Dive against Debris in Key Largo
Help us to clean up the ocean with monthly dive against debris tours! Make a positive impact with your dives In association with Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary(FKNMS) and Island Ventures. Looking for debris and helping to clear it after we have located it gives you a real sense of achievement knowing that you are making a positive impact on the environment we all enjoy so much!
All of our Dive against Debris trips are scheduled for the weekend so come help us help nature at the weekend and make a positive difference. The chances are you will get to dive where you may not have been before and thats an added bonus!
Where will the cleanup trips be?
Our permit from FKNMS enables us to remove items from the sea floor from Snapper ledge to Turtle rocks.
For 2024 we will be conducting scoping trips prior to collection trips to locate debris. these will be funded by Island Ventures.
This is Dive Master Will and he is part of the Island Ventures crew.
Dive Master Will is towed behind the boat to locate debris.
Once located its marked on our GPS for future recovery.
Check out our Youtube channel to see how we do it!
Divers help to clear marine debris
Our crews will take a boat to the reef line line in key largo to locate and remove debris.
Working with Project AWARE guidelines means we will not only be removing the trash in a sensitive and ecological manner but also recording what we find and where it was found and include damage/injuries to wildlife.
The trips leave our dock at 1pm. Volunteer divers should have a minimum of Open Water certification and have excellent buoyancy skills. Divers will also be required to get involved with the collection and cataloging process once we return to the dock.
As this is a specialized trip all divers will need to be given an orientation presentation in order that we can collect the debris so these trips have an early checkin time of 11.30am. If you have not taken part in the orientation you will unfortunately not be able to take part in the trip. If you have already had our brief previously or have a Project Aware certification please call us to let us know prior to booking.
We will be collecting a range of debris from displaced lobster traps, lines, plastic. Because of the nature of this work and the possibility that more damage than good could happen divers will be instructed on the methods that we need to use to collect the different types of debris.
Once we return to dock the debris will sorted and recorded. The debris will be loaded into trucks and transported to the Keys garbage disposal.
What do I need to do to take part ?
Volunteer divers will need to read these documents prior to arrival at our shop. Please be aware that these are working dive trips and we do not take newly certified divers on these trips.
Marine Debris Identification Guide
Project AWARE’s 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet
All divers must watch this video prior to taking part in clean up dives
All divers will need to have dive insurance and bring it with them on each dive.
If you would like to take part in this unique opportunity to give back to nature please Book Online or call us on 305 451 4957.
Dive against Debis Trip dates
Generally the Debris Cleanup trips are in the afternoon on the first Saturday of each month
May 3/4 in association with the Keys Trash Derby
June 1st
July 13
August 3rd
September 7th
October 5th
November 2nd
December 7th
Dive Against Debris dive trip costs
Unfortunately we are no longer able to make these dives free as there is no current funding available from NOAA. Our future program will rely on divers contributing to the cost of the event. These will still be run under the Goal Clean Seas initiative. The current cost for these dives is $125.
SCUBA Rental equipment is also available so check our SCUBA rental equipment page
Trash Derby
e will be taking part in the I.care Trash Derby on May 3rd and 4th. There are a number of Key Largo dive shops taking part check the I.care web page for details