Reef Conservation in the Heart of the Caribbean

Caribbean Reef Buddy

Why choose Caribbean Reef Buddy?

Our Story in Carriacou is to work closely with the community and people like yourself to make a sustainable difference to marine conservation awareness and education. Caribbean Reef Buddy (CRB) do this through the delivery of environmental and conservation projects which are linked to global ecological and social themes. Our projects include assessing marine species and coral health, repopulation of our reef systems, and supporting greater awareness within our local schools.

You too can write a chapter in our on-going story of how our Reef Buddies took some time and made a huge difference on this tropical island paradise. Your story can not only include your first-hand experience of delivering our projects, but also of your hikes in the tropical forests, your walks along deserted beaches and the bond you’ll make with new friends from all over the world. Join us in the Caribbean as we help you to start a new chapter in your story.

Reviews

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Janis
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteering with CRB in Carriacou

I was doing 4 weeks of volunteering with CRB. First I got the possibility to improve my diving skills in a training week in order to get my advanced openwater certification. This was followed by 3 program weeks, in which we worked on coral nurseries, performed reef checks to get data about the health of local reefs and were hunting lionfish. The staff aswell as the other volunteers were really nice and at the weekend non project related activities were taking place. I had a great time and can highly recommend the program to everyone who's up for diving and cares about the ocean.

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Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

great experience!!

From the moment I got here, both the other volunteers and the staff at CRB have been incredibly welcoming and kind. It’s not often you find people who are extremely knowledgeable and dedicated, but also a lot of fun to be around. I love scuba diving, so having the opportunity to simultaneously help the environment and dive has been so much fun. All the projects that CRB is running have very tangible results, so the work feels impactful. I’ve had an incredible experience, and I will be coming back the first chance I get.

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Nicole
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Fantastic experience!

A very fulfilling week tending to the care of our oceans by collecting data and measuring the health of the corals and marine life. Plenty of time to both work and relax in a beautiful environment.

Nora and the team are wonderful and very familiar with all the dive spots. Location is ideal as we were just steps away from the ocean and boat for our dives. The longest boat ride was 10 minutes.

Was able to find several fun restaurants with tasty food. The locals a very friendly and helpful.

Highly recommend!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would stay longer and do predator week.
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Zoe
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Time with CRB

The four weeks I spent in Carriacou were life changing. I completed two courses in my time here, advanced open water and open water. I logged 40 dives in four weeks. The team I worked with, the volunteers I met, and the work I did all left a meaningful impact on my life.
I learned about how to protect reefs in the Caribbean region. I got to swim with sharks, turtles, and stingrays! I learned to look for the macro species hiding all over the reef. I wouldn’t change one moment of my time here.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve wracking moment was definitely my first dive. But as soon as I got in the water and figured out my buoyancy, I didn’t want to leave.
Pros
  • The food cooked at the guesthouse.
  • Lazy afternoons at the dive shop.
  • Learning aspects of citizen science.
Cons
  • Early wake up times.
  • Lack of drinkable water.
  • Expensive food products.
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Brandon
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Incredible Experience

My experience with Caribbean Reef Buddy was nothing short of incredible. Everything about this program was incredible to me and I could not recommend it enough to those seeking to get involved with the underwater world. I applied to this program as a Freshman studying Marine Biology in college and was a bit anxious about spending three weeks in Grenada. However this anxiety quickly faded as I got to know everyone involved with the program. Everyone involved is unbelievably welcoming, knowledgeable and truly want you to enjoy your time working with them. Speaking of which, the work I did with CRB was truly rewarding and I felt as though I was truly helping to protect Carriacou's local reefs. In addition, I gained invaluable field experience in the realm of marine science which has and will continue to aid in future endeavors with work. I also went into this program as an open water diver and while partaking in this program received my advanced open water scuba certification as well as deep diver specialty certification. Gary is an incredible dive instructor, the best I have ever had, and puts safety as an utmost priority. He taught me invaluable skills in the water and I am a more confident diver than ever thanks to his guidance. For those wondering about the diving itself, the reefs in Carriacou are gorgeous and were full of photography opportunities for those interested in the field. I will say that much of the marine life there is on the smaller size so macro photographers should be excited. I got to see so many incredible creatures and experience so much during my time with CRB. I truly could not recommend it enough.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The most surprising thing I saw was a purple-crowned sea goddess nudibranch. I managed to spot this small sea slug out of the corner of my eye and was ecstatic to have found it. Definitely a highlight of my trip.
Pros
  • Hands on experience in Marine Biology
  • Experienced and involved diving instructors who prioritize safety above all else
  • In depth and involved volunteer work that contributes to protecting local coral reefs
Cons
  • The island is small and there is not a ton to do outside of the volunteer program
  • There is not an incredible amount of variety in terms of food options due to the small size of the island.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Jon Wright

Job Title
Dive instructor/supervisor, skipper, equipment technician
Jon is a CCR and technical diving instructor trainer who brings 30 years of diving and boating experience to the team. He has been involved with scientific diving for the past 12 years, primarily focused on the technical, logistical and safety elements of many varied projects.
Jon in a wetsuit and dive pack

What is your favorite travel memory?

I have so many! One that stands out for me is a sailing trip out to dive Bassas da India, which lies about halfway between Mozambique (where I lived for 12 years) and Madagascar. Bassas is an uninhabited atoll, formed by a volcano, which rises from the sea bed at 3000 meters to just breaking the surface. It is difficult to find a more remote or more pristine part of the Indian Ocean, the diving was out of this world and the fantastic sense of isolation was surreal.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I love to experience new locations and cultures and it is great to get into the Caribbean vibe! Carriacou has that lovely old world charm of a bygone age which is hard to find now days. Getting back in to sailing after a bit of a hiatus is my short term goal, the region is awash with boats and boaters!

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

The large number of return students we get speaks volumes for their enjoyment of their time spent here. As I write this we have 1 return student working here as a dive instructor and a couple who have come back for a holiday. It seems like every month we have at least 1 person coming to dive who was previously a student here.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

That would depend on previous diving experience. A qualified diver would want to get straight into marine field work, learn scientific diving techniques and data collection/entry techniques, possibly rounding this off with some higher level diving qualifications. Non divers would want to start with their Open Water dive course before getting into the scientific fieldwork. As our structure allows for both these groups, students just decide where they ''get on'' to the course and how long they want to stay.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

We are a group of passionate divers, conservationists and scientists with incredibly diverse backgrounds and skill sets. For me it is really gratifying to see local staff get enthusiastic about conserving the underwater world and being part of their progression as professional divers, skippers and the conservationists of tomorrow.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Good open and honest communication is vital not just for a company but for daily life. Many problems stem from poor communication, conflict can arise over misunderstandings and no team endeavor can succeed if all members are not clear about objectives and roles.
Scientific research is also of far more importance when the results are in the public domain, enabling people to make informed decisions and policies.