After returning from some travel in June, I jumped headfirst into a couple of things I’ve been looking forward to… completing the Reef Check Kelp Forest Diver certification and preparing the boat for my first haul out.

With everything I have been learning about the boat, my brain was totally maxed out, and I couldn’t finish my Reef Check training. I’m not usually one to bail on things I decide to do, but I literally couldn’t keep up. I fully enjoyed the materials and lectures, so I definitely recommend the course to everyone interested in learning more about their local ecosystem. Reef Check divers are some of my favorite people in the water because they are so knowledgeable and passionate about protecting the ocean.

That being said, even though I couldn’t get certified with the group, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dive with everyone on their final day of open water training.

I work as Reef Check’s social media manager, so it was a great option for me to get a better understanding of the work and grab footage for future posts.

Reef Check is a worldwide nonprofit focused on training community science divers to collect data on local reefs. The training requires classroom theory, confined water training, and open water practice to be signed off on officially collecting data for the organization. It is not an easy certification.

On the final day of training, conditions proved to be beautiful, but cold on the first dive and then very surge-y and low visibility on the second. Dives are typically shallow, but long, giving plenty of time for each dive team to collect the required data. I was impressed by the enthusiasm of the group despite how tired everyone was by the end of it all. They are true champs.

As for me, I will continue studying and hope to one day actually finish this training. In the meantime, I will keep supporting Reef Check and its important mission of educating the public, collecting ocean data, and running reef restoration efforts worldwide.

See what trips are coming up. I always give my community first dibs on spots, so you can sign up for Patreon (and get trip discounts) or my email list to be the first to know about new expeditions in the future.