SEASFIRE Introduction explore discover create

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Lynne Gallagher
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1 SEASFiRE MX2 March 2018

2 SEASFIRE Introduction SEASFiRE organizes citizen science, marine education, and adventure programs which enable you to explore nature, discover the world around you, and create media documenting

2 2 SEASFIRE Introduction SEASFiRE organizes citizen science, marine education, and adventure programs which enable you to explore nature, discover the world around you, and create media documenting it, publishing articles, photos, videos, and podcasts, on a dedicated website. We mix scuba diving with science education, conservation, digital and design skills to craft a unique expedition that allows you to experience amazing environments and express yourself in ways you never thought possible. We help you reach your potential through experiential learning, group activities, and individual projects. Our expeditions allow you to experience the realities of climate change, and to contribute to our understanding of its impact on the most vulnerable ecosystems on earth. We run positive experiences for the participant and the planet. Conservation is at the heart of what we do, but the program is predicated on teamwork and enormous amounts of fun.

3 SEASFIRE 3 MX2 SEASFiRE MX2 is now open for registration. The program will run from 3 to 11 March 2018, and will be hosted at the five-star Iberostar Cozumel. Diving logistics will be provided by our local approved dive centre partner. If you are interested, or contact@seasfire.org for more information. The program costs $2,250 will incorporate: PADI dive training, including all equipment and certifications we will use best endeavours to have all students complete dive certifications Conservation training students will learn about coral reefs and their importance; all SEASFiRE dives incorporate some aspect of conservation Marine science students will learn about marine biodiversity and will participate in documenting coral health, submitting data to an international body Underwater photography we will provide detailed underwater photography instruction and buoyancy training New media you will blog, photograph and video the action on the surface and underwater, publishing your output on the SEASFiRE website. Teamwork students work in buddy teams throughout the program, during dive training, classroom sessions, and production activities Accommodation, food and drinks as included at the five-star Iberostar Cozumel resort. Dive Training All SEASFiRE dive training is completed to PADI standards. PADI is the largest dive certification organization in the world. Participants who do not know how to dive will be taught the Open Water course, after which they will be certified to dive with a buddy to a maximum depth of 18 meters (12m if under 12 years old) anywhere on the planet. If you are already a certified scuba diver, you will complete further dive certifications that support the learning goals of the program. Draft Schedule Below is a draft schedule for the program, including activities for new and certified divers. The program includes: All dive training and dive equipment required, including PADI certifications and training materials. Airport pickup and transfer between Cancun Airport and Iberostar Cozumel resort if group travel together. All SEASFiRE materials, classroom sessions and scheduled instruction. All required media, including website, hosting, cameras, etc.

4 4 SEASFIRE Not included: Sundry spending in shops at destination or en route. Exclusions from package at guest resort Flights to and from Cancun. SCHEDULE 1: NEW (STUDYING OPEN WATER) DIVERS Date Morning Afternoon Evening Sat 3 Mar Arrive PDC Team Meeting (SEASFiRE module What s the Problem?) Dive Theory Sun 4 Mar Confined Water 1 & 2 Dive Theory Introduction to Blogging Mon 5 Mar Confined Water 3-5 Dive Theory Dive Theory Tue 6 Mar Buoyancy Training Open Water dives 1 & 2 Wed 7 Mar Thurs 8 Mar Buoyancy & Camera Training in Pool 2 dives Fun Dive With Camera, Creature Feature Dive. Fri 9 Mar Part 3 Marine Life Interactions Sat 10 Mar 2 Dives Trophic Levels Survey, Art Dive Sun 11 Mar Open Water dives 3 & 4 SEASFiRE Module - Underwater Photography (UWP) Upload creature feature information to SEASFiRE s marine life database 2 dives Coral Health Check, Marine Interactions Survey Review marine life survey and trophic level survey data; blog Beach Plastics Survey, Beach cleanup (if time) Depart Playa del Carmen Part 1 Marine Life Identification Part 2 Coral & Coral Reefs Review marine life survey and upload coral health check data; blog Marine Debris

5 SEASFIRE 5 SCHEDULE 2: CERTIFIED DIVERS Date Morning Afternoon Evening Sat 3 Mar Arrive PDC Team Meeting (SEASFiRE module What s the Problem?) Dive Theory Sun 4 Mar Check Dive & Fun Dive Dive Theory AWARE Shark Introduction to Conservation Blogging Mon 5 Mar Shark Conservation Specialty Dives 1 & 2 Specialty Dive Theory Peak Performance Buoyancy Tue 6 Mar Buoyancy Training PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty Wed 7 Mar Thurs 8 Mar Buoyancy & Camera Training in Pool 2 dives Fun Dive With Camera, Creature Feature Dive Fri 9 Mar Part 3 Marine Life Interactions Sat 10 Mar 2 Dives Trophic Levels Survey, Art Dive Sun 11 Mar 2 Underwater Photography Dives Blogging SEASFiRE Module - Underwater Photography (UWP) Upload creature feature information to SEASFiRE s marine life database 2 dives Coral Health Check, Marine Interactions Survey Review marine life survey and trophic level survey data; blog Beach Plastics Survey, Beach cleanup (if time) Depart Playa del Carmen Part 1 Marine Life Identification Part 2 Coral & Coral Reefs Review marine life survey and upload coral health check data; blog Marine Debris SEASFiRE Modules The program includes a number of SEASFiRE modules which cover conservation, marine science, and media production. By participating in the program you will become published marine conservationists by the end of the week! What s the Problem? An introductory module that sets out the environmental challenges facing the underwater world, from global warming to marine debris. As we explore the issues, we talk about the actions you take during the program and beyond will impact upon the environment.

