Hawai’i Scuba Conservation Add-On

Learn to scuba dive and help protect critical reef ecosystems in Hawaii!

Hawai’i Scuba Conservation Add-On

7 Days

After joining GIVE’s Hawaii Volunteer Excursion, spend an extra week on the Big Island getting your PADI Open Water Certification, volunteering on marine debris removal, learning about coral reef conservation, and getting the chance to dive with sea turtles, manta rays, and dolphins along the Kohala Coast! Discover the incredible beauty, biodiversity, and cultural significance of Hawaii’s coral reefs, while gaining the skills, certifications, and inspiration to protect these critical ecosystems around the world.

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Highlights of Hawai’i Scuba Add-On

Hawai’i Scuba Conservation Itinerary

Get the chance to dive with turtles, dolphins, and manta rays I Become PADI Open Water Certified I Volunteer to clean marine debris I Earn your PADI CoralWatch & Dive Against Debris Specialties        

Day 1:

Trip Commencement. Say goodbye to your GIVE fam that’s heading back to the mainland, and then dive into the next phase of the adventure with your fellow scuba volunteers! Check into your new accommodations, enjoy a welcome dinner, and learn about the journey ahead during an opening orientation.

Day 2-4:

PADI Open Water Certification. Begin your PADI Open Water Course learning fundamental skills and how to use your equipment under the direct supervision of a PADI Instructor. Spend the next two days honing your skills and knowledge while diving with your instructor and fellow students off the Kohala Coast. After four dives you will officially be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver for life! Note: you will also be required to complete the Open Water Theory portion of your course via the PADI eLearning portal prior to your trip. We will send you those details prior to your trip.

Day 5:

Volunteer Ocean Clean-up & PADI Dive Against Debris Speciality. Fresh off your Open Water Certification, you will get to pay the ocean forward by helping clean it up on your next dive (or snorkel depending on location and weather conditions). You will also get to learn about the problems of marine debris, how to conduct marine debris surveys, and how to be a part of the solution of keeping our oceans clean while earning your PADI Dive Against Debris Specialty!

“At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, and plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.” – IUCN

Day 6:

Open Water Dive & PADI CoralWatch Specialty. Everyone likes to dive and snorkel on a vibrant coral reef, but very few people really understand what they’re seeing or the critical importance of reef ecosystems. While completing the PADI CoralWatch Specialty, you will learn to appreciate the complexity of these habitats and how you can help conserve these vital systems. As an added bonus, you’ll get the chance to dive with sea turtles, manta rays, dolphins, and a myriad of other marine life that thrive in these environments!

Day 7:

Trip end. All good things must come to an end, but your new friends, memories, skills, and scuba certifications will be with you forever. Say your goodbyes and begin the journey back to the mainland or on to your next adventure.

 

**THIS IS A SAMPLE ITINERARY WHICH IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Why volunteer scuba diving in Hawai’i?

Protect Moana and Ko’a:

As the indigenous people of an island chain in the middle of the Pacific surrounded by coral reefs, Native Hawaiians have profound ancestral and spiritual connections to the ko’a (coral) and moana (ocean). In fact, Native Hawaiians believe that ko’a is the origin of all life on their sacred islands (Source: Ethnobiology of Corals & Coral Reefs). 

The Reefs are Disappearing

Occupying less than 1% of the marine environment, coral reefs are home to more than 25% of all known marine fish species. With more than 27% of coral reefs already destroyed, we must act now to protect and regenerate these critically important ecosystems. And with over 80% of US coral reefs in Hawai’i, this is the perfect place to start.

Dive into a Whole New World

Experience the incredible marine life, lava tubes and vibrant reefs of the Kohala coast, while earning your PADI Open Water Certification to dive anywhere in the world for the rest of your life. You will also develop skills to dive deeper into ocean conservation while earning your PADI Dive Against Debris & Reef Conservation Specialties.

  • All accommodations, which have access to basic amenities and security
  • All group transportation throughout your trip (not including flights)
  • All volunteer projects materials, provisions, guidance, and facilitation
  • All diving equipment (mask, fins, BCD, regulators, etc)
  • All meals and drinking water throughout your trip
  • All dives and certifications included in the program, including your PADI Open Water, PADI Dive Against Debris Speciality, and PADI Coral Reef Conservation Specialty
  • All adventure and cultural activities throughout your trip
  • Your PADI Open Water Course eLearning fee, which must be completed before arrival
  • Funding towards volunteer projects
  • Flights to and from Hawaii and all other associated air taxes, ticket fees, and any country entry and departure taxes
  • Medical and travelers insurance
  • Passport and visa fees (specific to your citizenship)
  • Vaccinations (specific to host country)
  • COVID test(s), if necessary
* Trip dates are based on Demand. GIVE reserves the right to change program dates
* Winter trips are shorter than summer trips

Ready to start your adventure?