We will then travel to Cozumel, Mexico, which has an extensive coral reef structure nearby. We will spend ten days diving those coral reefs. When we arrive in Cozumel, we will first complete the PADI open water certification process. Students will be required to log their dives and document what they have observed. One of the main goals of this trip is to have students appreciate the ecology of the coral reefs of the world.
Coral reefs are among the most spectacular and ancient ecosystems in the world.
Since the average reef grows only 7-10 millimeters per year, the creation of large coral reef can take many centuries. Some individual coral colonies are estimated to be 8,000 - 10,000 years old. The majestic beauty of coral reefs make it hard to believe that they are among the world's most fragile and endangered ecosystems. Coral reefs of 93 countries have been damaged by human activity in the last decade. Ten percent of the world's reefs are already dead or damaged beyond the capacity to recover, and unless current trends are reversed, up to 70 percent of the world's coral reefs may be killed within the next 20 to 40 years.