In 1993, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation launched an innovative volunteer fish surveys project. To celebrate its 20 years of success and a variety of other marine conservation efforts, the Key Largo?based nonprofit is to host REEF Fest Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 8-11.
A roster of topside activities is planned, as are specially scheduled dive trips to Key Largo’s fish-filled coral reefs, accompanied by some of the most prestigious names in diving and marine preservation.
REEF Fest offers diving activists and enthusiasts an exceptional opportunity to explore some of North America’s best dive sites as well as learn more about fish identification, artificial reefs, fish behavior, invasive lionfish and more. Here are some festival highlights.
Social Events
Thursday, Aug. 8, a 7-9 p.m. welcome party is planned, including a cocktail hour and dinner, at Bayside Grille, mile marker (MM) 99.5.
During an open house Friday, Aug. 9, attendees can mingle with famed underwater naturalists and videographers Anna and Ned DeLoach and Paul Humann, whose underwater photography illustrates hundreds of hours spent capturing species for his Reef Fish Identification book series. The event is set for 6-9 p.m. at REEF headquarters at MM 98.3 in the median.
Saturday, a 6:30-9:30 p.m. sunset dinner cruise is planned aboard the Island Time paddle-wheeler. Attractions are to include live music, dancing, conch shell blowing, limbo contests, underwater photography slideshows and more. Cost is $60 per person and includes a limited-edition REEF print by renowned marine artist Rogest. Tickets can be purchased online at the reef website/REEFFest2013/cruiseticket.
All REEF Fest events are open to the public. Pre-registration is requested for social events and workshops, and most are free of charge. For a complete schedule of events, visit the reef website/REEFFest2013/socialevents.
Dive with a Pro
Each day during REEF Fest, area dive operators plan to provide opportunities to join well-known REEF staff, board members and fellow REEF members for fish survey dives, wreck dives, lionfish capture and twilight dives.
Photographers Ned and Anna DeLoach, Paul Humann and REEF’s co-founder and director Lad Akins — as well as Peter Hughes, known worldwide for his brand of luxury live-aboard diving — are to lead a series of morning and afternoon fish survey, wreck and lionfish capture dives in the Upper Keys. For a dive schedule, visit the reef website/REEFFest2013/diving.
Snorkeling and kayaking trips are available for nondivers.
Learn More
REEF Fest’s free seminar series features topics such as the “Lives of Blennies,” “Fish ID,” “Artificial Reefs,” “Fish Behavior,” “Grouper Moon,” “Invasive Lionfish” and “Indo-Pacific Adventures.” The seminars each last two hours, require pre-registration, and are to be held at the Murray Nelson Government Center, MM 102 bayside. To register, visit the reef.org/REEFFest2013/registration.
Proceeds from the festival are to benefit REEF’s ocean conservation work. Initiatives include ensuring protection of iconic species such as the Pacific Northwest rockfish and the goliath grouper in Florida, the Great Annual Fish Count, monitoring fish populations on artificial reefs, the Grouper Moon Project, the Invasive Lionfish Program and free online fish identification “Fishinars.”
| Event information: | reef.org/REEFFest2013 or 305-852-0030 |
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| Key Largo visitor information: | fla-keys.com/keylargo or 800-822-1088 |
By: Andy Newman/Carol Shaughnessy
