poidog
Active member
Calling all reefer divers in Chicago (or any divers 
) for an awesome volunteer trip to the Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo!!
I've been trying to organize this since last year, and finally I think we can get this thing off the ground if there is enough interest. We need at least 6 divers for this to happen.
I've been talking with the team at CRF and they are very excited to have us hobbyists down to volunteer in the coral nursery in Key Largo! We are working to set up a 3 day program with them, but we can do a 2 day if folks just want to make a quick weekend trip out of it. Dates are flexible and the CRF is putting together a few dates that will work with them that I will post here once I get. If there is enough interest, and dates work, then we can get this thing on the books!
Please post if you would be interested in doing this awesome trip and contributing to a cause we all relate too.
Some details rolling around in my head:
Costs: Transportation, accommodations, $35 per person CRF donation per day, diving costs (reduced rates from operators for volunteer work)
For accommodations I thought we could all rend a house in key largo (ie vrbo.com). This will keep the costs of accommodations considerably low and would make a fun time for the volunteer trip.
Details from CRF:
The CRF Dive Program encourages divers of all ages and skill levels to get involved and take an active role in coral restoration. CRF blends classroom instruction and field diving to provide a hands-on learning experience. Program length and content are based on group size and interest. CRF’s core outreach programs consist of one and two day programs covering nursery and restoration techniques. Programs of three days or longer may be requested.
Day one and two are divided into a morning session and an afternoon session. A CRF staff member gives a lecture in the morning, including an introduction to coral anatomy and conditions necessary for a healthy reef, as well as stressors causing current coral decline. The lecture concludes with a brief overview of the need for restoration efforts and the CRF procedure.
The afternoon session consists of two dives: one on the nursery and one at an outplanting site. On the first dive, using the techniques illustrated in the morning lecture, divers will explore the nursery and prepare corals to be transported to a restoration site. The second dive takes place at the restoration site, where the divers plant the corals they previously prepared.
Day three will be all day diving and working the nursery.
PADI Specialty:
In addition to the dive program, CRF offers two distinct PADI Specialty Courses, available upon request. The Introduction to Coral Reef Restoration Diver specialty consists of two dives and compliments the one-day program. The Coral Reef Restoration Diver II specialty has a required four dives and can be done in combination with the two-day program.
Restoration Specialist Certification:
Upon completion of a CRF dive program, the diver is granted a level 1 restoration specialist certification. Levels 2 and 3 are granted as the diver completes subsequent CRF dive programs. After each specialist level is completed, the diver is awarded a small tag that can be attached to their dive gear. Continuing to dive with CRF after the completion of a program affords divers the opportunity to get even more involved with the foundation. CRF offers divers who meet the requirements--by logging enough CRF dives, among others--the chance to become volunteer team leaders. This allows the divers to take what they learned and in turn teach to other groups of coral enthusiasts.
http://www.coralrestoration.org/
) for an awesome volunteer trip to the Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo!!I've been trying to organize this since last year, and finally I think we can get this thing off the ground if there is enough interest. We need at least 6 divers for this to happen.
I've been talking with the team at CRF and they are very excited to have us hobbyists down to volunteer in the coral nursery in Key Largo! We are working to set up a 3 day program with them, but we can do a 2 day if folks just want to make a quick weekend trip out of it. Dates are flexible and the CRF is putting together a few dates that will work with them that I will post here once I get. If there is enough interest, and dates work, then we can get this thing on the books!
Please post if you would be interested in doing this awesome trip and contributing to a cause we all relate too.
Some details rolling around in my head:
Costs: Transportation, accommodations, $35 per person CRF donation per day, diving costs (reduced rates from operators for volunteer work)
For accommodations I thought we could all rend a house in key largo (ie vrbo.com). This will keep the costs of accommodations considerably low and would make a fun time for the volunteer trip.
Details from CRF:
The CRF Dive Program encourages divers of all ages and skill levels to get involved and take an active role in coral restoration. CRF blends classroom instruction and field diving to provide a hands-on learning experience. Program length and content are based on group size and interest. CRF’s core outreach programs consist of one and two day programs covering nursery and restoration techniques. Programs of three days or longer may be requested.
Day one and two are divided into a morning session and an afternoon session. A CRF staff member gives a lecture in the morning, including an introduction to coral anatomy and conditions necessary for a healthy reef, as well as stressors causing current coral decline. The lecture concludes with a brief overview of the need for restoration efforts and the CRF procedure.
The afternoon session consists of two dives: one on the nursery and one at an outplanting site. On the first dive, using the techniques illustrated in the morning lecture, divers will explore the nursery and prepare corals to be transported to a restoration site. The second dive takes place at the restoration site, where the divers plant the corals they previously prepared.
Day three will be all day diving and working the nursery.
PADI Specialty:
In addition to the dive program, CRF offers two distinct PADI Specialty Courses, available upon request. The Introduction to Coral Reef Restoration Diver specialty consists of two dives and compliments the one-day program. The Coral Reef Restoration Diver II specialty has a required four dives and can be done in combination with the two-day program.
Restoration Specialist Certification:
Upon completion of a CRF dive program, the diver is granted a level 1 restoration specialist certification. Levels 2 and 3 are granted as the diver completes subsequent CRF dive programs. After each specialist level is completed, the diver is awarded a small tag that can be attached to their dive gear. Continuing to dive with CRF after the completion of a program affords divers the opportunity to get even more involved with the foundation. CRF offers divers who meet the requirements--by logging enough CRF dives, among others--the chance to become volunteer team leaders. This allows the divers to take what they learned and in turn teach to other groups of coral enthusiasts.
http://www.coralrestoration.org/
