
Once You Go Blue, You Can Never Go Back: Ndamulelo Netshikovhela’s Journey into Marine Science
Once You Go Blue, You Can Never Go Back: Ndamulelo

Once You Go Blue, You Can Never Go Back: Ndamulelo

🚢 Ever wondered what it’s like aboard the SA Agulhas II?
Now’s your chance! Explore South Africa’s iconic polar research vessel through this immersive 360° Virtual Tour and discover the spaces where marine and polar science happens.

Discover how young creatives from across South Africa are using art to raise awareness about our ocean and meet our 2025/2026 Ocean Art Competition winners.

From innovative coding challenges to rocky shore explorations, the NRF-SAEON Elwandle Node hosted an inspiring three-day Grade 10 camp at Pine Lodge Resort in Gqeberha. Learners from across the Eastern Cape dived into hands-on science, citizen science platforms like iNaturalist, and creative ocean storytelling — strengthening their ocean literacy while discovering how science connects to real-world challenges and their own communities.

The Blue Schools Ocean Literacies workshop engaged Grade 10 and 11 learners in exploring the ocean beyond biology and conservation. Using arts-based methods, learners shared their own stories, perspectives, and relationships with the ocean, helping to broaden ocean literacy through social science and creative approaches.

The Department of Science, Technology & Innovations in partnership with NRF-SAEON invites you to participate in the 2025 Ocean Competition for learners from grades R-12 based in South Africa.
Find out more about this exciting competition!

Discover what learners and educators had to say at the 2025 National Blue Schools Conference in Gqeberha and the Blue Schools journey. A celebration of ocean-connected learning, youth-led research, and the growing impact of the Blue Schools programme across South Africa.

Learners, educators, and mentors came together to connect science, creativity, and action under the theme “From Currents to Action: Connecting Oceans, Cultures and Futures

The Grade 10 Marine Science Camp, organized by NRF-SAEON, offered learners a dynamic and hands-on exploration of marine science at the Willows Resort in Port Elizabeth, the programme combined fieldwork, technology, and collaborative projects to deepen learners’ understanding of marine ecosystems and scientific research.