REEF members are the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. A diverse community of divers, snorkelers, and ocean enthusiasts support our mission to conserve marine environments worldwide.
This month we highlight Debbie Cacace, a REEF member from Virginia. She joined REEF in 2017 and has conducted more than 460 surveys in the Tropical Western Atlantic region, where she is a Level 5 surveyor. Thank you Debbie, for being a dedicated and active part of REEF!
We are so proud to share that Alice and Will Ribbens are our 2023 REEF Volunteers of the Year! Alice has been a REEF member since 2010, and Will joined in 2012. Since then, they have been active and dedicated members of the REEF community who serve as outstanding ambassadors for REEF's mission and ocean conservation work.
Yap is a lush tropical island located just 9 degrees north of the equator. Unlike many South Pacific islands, Yap is an uplifted portion of the Asian Continental Shelf. It is surrounded by a broad shallow lagoon and nearly 90 miles of the barrier reef. Highlights of Yap Diving are the mantas, daily year-round reef shark diving, nightly mating mandarin fish as well as rich coral walls and caverns. Enjoy Yap's luxurious Ocean-themed rooms, each one unique, and dine on their floating restaurant and bar.
This Great Annual Fish Count, join REEF and Island Ventures for a free fish ID class, followed by a REEF fish survey dive/snorkel.
The educator will join the participants on the afternoon boat to provide survey supplies, answer questions about surveying, and help identify fish that you see.
This class is great for beginners! Check out this two-minute video on REEF surveys.
Put your pectoral fins together in a round of applause for Sara Cowles, who has recently achieved REEF Golden Hamlet Club status!
The ideal place to experience the excellent service and the famous hospitality of the Filipino people. Anilao is world famous for its rare critters and muck diving. You will encounter colorful, healthy reefs, and a stunning underwater landscape. Marine life includes more than 600 different kinds of nudibranchs and over 700 species of fish! A popular highlight is the night dive on their house reef!
El Hierro is the smallest of the Canary Islands and is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The island is volcanic in origin with a moon-like, igneous rock landscape, making for a scenic underwater landscape filled with life. The volcanic nutrients create an abundance of life and with your proximity to the open ocean, anything can swim by, from Bryde’s whales, angel sharks, frogfish, manta rays, and sand tiger sharks. The island of El Hierro is the perfect place for a quiet relaxing vacation of counting fish!
From the Spanish-style buildings surrounded by lush tropical gardens to the breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea, you have arrived in paradise. The hotel directly faces the famous Belize Barrier Reef, found just a half-mile offshore. Containing three of the Western Hemisphere’s four total atolls and the second-largest continuous coral reef in the world, Belize is a diver's haven. A kaleidoscope of habitats is only a short 5-10 minute cruise from the SunBreeze pier.
This eco-adventure includes diving or snorkeling with Costa Rica's marine life as well as land-based tours through a vibrant tropical rainforest and an active volcano, and a wildlife-watching boat trip. The itinerary has 4 days of diving/snorkeling (including 2-dives/day) to conduct REEF surveys, as well as land tours throughout the diverse Guanacaste region. This weeklong family-friendly expedition welcomes divers and non-divers alike and has something for everyone.
Brazil's Fernando de Noronha archipelago is known as a great destination for ecotourism and diving. The islands are located about 200 miles from the mainland and the entire area makes up a protected marine park. Ocean currents from East Africa flow past the islands, creating excellent dive conditions year round, making this a perfect destination for REEF surveyors who enjoy warm, clear water. Unique underwater structures including rock formations and reefs attract many diverse species of fish and other marine life.
