FLORIDA OCEANOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
ARTIFICIAL REEF RESEARCH DIVE TEAM
PROGRAM GOALS
HISTORY AND PURPOSES:
The Artificial Reef Research Dive Team was formed by volunteer SCUBA divers who were members of the Florida Oceanographic Society in 1989. They were inspired by a Jacksonville team who initiated the concept with support from local university professors, and through trial and error, prepared a manual and video tapes for use by similar, interested dive groups. The Florida Oceanographic Society Dive Team adapted the program to their own use and made several changes to conform the teaching materials for application in our own area, which has several unique features.
The training program consists of several lectures by members of the dive team, using a manual prepared by Sea Grant and members of the dive team, adapted to our local conditions, fish identification books and video tapes by Paul Humann, followed by training dives to prepare scuba divers to use various materials and equipment, to observe, gather, document and store physical and biological information about artificial and natural reefs. The training covers pre-deployment exercises, mapping, fish identification, reef building, specimen collection, methods of collecting pertinent oceanographic data and dive safety.
Following completion of the research course, members are encouraged to upgrade their dive skills and equipment with a goal of having every member trained to a minimum of rescue level and use of nitrox (enriched air).
Our team has been divided into a “deep” water team and “shallow” water team, which descriptions are relative. The “deep” team is required to be trained in the use of redundant systems, use of pony bottles, computers, cave reels, lift bags, mixed gases and advanced deep water training. The depths projected for these divers will vary from 80 feet to 200+ feet. The “shallow” water team is not required to provide redundant systems, but will be diving in water depths up to 80 feet, and will encourage the use of nitrox, computers, skill in the use of lift bags and reels, and additional dive training. Most of the “shallow” team will be working in the Ernst and Donaldson areas.
Our current projects include the monitoring of the deployment of the Crary Bridge material in the Ernst Permitted Site (55 - 60 feet), mapping of the Roosevelt/FPL reef in the Sirotkin Site; monitoring of the mitigation reef deployments in the near shore area of Hutchinson Island; additional surveys of certain fish species (snook and jewfish), water quality sampling and deployment of tetrahedron modules in the Roosevelt/FPL area.
But all work and no play makes for dull diving. Dive trips to various sites throughout Florida are planned during the year, and will include camping weekend trips to the North Florida springs, sleep-aboard trips on commercial dive boats, and day trips to sites of interest. All members are encouraged to input suggestions at any time and to participate in all areas of the dive team organization. REMEMBER, WE ARE VOLUNTEERS AND EVERY MEMBER IS A VALUABLE RESOURCE.