• Shark Ecology Experience

Shark Ecology Experience

Program cost: $2,850 (Deposit: $800) Students participating in the TIDES Shark Ecology program will hone their dive skills by completing the SSI scuba specialties Wreck Dving and Underwater Photography and participating in shark research activities. 

 

Starting from
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Availability: Contact us for booking information

Sharks are incredibly important to the health of our oceans and monitoring the presence of sharks in an ecosystem is an important way to assess ecosystem health. Students participating the TIDES Shark Ecology experience will complete ecology courses to learn about different types of elasmobranchs including sharks, mantas, and rays. Their knowledge of elasmobranch ecology will be put to use with a 5-day camp at MarineLab and Ocean First in Key Largo, FL, to participate in shark research projects with Ocean First Institute. In addition, studnets will hone their dive skills by earning their Underwater Photography and Wreck Diving scuba specialty certificaitons. 

Prerequisites

  • Age: 12-18
  • Open Water Diver Certification
  • Enriched Air Nitrox and Perfect Buoyancy scuba specialty certifications (can be added onto the cost of the expedition)
  • All participants must complete a SCUBA medical waiver and be in good health
  • Gear: Students must own their own snorkel equipment (scuba mask, fins, snorkel)

 

Don't yet have certifications in Perfect Buoyancy or Nitrox? Earn them in our TIDES Advanced Explorer program!

Ocean First also offers regular group classes for Nitrox and Perfect Buoyancy throughout the year. 

Program Cost: $2,850/student

  • Sign-up by July 22nd, 2024 to put down your deposit and reserve your spot!

  • Non-refundable deposit: $800 due upon sign-up 

    • Please note: minimum students for program to run is 6 students. Course is subject to cancellation if minimum number of students do not sign up by deadline (deposit will be refunded in this case only).

  • Second Payment: $1,025 due June 1st, 2024 

  • Final Payment: $1,025 due July 1st, 2024

Cancellation Policy:

  • Changes made to the reservation may result in additional fees.
  • Cancellation 180 days or more: refund given based on reselling the space, minus the initial deposit.
  • 179 - 120 days: payments made to date are forfeited as well as any vendor fees.
  • 119 days or less or a no-show: no refunds given.
  • We strongly recommend securing trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment in the unlikely event you need to cancel your trip. Our preferred provider is DAN Trip Insurance.

Inclusions:

  • SSI Wreck Diving, SSI Underwater Photo & Video, SSI Shark Ecolopgy, and SSI Manat & Ray Ecology certifications
  • Rental SCUBA gear
  • Ocean First scuba and marine science instructors
  • 5 days/ 4 nights dorm-style lodging at MarineLab 
  • All meals on-site
  • TIDES T-shirt
  • Virtual, instructor-led classroom sessions
  • Digital learning materials
  • Review of in-water scuba skills 
  • 2 confined water training dives in Jules Lagoon for Underwater Photo & Video certification
  • 4 open water boat dives: includes 2 wreck dives (pending weather conditions)
  • 4 SSI certifications in: Underwater photo & video, Wreck Diving, Shark Ecology and Ray & Manta Ecology certifications
  • Digital copies of all certification cards earned and 1 hard copy of shark ecology certification
  • Participation in shark research methods with Ocean First Institute including, drone surveys, working with BRUVs (baited remote, underwater, video) devices, underwater roving surveys, and analyzing data. 
  • MarineLab Activities: 
    • Field Trip: Marine Debris
    • Discussion: Marine Debris
    • Lab: Microplastics

Not included

  • Roundtrip Airfare

    • Please note parents/guardians are responsible for arranging travel for their students. Students will be chaperoned for the duration of the program beginning and ending with arrival and departure at MarineLab respectively. 

  • Chaperoned transportation from the Miami airport to MarineLab may be added on for an additional fee. 

    • Contact us to request chaperoned airport transfer. (Est. fee $165 - $325 based on transfer requests) 

  • For Denver area students only, chaperoned travel through the airport may be added on for an additional fee from DIA, beginning at designated airport meeting time (subject to change if the flight is delayed) and ending upon student pickup at baggage claim.

    • Contact us to request chaperoned airport travel from DIA ($100 fee/student)

  • Personal Snorkel Equipment: Scuba mask, fins, dive booties, snorkel

    • Contact us about any questions regarding purchasing snorkel equipment or to receive a complimentary equipment buying guide

    • For Denver area students, gear can be purchased at our Ocean First, Boulder location

  • Personal Dive Accident Insurance (we recommend DAN)

Virtual Calssroom Dates (Zoom): July 8th, 2024 - July 25th, 2024 (MST)

  • Mon, July 29th - Virtual orientation/Pre-trip meeting for all students and parents: 6:30pm - 7:30pm MST
  • Mon, July 20th - UW Photo & Video: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
  • Tues, July 31st - Wreck Diving: 1:00pm - 2:00pm 
  • Wed, Aug. 1st - Manta & Ray Ecology: 1:00pm - 2:00pm 
  • Thurs, Aug. 2nd - Shark Ecology: 1:00pm - 2:00pm 

In-Person TIDES Shark Ecology Camp at MarineLab and Ocean First Key Largo: Aug. 5th - Aug. 9th, 2024 (EST)

  • Day 1: Mon. Aug. 5th
    • 6:30pm: Arrival at MarineLab Campus
    • 7-8pm: Orientation, pizza dinner
  • Day 2: Tues. Aug. 6th
    • 7:30am: Breakfast
    • 8am - 12pm: 2 Dives in Lagoon (SSU + Photo & Video Training)
    • 12:30pm: Lunch 
    • 1:30pm - 5pm: MarineLab Field Trip: Marine Debris
    • 6pm: Dinner
    • 7pm - 8pm: MarineLab Discussion: Marine Debris
    • 8pm - 9pm: MarineLab Lab: Microplastics Lab
  • Day 3: Wed. Aug. 7th
    • 7:30am: Breakfast
    • 8am - 12pm: 2 AM boat dives (wreck)
    • 12:30pm: Lunch
    • 1pm - 5pm: 2 PM boat dives (roving elasmobranch surveys)
    • 6pm: Dinner
    • 7-9pm: OFI Discussion: Shark Research Methods
  • Day 4: Thurs. Aug. 8th
    • 7:30am: Breakfast
    • 8am - 12pm: OFI Shark BRUV and Drone Field Activities with OFKL
    • 12:30pm: Lunch on boat (boxed from MarineLab)
    • 1pm - 5pm: OFI Shark BRUV and Drone Field Activities with OFKL
    • 6pm: Dinner
    • 7pm - 9pm: OFI Shark Data Analysis
  • Day 5: Fri. Aug. 9th
    • 8am: Breakfast
    • 9-11am: Lagoon Snorkel, Undersea Lab Museum, Gift Shop, Paperwork
    • 12pm: Lunch
    • 12:30pm: Depart

 

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