CIPS Y EAR 6 C LAVIS C HRONICLES : R ODRIGUES E DITION
C LAVIS T RAVEL T RIBUNE
E ARLY S TART AND E XCITEMENT M ARK D AY 2
T he Clavis International
Primary School Year 6
students began their second
day on Rodrigues Island
bright and early, with a
7:15 AM breakfast setting
the pace for what promises
to be a bustling and educa-
tional day.
Under partly cloudy skies
E VENING D ANCE - OFF L IGHTS U P F IRST N IGHT
A fter a full day of ex-
ploration and learning
on Thursday, the Clavis
Year 6 students found
themselves on the stone
patio outside the pavilion
beyond the pool at their
hotel. The cloudy night sky
and the soothing sounds of
the nearby sea set a pictur-
esque backdrop for an even-
ing of fun and dancing.
With DJ Michael and DJ
Christophe at the helm, the
students took to the dance-
floor, filling the air with
laughter and energetic
dance moves. The outdoor
space became a lively hub of
activity as the students
jumped, spun, and show-
cased their best dance
moves, all while working
D AY 2
and a refresh-
ing ocean
breeze, with
temperatures
hovering
around a
comfortable
24°C, the
students were
in high spirits. They gath-
ered in the dining area for a
buffet breakfast, fuelling up
for a day filled with explo-
ration and learning.
The previous evening, the
students met with their
group leaders to prepare for
the day’s activities. Armed
with notebooks and a keen
off the last bits of energy
from their busy day and a
hearty dinner.
As the night progressed, the
excitement peaked with a
classic boys versus girls
dance-off. The boys im-
pressed with their innova-
tive and creative moves,
while the girls kept perfect
time with the music, staying
true to the rhythms and
beat. In the end, it was too
close to call a winner, but
the friendly competition
added an extra lay-
er of enjoyment to
the evening.
The dancing
wrapped up shortly
after 9:00 PM,
with the students
F RIDAY , 31 M AY 2024
sense of curiosity, the
young explorers are ready
to dive into research and
data collection projects that
blend education with adven-
ture.
Despite the excitement of
their first night away from
home, the students man-
aged to get a good night’s
sleep, energized and enthu-
siastic for the experiences
ahead. Today’s itinerary
includes several stops de-
signed to engage the stu-
dents with the island’s
unique environment and
sustainable practices.
heading back to their rooms
to prepare for bed. Lights
out was at 9:30 PM, ensur-
ing the children got some
much-needed rest for the
adventures awaiting them
on the next day.
This vibrant dance-off not
only capped off a fantastic
first day on Rodrigues Is-
land but also highlighted the
students' camaraderie and
enthusiasm, setting a joyful
tone for the rest of the trip.
T ODAY ’ S E VENTS
• Students got up, enjoyed a
healthy breakfast, and left
their hotel at 08:15
• First excursion was to Anse
Raffin Dam, where students
learned about water scarcity
and measures to solve the
problem
• Students explored François
Leguat Tortoise Reserve
• Lunch was at Ile Michel for
a BBQ and variety of choices
for everyone
• Visit to Eco Village Rivière
Cocos and a talk a repre-
sentative of the Environment
about sustainable develop-
ment
• Free choice and relaxation or
swimming at the hotel
• The group enjoying a dinner
at an extensive buffet
• A lievely evening of enter-
tainment before bed at
21:30
I NSIDE THIS ISSUE :
E ARLY START TO 1
D AY 2
E VENING D ANCE 1
F ROM D AY 1
A NSE R AFFIN D AM 2
F RANÇOIS L EGUAT 2
T ORTOISE R ESERVE
BBQ L UNCH 3
R IVIÈRE C OCOS 3
A DDITIONAL M O- 4
MENTS
 P AGE 2
W ATER S CARCITY S OLUTIONS AT A NSE R AFFIN D AM
T oday, the Year 6 stu-
dents from Clavis Inter-
national Primary School em-
barked on an enlightening
journey to Anse Raffin Dam
to learn about the critical
water management efforts on
Rodrigues Island. After a
hearty breakfast, the students
travelled to the dam, where
they received a talk from a
representative of water re-
N ATURE AND H ISTORY AT F RANÇOIS L EGUAT T ORTOISE R ESERVE
A fter their time at Anse
Raffin Dam, the Clavis
students visited the François
Leguat Giant Tortoise and
Cave Reserve. Despite the
overcast skies and intermit-
tent light rain, the students’
spirits remained high as they
learned about the rich history
and ecology of this unique
reserve.
Named after François Leguat,
an 18th-century Huguenot
settler who meticulously doc-
umented Rodrigues’ natural
flora and fauna, the reserve is
part of a larger project that
includes La Vanille Reserve in
Mauritius. The students
learned that Rodrigues was
once home to two unique
species of giant tortoise: the
tall, saddle-backed tortoise
that browsed trees and bush-
es, and the low, dome-shelled
tortoise that grazed on grass.
Both species, unfortunately,
became extinct due to human
activity.
To combat this loss and re-
store the ecosystem, the re-
serve has introduced 500 Al-
dabra giant tortoises and 40
sources management in Ro-
drigues.
