This month, REEF is proud to highlight one of our outstanding Conservation Partners: Key Dives in Islamorada, FL. REEF Conservation Partners are active organizations and dive shops dedicated to protecting marine environments. As valued REEF ambassadors, they teach fish ID classes, host survey dives, organize volunteer events and more. Read on to find out how you can get involved with these centers of conservation action!
NPR science podcast, Blue Dot, conducted an interview with Dr. Joe Gaydos and Diego Montecino, lead authors of a paper published in Science Advances about the decline of the Sunflower Sea Star in the Pacific northwest. The study's analysis included almost 11,000 REEF surveys collected by our citizen scientists from California to Alaska over the last decade. To date, REEF data have been used in three scientific papers to evaluate the impacts of sea star wasting disease.
St. Croix, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is known for amazing wall diving. Running along the northern side of the island, the wall begins in 25-40 feet of water and plunges to 13,000 feet below the surface. Divers will enjoy daily boat dives on the wall and surrounding reefs. St. Croix is also home to the the Fredericksted Pier, a shore diving site is known for unusual finds like frogfish, batfish and more. This quaint Caribbean island is rich with culture and history that divers and non-divers will enjoy.
This eco-adventure includes diving or snorkeling with Costa Rica's marine life and as well as land-based tours through a vibrant tropical rainforest and an active volcano, and a wildlife-watching boat trip. The itinerary has 8 dives (or snorkels) to conduct REEF surveys, as well as land tours throughout the diverse Guanacaste region. This weeklong family-friendly excursion also features several opportunities to try traditional Costa Rican cuisine, including an authentic in-home tortilla making lesson.
Cozumel is known for relaxed drift diving and many unique fish finds, from the endemic Splendid Toadfish, found only in this area, to the high abundances of interesting species like Cherubfish, Blackcap Basslet, and Sargassum Triggerfish. When not diving, you will enjoy all the wonderful food and culture that Mexico has to offer, as well as daily seminars by Cozumel local and fish id expert, Tracey Griffin. This annual trip to Cozumel is sure to be a wonderful week of camaraderie, diving and citizen science! Reserve your spot today because this trip always fills up quickly.
Part of a volcanic and coral mountain range, Guanaja is within the world's second-largest barrier reef, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Dive sites surround the entire island, meaning it's possible to find a site with calm water on nearly any day of the week. Just steps from the sandy beach, the rocks and flats surrounding the island are perfect for those who love shore diving and searching for all of the unique fish species that inhabit the shallows. The Villa on Dunbar Rock is a one of a kind resort providing stunning 360 degree views.
REEF surveyors will enjoy the fish diversity found in San Salvador, voted one of the best wall-diving locations in the Caribbean. The island, located in the southeastern Bahamas, is the tip of a submerged mountain that plunges more than 15,000 feet below the ocean's surface. Shark lovers will especially enjoy this location, as it is one of the few places known to attract Scalloped Hammerheads, which are seen more frequently during the winter months. Family-owned and operated Riding Rock Resort is one of only two resorts located on the San Salvador waterfront.
Looking to take a citizen science dive trip in 2019? There are still spaces remaining on some REEF Field Survey Trips this year. Marine life enthusiasts are invited to join us for a vacation filled with diving, ocean education, and fun. For more information on any of the trips below, visit www.REEF.org/trips or contact trips@REEF.org.
As an environmental leader in our Florida Keys community, we are excited to share that REEF is taking a big step toward sustainability by making improvements to our Headquarters in Key Largo. You can help us reduce our carbon footprint by making a one-time, tax-deductible donation to support renewable energy.
Located in remote Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Misool is known for pristine reefs and abundant marine life. All of the dive sites are protected by the resort's own Misool Private Marine Reserve, including the House Reef, a world-class shore dive with the opportunity to see unique animals including Black Tip Reef Sharks, Bargibanti and Denise Pygmy Seahorses, and even mating Mandarinfish!