Come plant corals with I.CARE!
Now you can use one of your dive trips to help restore our reefs. We are affiliated with I.CARE (Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Education).
Help Restore Our Reefs!
What is I.CARE?
Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Education (I.CARE) is a non profit organization founded in 2019 to restore the reefs in Islamorada. They work to combine the science, technology, and best practices for successful coral restoration with the passion for marine conservation that only recreational divers have! They have been transplanting corals to local reefs since January, 2021.
If you want to learn more about the wonderful work I.CARE is doing, visit their website here!
How does it work?
I.CARE has a nursery where small seedling corals are grown and maintained. Those seedlings than are transported by our partnering dive charters with the I.CARE interns, to the Islamorada reefs designated for restoration. The interns, along with recreational divers, then physically plant them on the reef where we will maintain them and watch them grow for years to come.
How can you be a part?
Sign up for a “Coral Outplanting and Maintenance” charter. You’ll go to the I.CARE Education Center, just down the road at 85960 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036, at 8:30am for a tutorial on the corals and the planting. Meet at the dive shop at 12:00PM to go out with the I.CARE interns and plant corals. These dives consist of planting coral & sponges, as well as removing snails, fire worms, and clearing away algae that threaten planted coral.
What is the schedule?
We offer the “Coral Outplanting” dives the 3rd Sunday of every month and run "Coral Maintenance" trips the 1st Thursday of each month.
What is the cost?
The cost is $25 more than a normal dive charter. That $25 goes directly to I.CARE.
Call our shop or click here to see our calendar and look for “Coral Outplanting & Maintenance Dive Charter” to schedule your trip. Come be a part of restoring these reefs for future generations to enjoy!
Ocean Clean Up Dives
We also run many ocean clean up dives. These trips offer a chance to give back to the ocean and protect the sea life we love so much from entanglements, swallowing hooks, or eating something that isn't their actual food source. We have a BIG focus on cleaning monofilament off the beautiful shipwrecks here in the Keys and removing line and anchors from frequently fished reefs. Look for Operation: Goal Clean Seas dives on our calendar to be a part of this effort!
Check out this article by Ryan Van Fleet on the other efforts being made to clean up our reefs!