6 6 SEASFIRE Introduction to Blogging All SEASFiRE participants blog about their experience. You will write expedition diaries, report on the modules you complete, and publish media on the SEASFiRE website. In this module, we introduce the concepts and good practices of blogging, and help you to post your first blog and images on the website. Underwater Photography As well as being essential to the documentation of marine life, underwater photography is also one of the most exciting skills you can learn underwater. As most beginners soon realise, it s also a difficult one to master! This is a bespoke SEASFiRE module that is more rigorous than any other underwater photography training we have seen. Picture: Irina Bernard, SEASFiRE@Summer Reef to Rainforest Program, Sabah, Malaysia 2017 Understanding the relationships between organisms on coral reefs is vital to knowing how delicately balanced the reef ecosystem is. This module will enable you to identify organisms on the reef, and to identify the role they play in the ecosystem, and their resulting interactions with other marine organisms. You will be able to apply the learnings in this module across a number of dives during the programme, and afterwards, will find you have become a keen enthusiast for spotting new and interesting critters underwater. Marine Debris 6 million tons of trash finds its way into the ocean each year. Plastics make up at least half of the debris found in our seas. We will explore the causes of this pollution, its impacts on the underwater world, potential solutions, and the implications for humans if this continues.

7 SEASFIRE 7 PADI Certifications If you are not already a certified diver, you will be enrolled in the PADI Open Water course. Certified divers will engage in the AWARE Shark Awareness Specialty and PADI s Peak Performance Buoyancy specialty. PADI Open Water Course Over the first four days of the program, you will be taken through the theory and practice of becoming an environmentally-conscious scuba diver. Through Knowledge Development, you will learn about the equipment you will use, and how to dive safely. You will learn the skills required in a pool (Confined Water) with your instructor before undertaking four Open Water dives, during which you will demonstrate your growing skills before becoming certified to dive with a buddy anywhere in the world! AWARE Shark Conservation Diver Sharks are arguably the most misunderstood creatures in the ocean. They are vital to a healthy marine environment, but their numbers are in rapid decline. We will explore the causes of this decline and the value of sharks to the marine environment and to human economic activities as well. PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty The most important skill a diver can master is buoyancy control. Across pool sessions and during two open water dives, we will help you hone your buoyancy so that you are correctly weighted during your dives, you consume less air, use less energy, and can focus on the activities during the dives later in the week with confidence.

8 8 SEASFIRE Dives Included The programme includes a number of dives which support the learning and conservation goals of the program. Marine Life Surveys To measure the health of the coral reefs we explore, we will record the fish and other organisms living on the reef, and the roles they play within the ecosystem. We will perform different surveys during the program, looking at interactions between marine species, the presence of different organisms, and what this means for the health of the reef. We will document species we encounter in the SEASFiRE Marine Life Database. Coral Health Check Coral bleaching is one of the most dramatic illustrations of environmental pressures on a coral colony. Coral s color is a good proxy for more general coral health. All data collected is submitted to CoralWatch, an international body collecting coral data from around the globe at the University of Queensland. Art Dive One of the highlights of the dive expedition is a truly unique experience the SEASFiRE art dive. We take the participants to a shallow reef and ask them to draw the corals and fish they see. No-one else in the world offers this experience, and it is always one of the most fun and memorable parts of the expedition.

SEASFIRE 9 Other Activities Plastic Beach Survey Plastic waste dominates the 6 million tons of trash that finds its way into the sea each year. We will complete a survey of plastic waste on a beach.

9 SEASFIRE 9 Other Activities Plastic Beach Survey Plastic waste dominates the 6 million tons of trash that finds its way into the sea each year. We will complete a survey of plastic waste on a beach. This survey will be conducted along transects and should allow us to create an estimate of plastic washed ashore on the adjacent coastline based on this sample. Beach Cleanup We will remove trash that has washed ashore on the island, preventing further damage to the ecosystem. We will either complete a beach cleanup or we will snorkel to a less accessible spot and clean the trash from there. We will document the trash we remove so that we can enter this into the SEASFiRE marine waste database. Conclusion The SEASFiRE MX2 program exposes you to scuba diving, environmental activism and conservation science. It s an amazing, rewarding and fun experience that will develop your skills and open your eyes about how you can help preserve the beauty of the underwater world. Please us at contact@seasfire.org to register your interest or to ask any questions you have about the program.

Proposal

Proposal Introduction Introduction SEASFiRE organizes citizen science, marine education, and adventure programs which enable you to explore nature, discover the world around you, and create media documenting it,