Our journey began back in 2014 when our visionary founder, Matt Rideout, found himself captivated by the island’s enchanting embrace. Being a marine biologist, his heart swelled with an unbreakable bond to the ocean. He yearned to weave the tales of our aquatic wonderland into the very fabric of our generation. Caribbean Reef Buddy, lovingly known as CRB, was born—a heartfelt endeavor to not only unravel the mysteries of our unique marine tapestry but to nurture it with unwavering care.
CRB isn’t just a project; it’s a movement, a song of unity for our millennial souls. With every dive, every discovery, we’re penning a symphony of conservation and change. Our purpose beats with the rhythm of sustainability, echoing the call for positive transformation. We’re not just unearthing scientific truths; we’re kindling a fire of inspiration that sets alight the hearts of all who cross our path.
In our world of hashtags and shared stories, CRB is our rallying cry for preservation of our ecosystems. It’s about diving deep not only into the ocean’s depths but also into the depths of our own potential. We’re rewriting the narrative, one coral at a time, urging everyone to become stewards of our environment. Through CRB’s journey, we don’t just hope to save the reefs; we aim to awaken a collective consciousness, stirring a generation to rise as custodians of our planet’s legacy. So, join us as we forge ahead, painting the future with hues of purpose, compassion, and the promise of a thriving world.
All projects are fully supervised. You will have the opportunity to take part in coral reef health impact assessments, data gathering, lionfish hunting, coral nursery work and beach clean up projects. Gain credit for your volunteering: we can provide evaluations and recommendations for your college or university.
July 2018 saw the establishment of Caribbean Reef Buddy's new elkhorn coral nursery. Since then, we have added staghorn coral species. In 2023, we will be expanding our nursery to include more coral species and a Research project. Volunteers help is needed to clean & maintain the coral nursery tables and trees, check on coral fragment health, and help with the eventual coral out planting on Carriacou's reefs.
This beginner-friendly project aims to take you forward from the nursery and bring care and repair out onto the reef systems. This project works hand-in-glove with the regeneration project and focuses on clearing algae, repairing damaged corals, and identifying fragments of opportunity that we can use to populate our nurseries. We'll also spend some time looking at specific reef health surveys - vital for us to help plot the impact of global warming
The coral reef systems around Carriacou comprise a beautiful and biodiverse coral reef ecosystem on which the population of this island relies. Though still teeming with life, increasing stress due to over-fishing and invasive species could ultimately threaten their collapse! Coral reef survey dives provide continuous data on biodiversity and the long-term health of the reefs thus helping inform decision making in regard to how reef areas are used and protected. Volunteers are trained to help gather and submit data using ReefCheck methods.
Pelagic marine predators face unprecedented challenges and uncertain futures. Overexploitation and climate variability impact the abundance and distribution of top predators in our oceans. As a Reef Buddy volunteer, you will help monitor local predator behaviour and distribution using BRUVs. To date, the Carriacou Lionfish Containment Program has helped to remove over 4000 lbs of invasive lionfish from local reefs. The Invasive Lionfish Containment Program is an ongoing, all-year-round activity supported by our volunteers, local fishermen, and restaurants.
Caribbean Reef Buddy alumna Bianca Urbl talks about her experiences as a marine conservation volunteer, her love of the ocean, and the reason she returned to Carriacou to become a Divemaster.
If you would like to chat to one of our program coordinators about options for your volunteer program or if you want to find out more about becoming a Divemaster, ask us to give you a call (opens a new window).