Coral Reef Ed-Ventures Back on 11th Year

- Press Release, Smith College – Hol Chan Coral Reef Ed-Ventures is an educational summer program that teaches children about reef ecology and conservation. In 2000, three professors from Smith College, USA, Al Curran, Paulette Peckol, and Susan Etheredge collaborated with the managers of Hol Chan Marine Reserve, especially Miguel Alamilla, to create a program that provides a way for Smith students to give back to the community of San Pedro while supporting its beautiful resource of the coral reef.

The goal of the program for the past ten years has been to foster collaboration between Smith students and the residents of San Pedro to promote an understanding about the environmental and economic benefits of a healthy reef ecosystem nearby, in the hopes of increasing the conservation of this remarkable resource.

This program has two programs for children who are interested in learning more about the coral reef. There is an advanced program for children ages 12 and over, who will create, with the Smith student teachers, a coral reef conservation project. For the past two years the group has published a magazine focusing on the Meso-American Barrier Reef nearby and its links to the community.

The magazine printing was generously supported by community donations and was distributed free of charge throughout San Pedro. This program starts on Thursday, June 24 and ends on Friday July 2. The program runs from 4pm to 6pm (Location TBA).

For children ages 7 to 11, there is a youth program that lasts for two weeks. It runs from Monday, July 5 to Friday, July 16. The children participate in many hands-on activities that emphasize the care and preservation of the reef. The program runs from 9:00a.m. to 11:45 am at the RC School.

Interested students should pick up permission slips at the library (across from the RC School) or at the Hol Chan Office and bring it to the first day of the program. We hope you will join us on our coral reef adventure!!

Before the program officially gets underway, there will be two movie nights with popcorn and juice for anyone in the community who is interested. Be on the lookout for dates and times!

Reef Week Continues

Open Day at Hol Chan

Reef Week activities continue after this weekend’s very successful Lagoon Reef Eco Challenge. On Tuesday, April 27, Hol Chan Marine Reserve held an Open Day for the primary schools of San Pedro. With notebooks in hand and a wide open mind, they learned much about the marine ecosystems around the island at the Hol Chan office where educational displays have been set up to all to enjoy.

Reef Week Slogan Competition

It’s here again! Yes, the annual Reef Week event and in order to find a theme for this year’s event, Hol Chan Marine Reserve hosted its annual Slogan & Poster Competition. Entries were received, from several primary schools; however, the Holy Cross Anglican School claimed that spot, with their slogan “Save the Reef Today; Tomorrow Might be Too Late!” Therefore Reef Week will be celebrated under that theme from April 19th to the 25th.

Hol Chan Coastal Clean Up

On Saturday, October 24, 43 students ranging from several primary schools around the island, as well as the high school, participated in a cleanup campaign held by the Northern Marine Reserves. This activity took place at the turtle nesting beach in Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve.

This area was selected since it is where the turtles come to nest on Ambergris Caye. In addition, turtle monitoring that was conducted by the reserve staff, revealed that a total of 18 nests were identified in the area during this year’s nesting season. Therefore it is important to keep the area clean.

A total of 30 garbage bags of trash were collected from the beach, which was transported to town and properly disposed at the San Pedro dump site. The office of Hol Chan Marine Reserve thanks all the students who took part in this conservation activity and they look forward for their participation in other future activities.

Robert Silva Passes the 24hr Mark!

Pictures from yesterday, Sept. 14, as Silva prepared to submerge

If you were wondering how Mr. Silva is doing, at 10:30 this morning he passed the 24 hour mark of being underwater at Hol Chan Marine Reserve in his quest to break the world record for the longest salt water dive. Ambergris Today contacted the team out at Hol Chan and we were told that Silva is doing great in sound mind and conscious. He has used ten tanks of air supply since he started and got to sleep at around 4a.m. His team of divers were observing him during his sleep to make sure everything was 'A-Okay". More updates to follow; keep tuned to the Ambergris Today Daily Blog.

World Record Attempt in San Pedro Underway!

Remember when Ambergris Today reported back in July of that one man was to attempt to break the world record for the longest salt water dive? Well Mr. Robert Silva has arrived in San Pedro and at this moment is underwater at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve already in the process of attempting to stay under for more than 36.5 hours. With the assistance of his diving crew and that of Ramon's Village Dive Shop crew, Mr. Silva has already started the countdown for his world record breaking attempt that commenced this morning at 10:30a.m. He will have to eat, drink and sleep underwater without surfacing in order to break the record. Ambergris Today was there as Mr. Silva made his plunge into the waters of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. If all goes well, he is scheduled to surface on Wednesday, September 16 around 10:30a.m. making the dive 48 hours long. We will keep you posted on this amazing story and full details will be published on Thursday's edition of Ambergris Today Newspaper. (Read our first report HERE)

Mr. Robert Silva

Robert goes over the dive procedures with his crew and that of Ramon's Village Dive Shop

Setting the timer for his dive

Mr. Silva suits up and takes the plunge!

Good Luck! We are all hoping you break the world record