Get Into the Blue!

Did you ever dream of becoming a marine biologist or do you just love snorkeling? The Reef Check EcoDiver program allows anyone with an interest in the ocean — from kids to adults – to learn more about tropical coral reefs. Reef Check combines education with action to give volunteers a unique experience while taking an active role in conserving the world’s reefs. The EcoDiver program allows participants the rare opportunity to work with teams of scientists throughout the world to combat the crises affecting our reefs today. The world’s reefs are changing fast, and it is up to us to ensure that reefs are around for future generations.

How can you help? Simple. If you are a beginner snorkeler or diver, enroll in the half-day Discover Reef Check Course. If you have experience snorkeling and diving and want to do more, enroll in a 3-day EcoDiver certification course that qualifies you to help our teams to monitor reefs worldwide. With teams established in more than 90 countries and territories, there are a multitude of reefs to survey at nearly every diving destination worldwide. Experienced divers may also wish to participate in or take part in one of our signature Reef Check EcoExpeditions.

Using the globally standardized scientific protocol, the Reef Check EcoDiver program collects valuable data to establish the status of coral reefs world wide. The data are analyzed and used locally by marine park managers, nationally by fisheries and environment managers and internationally by organizations including United Nations agencies to help better track and care for coral reefs.

Not SCUBA certified? Many locations offer EcoDiver courses for snorkelers as well. You can also collect valuable coral reef data using our Underwater Reef Guides, waterproof identification guides for common fish, invertebrates and seabed types with an attached slate to mark down what you see on the reef.

Want to learn more? We offer Professional Training Workshops targeted at government, non-profit organization staff and dive professionals who would like to learn how to design a monitoring program for an MPA or a country, to analyze and report on the data collected, and to use the information generated from monitoring to make informed management decisions. For more information on our Professional Training Workshops click on the titles below:

1. EcoDiver Training Workshop
2. Training of Trainers EcoDiver Workshop
3. Monitoring Design and Costing Workshop
4. Data Analysis and Reporting Workshop
5. Using Monitoring Information to Solve Management Issues Workshop
6. Ecology of Coral Reefs Workshop for Divemasters and Instructors

Technorati Tags: Eco Diver, Reef Check, Reefs, SCUBA, Training

The most popular PADI Specialty course - Enriched Air Diver – is now available online. This latest offering in the highly respected menu of PADI eLearning® course options allows divers to complete the knowledge development portion of the course on their own time and at their own pace. The PADI Enriched Air Diver Course Online incorporates changes to the recently revised PADI Enriched Air Diver program, including a dive-computer only option which simplifies the learning process.

Technorati Tags: Safety, SCUBA, Training

Get your PHD in SPF!

Malibu Rum announces its partnership with Reef Check, a non-profit dedicated to preserving the Reefs worldwide.

Get your island on while giving back by becoming one of ten Malibu Beach Interns, who will be selected to conduct Reef Check surveys on the coasts of Thailand, the Maldives, or the Philippines, all on behalf of Malibu.

What is the Malibu Beach Internship? Malibu wants to make preserving the beach, well—another day at the beach! In celebration of their recent partnership with Reef Check—a non-profit dedicated to monitoring, protecting and rehabilitating reefs worldwide—Malibu will select ten (10) individuals to participate in a Malibu Beach Internship where they will monitor reef health and promote the preservation of coral reef ecosystems worldwide. The team of selected interns will be sent on a ten-day assignment to Thailand, the Maldives or the Philippines where they will conduct Reef Check surveys, as well as participate in training sessions and have the opportunity to become certified Reef Check EcoDivers all on behalf of Malibu. See Requirements for complete details.

Who can apply for the Malibu Beach Internship? Anyone who is at least 21 years old and possesses the passion, spontaneity and dedication that the internship calls for! Applicants must be eligible to travel outside of the U.S. between October 15, 2009 and November 15, 2009 for at least ten days, and complete an application (See “How do I apply?” below) that explains why they should be chosen for the Malibu Beach Internship.

Technorati Tags: Eco Diver, Intern, Malibu Rum, Reef Check, Travel

A search on Yahoo for ´Abandoned diver´ will return in excess of 2,000,000 results…the ability for the diver to be spotted quickly is paramount but not as important as the tools that make the spotting easier.

Surface Marker Buoys, Flares, Whistles and so forth are nearly all in the artillery of scuba divers who want to enjoy their diving safe in the knowledge that they can be spotted quickly and hauled from the water in the shortest time possible.

Cold fingers and fatigue can sometimes be a hindrance when the dive is over, so doesn’t it make sense to reduce the time spent waiting to be spotted and have the added peace of mind that you can spotted up to 3,000 meters away.

The H.E.L.P. is the revolutionary dive flag that will give you that advantage and will be with you for all your dive seasons to come, providing an edge and peace of mind for just $49.95 + P&P.

It’s easy to use, lightweight and strong and can be stored safely and easy accessed in your BCD or lifejacket and is extended to over 1500mm in a matter of seconds. No more fumbling on the tank to look for the dive flag that needs assembling (providing it hasn’t fallen off in the ascent).

Weighing less than 150 grams, the help can be waived for long period of times, seen from afar and rugged enough to take the pounding that dive equipment can be subjected to, the H.E.L.P. is the perfect addition to your safety equipment.

Technorati Tags: Safety, SCUBA, Training

Stretching over 1,000 miles, California’s coastline is the gateway to a unique and often under-appreciated marine ecosystem. Offshore, just below the surface, kelp forests and rocky reefs play home to a vast array of marine life supporting a diverse array of consumptive and non-consumptive human uses. Unfortunately, similar to reefs around the world, the rapid growth of California’s population, coastal development, pollution, and overfishing have placed increasing demands on our nearshore resources. Many organisms that were previously common in high numbers, like abalone, are now almost gone.

Reef Check California aims to build a network of informed and involved citizens who support the sustainable use and conservation of our nearshore marine resources. To accomplish this, volunteers will be trained to carry out surveys of nearshore reefs providing data on the status of key indicator species.

Technorati Tags: Liveaboard, SCUBA