Volunteers on our Marine Conservation program need to be qualified divers, which is why we offer the PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water Diving courses as part of the volunteer program.

Each volunteer also undergoes species identification training, as well as training in survey techniques and practice survey dives.  The clear waters around Nosy Komba are a diver’s paradise, making every dive an amazing experience, but some dives are just that little bit extra special, as one of our volunteers, Ruth Engel (from New Jersey, USA), discovered.

“Today I went on my favorite dive yet.  Since getting scuba certified here at Turtle Cove I’ve done a handful of survey dives, mostly for practice.

Today, Vanessa and I went out for a Nudi (sea slugs and flatworm) survey.  The tide was in so we went down right on top of the reef.  It was amazing!  I felt more comfortable in the water than I have so far.

We floated and swam right over the reef and down into it, going upside down to search under lips for the small, vibrant, tiny creatures that exist on those tiny corners of our world that are coral reefs.

We found them; grunting and singing and shrieking into regulators to get each other’s attention.  Each time I found one I wished it was easier to smile with a mouthpiece in.   At the very end we spotted a hawksbill sea turtle called Nighthawk.

Once we ascended I couldn’t stop smiling.  I had so much fun, but it was more than that too.  It was going out and collecting data and having that feeling of actually understanding”.

Read more about other volunteers’ experiences here.

Contact us today to find out how you can join our Marine Conservation program and become a qualified PADI diver.