Do I need to be a certified diver to participate?

You can join as a snorkeler; diving spots require Open Water certification. Newly certified divers are advised to gain additional experience before attending.

What does registration include?

Registration covers two-tank dive or snorkel event registration, two standard air tanks and weights, an invitation to the Key Largo evening social, and an event shirt.

Can I rent equipment?

Yes. Rental gear, nitrox fills, and private divemaster hires are available through assigned local operators at additional cost.

What happens if the weather cancels a day?

Operators will reschedule or reassign you when possible; cancellation policies depend on the assigned dive operator and Coral Restoration Foundation guidelines.

How are waitlist placements handled?

Waitlist registrants are randomly assigned to participating dive operators or placed per request when possible; co-registered divers are prioritized to stay together.

Will I be helping to plant corals?

Yes. Activities include working at coral nurseries, handling fragments, securing corals to substrate, and collecting monitoring data under staff supervision.

Hands-On Reef Rescue: Coralpalooza™ at The Dive Shop, Key Largo

Coralpalooza™ at The Dive Shop in Key Largo, Florida is a three-day, community-driven reef restoration festival centered on hands-on coral propagation and outplanting along the upper Florida Keys. Based at 5 Seagate Blvd, Key Largo, FL 33037, USA, the event combines two-tank dives or guided snorkels, training from Coral Restoration Foundation staff, and a Key Largo evening social to bring volunteers, divers, and scientists together. The experience drops you into the salt-siffed business of restoring staghorn and elkhorn corals that build the Florida Reef Tract. On the water you'll board local dive boats, descend to coral nurseries and shallow outplant sites, and learn to handle coral fragments, secure them to limestone substrate, and monitor growth. The reef here is a living laboratory: patch reefs, spur-and-groove formations, and dense schools of parrotfish, snapper, and wrasse offer constant company while you work. Sea turtles and nurse sharks are occasional visitors, and the restoration efforts are aimed at reversing decades of disease and bleaching that reshaped these communities. This is not a passive eco-tour. Coralpalooza™ blends structured conservation practices approved by the Coral Restoration Foundation with recreational diving: participants receive two standard air tanks and weights, an invitation to the Friday evening social, and an event shirt. Rental gear, nitrox, or private divemaster hire are available through assigned local operators. If you're newly certified, plan to log some open-water dives before joining; the organizer recommends prior experience for a smoother, safer day on the reef. Why book this over a regular Key Largo dive? Coralpalooza™ turns your surface interval into impact: you leave the water with measurable contributions —an outplanted colony, a data point in long-term monitoring, a photo that documents regrowth. The event’s UN Ocean Decade recognition means your effort slots into a global restoration movement, amplifying local stewardship into international momentum. Practical notes: meet in Key Largo for boat assignments; waitlist placements are possible and operators aim to keep co-registered divers together. Expect variable sea conditions; dives are typically shallow but can require buoyancy control when working close to fragile corals. Respect staff guidance—these reefs are fragile and every action is designed to minimize impact while maximizing survival. For travelers looking to blend a Florida Keys vacation with direct conservation, Coralpalooza™ at The Dive Shop delivers an efficient, educational, and deeply satisfying way to give back to the reef while enjoying classic Key Largo diving. Register early to secure a spot on the preferred local operator's boat, and bring reef-safe sunscreen, an interest in hands-on conservation, and modest expectations for rough water. Whether you snorkel or dive, you'll leave with new skills, fresh stories, and measurable contributions to coral survival that last long after your vacation ends. Bring a reusable bottle.

About Coral Restoration Foundation

Coral Restoration Foundation, based in Tavernier, Florida, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring coral reef ecosystems through science-based restoration, public engagement, and volunteer programs. The foundation cultivates coral fragments in offshore and in-water nurseries, conducts outplanting and monitoring on restored reef sites, and advances best practices for reef recovery. Public experiences include Coralpalooza events, boat-based restoration dives with local dive operators, and full-day programs that let participants work directly in nurseries, assist with coral planting, and learn monitoring techniques.

Programs are designed for divers, snorkelers, students, volunteers, and community groups seeking hands-on conservation opportunities. Coralpalooza is presented as a multi-day global event that mobilizes volunteers and partners to celebrate World Oceans Day with reef restoration activities. Boat-based experiences listed from local operators provide accessible ways to join restoration efforts in the Florida Keys region. Educational materials, volunteer training, and site monitoring support the foundation's restoration goals and provide measurable field experience.

The organization collaborates with regional partners, dive operators, and community stakeholders to scale restoration efforts while maintaining scientific oversight. Volunteer opportunities are structured and supervised to ensure safety and ecological best practices. Public participation supports ongoing reef resilience work and helps connect visitors to local marine conservation. For travelers seeking meaningful ocean experiences in the Florida Keys, Coral Restoration Foundation offers guided, field-based programs that combine education with tangible reef recovery actions. Programs accommodate varying experience levels, include certified-diver options and snorkel-friendly activities, and often offer opportunities to learn about coral biology and reef ecology in the Keys.