The talk highlighted the chal-
lenges Rodrigues faces with
water scarcity due to unpre-
dictable rainfall and periods of
drought. The representative
explained the importance of
the Anse Raffin Dam, a vital
infrastructure project recent-
ly rehabilitated by the Ro-
drigues Public Utilities Cor-
poration to improve water
distribution. The students
were fascinated to learn about
the integration of desalination
technology, which converts
seawater into freshwater,
significantly alleviating water
Radiated tortoises. These
tortoises play a vital role in
maintaining the natural vege-
tation, helping to keep the
ecosystem balanced. Addi-
tionally, the reserve is home
to the Rodrigues Fruit Bat,
one of the rarest bats globally
and one of the last three en-
demic animals on the island.
The highlight for many stu-
dents was walking among the
freely roaming giant tortoises.
They were particularly fasci-
nated by a canyon area where
many tortoises congregated to
sleep, eat, and interact with
curious students. The sight of
these majestic creatures up
close was both awe-inspiring
and educational, giving stu-
dents a firsthand look at the
efforts to restore Rodrigues’
natural environment.
The adventure continued with
a tour of the reserve’s magnif-
icent caves. Here, students
learned about the fascinating
geological features that have
formed over thousands of
years. The slow drip of water
through limestone has left
behind stunning calcite depos-
C LAVIS C HRONICLES : R ODRIGUES E DITION
shortages on the island.
They also discovered the pros
energy sources.
The talk emphasized the im-
and cons of desalination. portance of individual water
While it provides a reliable reservoirs maintained by resi-
and abundant water supply dents, who receive water
and offers solutions to fresh- deliveries once a month,
water scarcity, it is energy- teaching students about the
intensive and can harm ma- value of water conservation
rine ecosystems. The high- and efficient usage.
light was learning about solar
desalination, a
sustainable meth-
od producing 80
m³ of fresh drink-
ing water daily
using solar energy,
with additional
capacity at night
through hybrid
its and unique formations,
showcasing nature’s patient
artistry. The lush greenery
outside the caves contrasted
sharply with much of the is-
land, serving as a poignant
reminder of human impact on
the environment.
This visit was more than just
an exploration; it was a pow-
erful educational experience.
The students learned about
the importance of conserva-
tion and the role of sustaina-
ble practices in preserving
natural habitats. The François
Leguat Reserve’s efforts to
restore Rodrigues’ natural
heritage left a lasting impres-
sion on the young visitors,
inspiring them to think about
how they can contribute to
sustainability and environ-
mental protection in their
own lives.
P AGE 3
A D ELICIOUS L UNCH AT I LE M ICHEL
A fter a morning filled
with learning and explo-
ration, the students arrived at
Ile Michel park for a well-
deserved BBQ lunch. Located
on the southwestern coast of
Rodrigues, Ile Michel is a
picturesque spot accessible by
a short drive from the
François Leguat Reserve.
Students were greeted by a
sumptuous BBQ spread fea-
turing grilled chicken, chick-
en sausages, and two kinds of
fish. Vegetarians enjoyed po-
tato salad, carrot and cabbage
slaw, and grilled vegetable
skewers. The meal was com-
S USTAINABLE L IVING
I n the afternoon, the stu-
dents visited the Eco Vil-
lage at Rivière Cocos, a sus-
tainable community project
R ELAXING AND R EFLECTING B ACK AT THE H OTEL
A fter a day of exploration
and learning, the stu-
dents returned to their hotel
at 4 PM. The return of sunny
weather allowed them to en-
joy a swim in the pool, fol-
lowed by some free time to
relax and reflect on the day's
events.
In the evening, the students
gathered on the assembly
terrace for a discussion about
tomorrow’s events before
heading to dinner. Day 2 is
planned to conclude with an
exciting entertainment event
C LAVIS C HRONICLES : R ODRIGUES E DITION
plemented by baguette slices
and various salads. After fill-
ing their bellies, students had
SEE AN ANIMATED
DRIVING VIDEO FOR
DAY 2’s DESTINA-
time to relax, play, and soak TIONS
in the beautiful surroundings
before heading to their next 1. Drive from the hotel
destination. to Anse Raffin Dam
2. Drive from the Dam
to Tortoise Reserve
3. Drive from Reserve
to lunch
4. Drive from lunch to
Rivière Cocos
5. Drive from Rivière
Cocos back to the
hotel
AT R IVIÈRE C OCOS E CO V ILLAGE
that showcases eco The students learned that the ple of sustainable living for
-friendly practices. solar farm produces 100 KW the students and the island's
An engineer from of energy, significantly reduc- residents.
the Rodrigues ing the island's reliance on
Sustainable Devel- diesel generators.
opment and Envi- The Eco Village
ronment Commis- also features solar
sion, delivered an streetlights, waste
informative talk on the vil-
lage's solar farm and its im-
pact on the island's electricity
management initia-
tives, and biogas
production, setting
needs. a powerful exam-
organized by the hotel, leav-
ing the students ready for bed
and the next day's adventures,
which include exploring the
Port Mathurin traditional
market and learning about the
island's economic progress
from the locals.
Stay tuned
for more
updates on
the Year 6
field trip to
Rodrigues
Island!
P AGE 4 C LAVIS C HRONICLES : R ODRIGUES E DITION

M OMENTS FROM D AY 2