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Underwater Naturalist
During the classroom session you'll learn how to identify many of the coral reef communities more interesting characters. After the classroom session it's off to complete the two open water dives during one of our many Caribbean adventures. This is where you really begin to realize and witness the high drama that is the marine coral reef environment. After this course you'll never look at the underwater world in the same way.
At the completion of this course, you will receive a PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty Card. This course is a perfect complement to the PADI Project AWARE Fish ID – REEF Survey and the PADI Project AWARE Coral Reef Conservation – CoralWatch course. Both of these courses train you to conduct important reef surveys and research during your dives. You might also consider the UW Digital Photography course and the UW Sign Language course to help you with your diving adventures and research dives. All three of these environmental specialties can be applied toward the Master Diver program. For more information on this prestigious rating, please ask your instructor. Prerequisite
Provided by Student
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Many people spend their entire diving career swimming over the reefs, staring at the fish, completely unaware of what they are looking atÂ…or overlooking. This course will enlighten you about WHY all the critters on the coral reef are doing what they're doing. Becoming an Underwater Naturalist is all about interacting with the inhabitants of the reef. In addition we'll learn to spot fascinating reef action like cleaning stations (they're all over, you just have to know how to look for them), we'll learn to follow fish as they stalk other fish, we'll watch first-hand how some reef species team up to ambush others or to avoid being ambushed! You'll learn to spot the bizarre courtship rituals of some of the reefs more dramatic residents. We'll see the strange behaviors of night hunters as well, including feeding the coral. Don't continue to swim around and be a watcherÂ…become PART of the fascinating world of the reef!
Non-divers may take the classroom portion and, if they desire, go snorkeling. Either way, you will get a chance to put your newfound knowledge and skills into practice.
