REEF CHECK INFORMATION:

Reef Check is an international program dedicated to the conservation of tropical coral reefs.  The goals are to “educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems and the current crisis affecting marine life, to create a global network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check’s scientific methods who regularly monitor and report on reef health; to facilitate collaboration that produces ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions; and to stimulate local community action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide.  Reef checks are held biannually in Montserrat during the months of March and June.  The program is directed by Professor James Hewlett of Finger Lakes Community College in New York with the assistance of student volunteer groups and the Green Monkey Dive Shop.  

The Montserrat Dive Festival will open with the Reef Check survey at two different sites. Participants will take part in a Reef Check program that will combine both classroom and field training prior to the official surveys.  Scuba divers are invited to participate. There is no cost for participating in this program but participants must be registered for the Montserrat Dive Festival. Fuel costs, tank and weight rental will be covered by registration fees.  Tank fills will be paid for through a grant to Finger Lakes Community College from the National Science Foundation.  Scuba Divers who need to rent BCD’s and regulators may do so at the reduced price of $15US. 

For more information on the Reef Check Program, visit their website at www.reefcheck.org.  For an article announcing the Reef Check kickoff to the Montserrat Dive Festival, visit http://www.reefcheck.org/news/news_detail.php?id=469.

PADI/PROJECT AWARE – CORAL REEF CONSERVATION SPECIALTY COURSE INFORMATION:

The Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course is designed to inform participants about the vital role of coral reefs in the marine environment.  The course also teaches how coral reefs function, why they are so important, why so many reefs are in serious trouble, and what participants can do to prevent further decline.  This course is free and open to all Dive Festival registrants (divers and non-divers) as well as all residents of Montserrat.   The learning materials, “Our World, Our Water” will be provided.  For those who wish to receive a certification card, it may be purchased for a fee of $25 US.

PADI PEAK PERFORMANCE BUOYANCY COURSE:

The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy course is designed to refine the basic skills learned as a PADI Open Water Diver and elevate them to the next level.  Participants will learn to trim their scuba gear to be perfectly balanced in the water, determine nuances in weight so as to not be too light or too heavy by even a slight degree, streamline to save air and move smoothly through the water, and hover effortlessly in both a vertical and horizontal position.  Two hours of classroom instruction are required followed by a two-tank dive the next day.  This course is open to Dive Festival registrants who have a PADI Open Water Diver certification or have a qualifying certification from another organization.  The cost for this course is $80 US which includes the classroom instruction, two dives, and the certification card.                                                           

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES:

                A specially planned children’s event for Sunday, June 28 will provide an opportunity for children to learn about our underwater world and give snorkeling or diving a try.  The day will begin with an hour of classroom instruction on the coral reefs and their importance to the marine environment as well as fish identification basics.  Those who wish to get their feet wet can then learn to snorkel or scuba dive right off the beach in Little Bay outside the Green Monkey Dive Shop.  Children must be between the ages of 11-14 to participate in the “Discover Scuba Diving” program.  The “Discover Snorkeling” program is open to all children ages 8-14.  All children must be able to swim and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who must sign a parental release form in order for their child to participate.  This program is free and open to all residents of and visitors to Montserrat.

TOP-SIDE ACTIVITY INFORMATION:

                A variety of activities are planned for both divers and non-divers participating in the Montserrat Dive Festival.  On Saturday, June 27 participants may choose to view the Leeward Coast of Montserrat by boat while taking in spectacular views of the Soufriere Hills Volcano and the destruction left behind in the former Capital City of Plymouth.  The cost of this two and one-half hour tour is $45US per person.  For those that missed it or just wish to do it again, it will also be offered on Saturday, July 4.  This is definitely a “must do” while in Montserrat!

                Another “must do” will be offered on Sunday afternoon, June 28, following the morning Reef Check classroom instruction.  Participants can take a taxi tour of the island and discover why Montserrat is “The Caribbean the way it used to be!”  The tour will include a trip to the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) which overlooks the capital city of Plymouth, now buried in ash and volcanic debris; a stop at the beautifully landscaped Runaway Ghaut where legend has it that people drinking the cool spring water flowing to the drinking fountain there will be drawn to return to Montserrat again and again; the viewing facility at Jack Boy Hill, which overlooks the destroyed WH Bramble Airport, the site of destroyed eastern villages, and, of course, the volcano; and a brief tour of the site where the new capital city is under construction.  The cost of this three hour tour is $30 US per person.  If participants are unable to take this trip on Sunday, it can be scheduled another day according to needs.

                On Friday afternoon, July 3, participants can climb aboard a sea kayak for the Green Monkey Dive Shop’s newly introduced Coastal Kayak Tour.  After a brief kayaking demonstration for the beginners, participants will depart from the beach in Little Bay and head south down the Leeward Coast of the island for an up-close-and-personal view of Montserrat’s spectacular shoreline, ending at one of our unspoiled black sand beaches.  Then it’s a quick dip for snorkeling and a short van ride back to the dive shop.  The cost for this two-hour trip is $35 US per person.

                Let’s not forget about the parties!  The Montserrat 2009 Dive Festival will begin with a Welcome Happy Hour on Saturday, June 27 from 4-6pm and end with a closing BBQ and Beach Party on Saturday, July 4.  In between, we will celebrate the completion of our June 2009 Reef Check with a party on Tuesday evening, June 30.  All events will take place at the Green Monkey Dive Shop in Little Bay.

For participants who have non-diving partners or children, the Green Monkey Dive Shop can organize other “top-side” adventures including nature hikes, snorkeling trips, bird watching, bicycle rentals or deep sea fishing excursions.  Contact us at info@divemontserrat.com for additional information.

This project is supported by the Montserrat Tourist Board through the Montserrat Tourism Challenge Fund.