Active Divers Association’s 2021 Coral Restoration Program

Space is limited to sign up for this year’s Coral Restoration program, to be held on Sept. 11.  Act now to save your spot. This is your opportunity to participate in our ongoing efforts to restore the reefs of the Florida Keys to their former color and beauty many of us remember from years past.  After fifteen years of partnering with the Coral Restoration Foundation, for this year’s program we are working with Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Foundation (“I.CARE”), a team of scientists and interns dedicated to the restoration of Islamorada’s reefs.

Our divers will start the day by meeting at Key Dives, and at 8:30 a.m. we will visit the nearby onshore coral nursery to see the specimens being nurtured there, including brain corals, a variety of bouldering star corals, elkhorn and staghorn varieties.  At the nursery we will experience a tutorial on corals and the threats to our reefs and receive training in a hands-on workshop on how to transplant baby corals.

Lunch will be provided as part of the program from the delicious selections offered by Mango Mike’s Café at Bud N’ Mary’s Marina.  Then we will meet back at the dive shop for our two-tank dive transplanting baby corals and maintaining previous out-planting sites.  Whether you have been part of Active Divers’ past coral programs or this is your first time, Sept. 11 will be one of your most rewarding days spent underwater.  Sign up now!  

Roy D. Wasson

Conservation Projects Director