marine resources."
Plettenberg Bay thrives during the winter season, offering mild weather and abundant marine life, and the festival coincides with the presence of whales in
the bay, ideal ocean conditions, and the congregation of resident seals, dolphins, sharks and marine birds.
In addition to the Marine Science Symposium, the festival will offer a variety of activities and excursions including pelagic bird watching, rocky shore exploration, family-friendly fun and much more. Visitors can partake in a variety of family-friendly ocean-themed activities, both along the coastline and on the water, including options for exploration beneath the waves.
As the programme for the symposium is released, it is clear that the Plett Ocean Festival is once again set to create meaningful discussions and present fascinating findings with a full calendar of 26 speakers over three days, and Plett Tourism is pleased to announce the return of Zandi the Black Mermaid, aka Zandile Ndhlovu.
Ndhlovu, a dynamic speaker, ocean advocate and South Africa's first black female freediving instructor, has MCd the Marine Science Symposium since its launch in 2022. Since then, she has continued her remarkable journey: publishing her first book, participating in Discovery Channel's Shark Week special, Shark Women, and has been a nominee in the Mipad (Most Influential People of African Descent) Awards. "I'm super excited to be back: having conversations in community, expanding the role of science meeting community and becoming better ocean advocates together - super excited," says the vivacious Ndhlovu.
Her recent achievements include the global distribution of her children's book, Zandi’s Song, by Amazon Publishing and recognition in the BBC 100 Women List of 2023, alongside influential figures like Michelle Obama, Wanjira Mathai and America Ferrera.
Of her book launch in the United States on 26 March, Zandile says, "It was incredible. We listed as a best-seller within days of being released on Amazon!" While in the States, she was fortunate to attend the Sonoma International Film Festival for the world premier of Shaped by Water, by 11th Hour Racing, which she starred in. Zandile will present at the Marine Science Symposium on Saturday 22 June on her topic, 'Agent of Change'. This is one mermaid that just keeps on rising.