The Coral Reef
The Wonder of Interconnectedness
The coral reef is not just a collection of animals; it’s a living city, the result of an almost never-ending series of relationships. We inspire certified and aspiring divers to explore consciously and respectfully, understanding that the simple act of certification is a license to study the systems that sustain over half the world’s oxygen.
Four Principles
Our Four Principles of Ocean Healing
Community Education
Training youth across our mission sites (Florida Keys, Panama, Barbados, Honduras) to communicate about the 7 million tons of plastic and the effects of 3.6 million lbs of $CO_2$ emissions.
Debris Mitigation
Mobilizing large-scale efforts to remove trash and pollutants, directly improving water quality and supporting the survivability of fragile coral ecosystems.
Reef Health Monitoring
Training citizen scientists to conduct systematic fish, invertebrate, substrate, and roving coral surveys to collect critical, open-source data on reef health.
Coral Carbon Sink Creation
Active ocean healing through coral and sponge outplanting, transforming degraded areas into massive carbon sequestration centers and coastal defense systems.
Take the Helm
Training the Next Generation
Our unique program structure is designed to convert passion into professional purpose. We focus on boutique experiences with small student-to-instructor ratios to ensure participants receive focused, high-quality training and deep ecological understanding.
PADI/SDI Certification Levels: Mastery is Advocacy
The journey begins with the Open Water Diver certification, your first step into the interconnected world beneath the waves. However, we strongly encourage divers to proceed straight through to Rescue Diver.
It is at the Rescue Diver level that you truly master your personal dive skills, enabling you to look outward with empathy, identify potential problems in others, and proactively assist in preventing unnecessary issues. This mastery is the foundation of becoming a responsible advocate and a good dive buddy.
The Distinctive Specialty: Coral Ecosystem Monitoring
Developed by Kramer Wimberley, this specialized course is our cornerstone. It trains divers not just to look, but to measure, record, and report critical data, turning certified divers into essential field scientists.
Our Lead Trainer: Kramer Wimberley
Kramer Wimberley is the Founder of the DWP-CARES Initiative and a respected leader in global dive education and scientific methodology.
Certified Master Scuba Diver Trainer:
PADI, Scuba Diving International (SDI)
Scientific Trainer:
Reef Check Eco Diver Trainer
Holds a wealth of specialized certifications, emphasizing safety and scientific rigor.
"The goal of diving is not depth, but the understanding of the complex world you enter."
We’ve Reached
Join a DWP
Join a DWP-CARES Mission
Data for the Deep
Our Open Source Science
We believe in transparency. The data our citizen scientists collect forms the basis for real conservation decisions. We provide this critical reef health information to the global community.
Survey Data
Access raw data on Fish, Invertebrate, Substrate, and Roving Coral Surveys collected by DWP-CARES-trained divers in the Florida Keys and Caribbean.
Photo Mosaics
View high-resolution, georeferenced photo mosaics of specific reef sites to track changes in coral cover and restoration progress over time.
Impact Reporting
Review our detailed reports on $CO_2$ mitigation estimates and measured reduction in disease/damage at our outplanting locations.
Data for the Deep
Our Open Source Science
We believe in transparency. The data our citizen scientists collect forms the basis for real conservation decisions. We provide this critical reef health information to the global community.
Photo Mosaics
View high-resolution, georeferenced photo mosaics of specific reef sites to track changes in coral cover and restoration progress over time.
Impact Reporting
Review our detailed reports on $CO_2$ mitigation estimates and measured reduction in disease/damage at our outplanting locations.
Survey Data
Access raw data on Fish, Invertebrate, Substrate, and Roving Coral Surveys collected by DWP-CARES-trained divers in the Florida Keys and Caribbean.
Support the mission
Art for Ocean Healing
Support the mission directly through art. Our Artist-in-Residence creates stunning, marine-themed artwork that captures the beauty we are fighting to protect. All profits go directly to funding our missions, equipment, and youth scholarships.
Coral Art Piece 1
Access raw data on Fish, Invertebrate, Substrate, and Roving Coral Surveys collected by DWP-CARES-trained divers in the Florida Keys and Caribbean.
Fish Sketch Art Piece
View high-resolution, georeferenced photo mosaics of specific reef sites to track changes in coral cover and restoration progress over time.
Seascape Art Piece
View high-resolution, georeferenced photo mosaics of specific reef sites to track changes in coral cover and restoration progress over time.
Ocean Advocacy Poster
Review our detailed reports on $CO_2$ mitigation estimates and measured reduction in disease/damage at our outplanting locations.
We are proud
Global Credibility. Local Action.
We are proud to be a Member Organization with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).