Short answer, yes, but probably not at the level you are picturing. You do not need to be a competitive swimmer or a lifelong ocean person. You need to be a confident, comfortable swimmer who can handle time in open water without panicking, and that is a lower bar than most people assume before they ask.
What confident swimmer actually means here
Marine Impact’s Zanzibar programme is built around dolphin research and reef surveys, most of which happen from a boat with time spent snorkelling rather than diving. You need to be able to swim continuously for several minutes, tread water, and stay calm if a current pulls you further from the boat than expected. None of that requires speed or technique. It requires not panicking, which is a skill on its own and one that improves fast with a bit of practice before you arrive.
Do you need a diving certification
Not for the dolphin research programme itself, which is primarily snorkel based. If you want to take part in scuba based reef survey work, a PADI Open Water certification is required. If you do not already hold one, it can be arranged locally in Zanzibar, and typically takes three to four days to complete. Some volunteers arrive a few days early specifically to get certified before their placement starts. Others complete it during their first week in the field.
What the first week actually looks like in the water
Your first few days involve short, supervised sessions before anyone puts you into a full survey. Staff watch how you handle a mask and fins, how you manage a bit of current, and how you cope with being in open water rather than a pool or a calm lagoon. Almost everyone improves fast once they get past the first day or two of feeling out of their depth, literally and otherwise. If something is not working, you will hear about it early and the programme will adjust what you are doing rather than push you into open water surveys before you are ready.
What actually trips people up
It is rarely swimming ability itself. It is heat, sun exposure, and long days on a boat before you have adjusted. Being seasick on your first few boat trips is common and normal, and it says nothing about whether you will be fine by week two. Basic water confidence combined with general physical fitness for full days outdoors covers almost everyone who ends up struggling.
If you are still not sure
If you can swim a few lengths of a pool without stopping and you are not afraid of open water, you are very likely fine. If you have a specific concern, a medical condition, or genuine anxiety around deep water, tell us before you apply rather than after you arrive. We can usually tell you honestly whether a particular programme is a good fit, and if it is not, which one might be instead.
See the fitness and experience requirements for Zanzibar programmes here.
