What is included in the registration fee?

Registration covers two-tank dive or snorkel event registration, two standard air tanks, weights, an invitation to the evening social event, and a Coralpalooza™ 2026 event shirt.

Can snorkelers help with restoration?

Only certified SCUBA divers can participate in hands-on outplanting; snorkelers are welcome to observe and learn from briefings.

What are the age requirements?

Participants must be at least 12 years old; minors 12–17 must be accompanied by a registered adult participant.

I haven’t dived in over a year—what should I do?

If it’s been more than 12 months since your last open water dive, you need an open water ocean boat dive beforehand; over 24 months requires a refresher course with a local dive shop.

How many people are on each charter?

Group size is capped at a maximum of 20 people per charter to balance safety and effective supervision.

Meet at Key Largo; the operator lists the meeting point and address as 105800 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037, USA for boarding and check-in.

Join Coralpalooza in Key Largo: Two-tank Reef Restoration Dives with Horizon Divers

On a clear June morning off Key Largo, Florida, Horizon Divers runs a different kind of dive: Coralpalooza™ Saturday June 6th Morning, a two-tank restoration event that turns recreational divers into reef stewards. Based at 105800 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037, USA, this four-hour charter joins the Coral Restoration Foundation™ and a global network of volunteers marking World Oceans Day with hands-on reef work and community science.

The itinerary is straightforward: two dives or snorkel sessions aboard a local dive boat, standard air tanks and weights provided, and an evening social for participants. Certified SCUBA divers are encouraged to take active roles in outplanting and monitoring; snorkelers are welcome to observe. Coralpalooza™ is recognized by the UN Ocean Decade and channels hundreds of coordinated actions toward restoring Acropora species—staghorn and elkhorn—that form the backbone of Florida’s reef architecture.

What makes this event special is scale and context. The dives take place inside the Florida Keys reef tract, part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (established 1990), where living coral survives in patch reefs, spur-and-groove formations, and scattered bommies. Participants assist with nursery-to-reef outplanting and data collection that funnels into long-term restoration databases. The tactile experience—handling coral fragments under supervision, mastering neutral buoyancy to avoid contact, and watching tiny colonies anchor to limestone substrate—creates a direct connection to an ecosystem under pressure from warming, disease, and storms.

Practical logistics matter: the registration fee covers two standard tanks, weights, a Coralpalooza™ 2026 shirt, and an evening social invite. Minimum age is 12; minors 12–17 must dive with a registered adult. If you haven’t dived within a year, you’ll need a qualifying ocean dive beforehand; lapses over two years require a refresher—arrange that with a local shop.

For travelers, Key Largo offers quick access to shallow reef gardens and deeper wrecks nearby; bring reef-safe sunscreen, a reliable mask, and a dive computer. Beyond the hands-on work, Coralpalooza™ is an education platform: expect briefings on coral species, nursery techniques, and how volunteer efforts scale into measurable recovery. For anyone visiting the Keys, this is more than a dive trip—it’s an opportunity to leave a visible, positive mark on one of North America’s most threatened marine habitats.

Horizon Divers serves as hub for community restoration in Key Largo, coordinating charters from the marina near 105800 Overseas Hwy and bringing local dive skill and logistical experience to the event. With a limit of 20 participants per trip, the operation balances small-boat intimacy with large-scale impact—so you get individualized briefings, careful supervision during outplanting, and a sense of contributing to a coordinated science project. That combination of professional dive service, UN-recognized programming, and direct conservation outcomes makes this a stand-out marine-adventure in the Keys.

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.