Emerald Isle Welcomes Underwater Enthusiasts
05-20-2009
Montserrat Hosts First-Ever Dive Festival June 27 – July 4
Brades, Montserrat – May 19, 2009 – The Green Monkey Dive Shop with the support of the Montserrat Tourist Board (MTB) and the Montserrat Tourism Challenge Fund (MTCF) will host the destination’s inaugural Montserrat Dive Festival from June 27 – July 4, 2009. Held in conjunction with Montserrat’s bi-annual Reef Check Program, the scheduled dive program includes a free Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course, discounted Peak Performance Buoyancy course and two tank dive trip to the elusive Redonda island.
The Montserrat Dive Festival will also offer activities for adults, children and non-divers. Scenic boat tours with spectacular views of the Leeward coast of the island, the Soufrière Hills Volcano and the Pompeii-like volcanic ash covered former capital city of Plymouth will be available on June 27 and July 4. Land tours are available on June 28 and include a stop at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) to view the Soufrière Hills Volcano. On July 3, a coastal kayak trip will take participants down the Leeward coast of the island with a stop at one of Montserrat’s dark sand beaches for snorkeling. Land and boat island tours are at an additional discounted cost for registered dive festival participants.
On June 28, a specially planned Discovery Day will provide kids the opportunity to learn about the underwater world by learning to snorkel or dive. Participants will also be educated on coral reefs and their importance to the marine environment as well as fish identification basics through an hour-long classroom session. Children between the ages of 11 – 14 will then get the chance to participate in the Discover Scuba Diving program and children 14 and under can participate in the Discover Snorkeling program. Both discovery programs are free and open to residents and visitors ages 14 and under.
Dive festival registration is $25 USD and includes a 2009 Montserrat Dive Festival & Reef Check T-shirt, welcome cocktail reception, reef check classroom instruction and reef check dives including tanks and weights (buoyancy control device and regulator additional), PADI/Project AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Specialty course (certificate card additional), BBQ and Beach Party, and 20 – 30% discount on all dives and scheduled activities. For more information, visit www.divemontserrat.com or www.visitmontserrat.com.
About Reef Check Program
Reef Check is an international program dedicated to the conservation of tropical coral reefs. The goals are to “educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems and the current crisis affecting marine life, to create a global network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check’s scientific methods who regularly monitor and report on reef health; to facilitate collaboration that produces ecologically sound and economically sustainable solutions; and to stimulate local community action to protect remaining pristine reefs and rehabilitate damaged reefs worldwide. Reef checks are held biannually in Montserrat during the months of March and June. The program is directed by Professor James Hewlett of Finger Lakes Community College in New York with the assistance of student volunteer groups and the Green Monkey Dive Shop.
About Montserrat
Montserrat, the only country outside of Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a national holiday, is a lush green and mountainous island of approximately 39 square miles that lies in the Eastern Caribbean chain of islands. Known fondly as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean, this pear shaped island is a traveler’s paradise for nature lovers, divers, adventurers, family and villa vacationers, and honeymooners. This British overseas territory boasts the spectacular Soufrière Hills Volcano, a modern day Pompeii in the form of its buried former capital city Plymouth, alongside lush, green mountains, world class nature trails, deserted dark sand beaches, untouched reefs and a quiet friendly charm reminiscent of the way the Caribbean used to be. For more information on Montserrat and its breathtaking scenery and unspoiled, unpolluted coral and volcanic vistas, visit www.visitmontserrat.com.
# # #
[Back to Press Releases Main]
