Little Cayman 2019

In November 2019 Diving with Heroes returned to the Central Caribbean Marine Institute for our fourth excursion to Little Cayman in the Cayman Islands.

 

The divers interacted with the researchers on site, learning about their on-going research and conservation efforts, and provided assistance where needed. The divers spent time cleaning the coral nursery, culling invasive lionfish from the islands’ waters, learning about mangrove ecosystems and marine plastic pollution. Their community service projects for the week included a beach clean-up and helping with a small construction project at the Little Cayman Research Centre.

 

Early in the week a group of divers got to participate in a green sea turtle nest excavation where they counted the hatched eggs and non-viable eggs remaining. On the last day in Little Cayman, after another nest was excavated, all the divers got to hold tiny green sea turtle hatchlings and help release them.

 

To cap off the week, the group traveled by boat to Cayman Brac where they dove the M/V Captain Keith Tibbetts, a Russian frigate purpose-sunk for recreational divers.

 

The group logged 12 dives in Little Cayman, received their lionfish license from the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, and earned their certifications for PADI’s Coral Conservation and Fish Identification Specialties.

 

DWH Beneficiaries: Sailor Jerri, Mike Maroney, Doug Shreve and Rocio Villanueva.

Returning Alumni: Neal Hamilton (as a DWH volunteer) and Kevin Wallace.