RoatáN Summer Expedition - July 9th - July 16th, 2023
Photo: 2019 - The Athenian School - Roatán Expedition
Dive the Mesoamerican Reef / Collect Data for Scientists
Tucked away in the Caribbean lies Roatan, the largest of the Bay Islands, and one of the world's best kept secrets. Privileged by its location along the Mesoamerican Reef, this 77km-long island is known for its beautiful white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, breathtaking sunsets, and to divers from all over the world who come to explore the treasures buried beneath the waves.
Photos: The most recent Roatán expedition in 2023
The Blue Endeavors EXPEDITION ProjectS
THE DATA PROJECT
Our community at Blue Endeavors is always at work to change the future of our planet. Daily, we create, collect, support, and share research open-source data that may prove invaluable to parallel or future conservation efforts. Large, world-wide data sets are required to advance marine science and to identify key marine protected areas and global data sets will be crucial to answer the scientific questions we don’t yet know to ask. Specifically, we are collectively targeting to protect 30% of the oceans by 2030. BE integrates with our multitudes of community branches and partner organizations, to ensure data is captured, maintained, and always available to the research community at large.
The Coral Project
BIRR will train and certify students to assist with the local coral nursary maintenance, coral fragmentation, and out-planting of coral at the restoration site.
Bay Islands Reef Restoration is dedicated to creating offshore coral nurseries and restoration programs for threatened coral species. We grow and maintain endangered corals in offshore coral tree nurseries until they can be strategically outplanted on reefs to foster coral reef recovery.
The Future Leaders Project
The world’s future leaders in the fields of ocean and climate change must emerge independent of race, background, or economic status. We identify, mentors and develop students from around the world, while fostering multiculturalism and diversity in all our solution focused conservation work. The Blue Endeavors Future Leaders Project provides our students committed mentorships that lead directly to internships, jobs and career development.
Students from the United States on this expedition will collect data along side high school students who live in Roatán attending the Sandy Bay Lighthouse Ministries school.
One goal of this expedition is to certify five of the students from Sandy Bay Lighthouse Ministries. Part of the commitment to joining this expedition is to assist with a 2023 summer fundraising effort for the Roatán Hub of the Future Leaders Project. The minimum funding goal is $5,000. This money is earmarked for the local program.
Any students from the United States that require the prerequisite open water scuba diver certification course will be taking the course with the local students in Roatán.
training & Certifications
Students on this expedition will be trained and certified as research divers, completing multiple surveys during the trip. One of these surveys will be at a Blue Endeavors oceanic data buoy near a Bay Islands Reef Restoration (BIRR) coral restoration site. Students will assist with updates and maintenance of the buoy, adding survey data to the site.
Decompression Day
A visit the monkey & sloth sanctuary on the last day of the expedition.
Join the Expedition - Very Limited Space
Payments are non-refundable after June 9th.
Included in the Expedition
Total Cost: $4785
The place-based experiential learning curriculum of Blue Endeavors
4 students to 1 BE dive staff ratio
Research diver training and certification
BIRR Reef Renewal training and certification
Access to the Blue Endeavors marine ID series for Roatan
Resort Accommodations (2 - 3 students per room)
Roundtrip airport/hotel transfers
Rental scuba equipment
Rental night diving equipment
3 meals daily plus specialty restaurants by reservation
Three tank dives per day and one night dive
Pool, jacuzzi, and kayaks
Night time entertainment including live music and cultural shows
Lounge chairs and beach towels at pool and beach
Complimentary wireless internet access
19% Hotel Tax
A visit to the sloth and monkey sanctuary, including transportation
Not Included in the Expedition
Airfare
DAN Diver Medical Insurance (Required)
Travel Insurance (Highly Recommended) Visit: https://gowanderwell.com/affiliate/blue-endeavors to enroll
Basic essential dive equipment (Required - Discounted student package available, and staff will size during the first session) These items include: Mask, snorkel, fins, boots, bag, SMB w/ reel, and logbook.
Nitrox fills (Est. $150 for a week of diving)
Night diving eLearning ($139) - Required if coming on the night dive, and not yet night dive certified.
Optional Training:
Open water diver training ($639/student)
Nitrox specialty training ($200/student)
Rescue diver training ($350/student)
Enrollment Form
Pre-Trip eLearning
Students will receive online courses for both marine identification through Area9, and online scuba courses through SDI. Once complete, please upload your signed final exams in the form below. Online coursework is due no later than June. 30th, 2023.
Expedition Paperwork
Paperwork needs to be completed by June 15th, 2023
Local Info
POWER: The Resort has 110V US compatible plugs
INTERNET: the resort has wireless internet access in rooms and common areas
CURRENCY: USD are accepted at the resort, but not in all local shops. If you pay in USD you will get lempiras back. You may want to bring small bills for tipping purposes.
FRESH WATER: It is recommended to bring a water bottle you can fill up to avoid plastic bottles. Do not drink the tapwater. There will be bottled water in the rooms.
LAUNDRY: The resort will do laundry for guests for a fee.
Pack Prescription Medications, and seasickness medication if needed
Medical Info
Pack Any OTC or Rx Medications you may need if not feeling well (BE Staff are not permitted to dispense any mediations to students or adults)
For current vaccine recommendations visit: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/honduras#vaccines-and-medicines
Roatan does have a hyperbaric chamber on the island.
The Urgent Care is less than 5 min away from the resort.
See what it is like to work in a coral nursary
The film below is from a 2022 BE expedition to Bonaire