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Help conserve the environment and endangered species in the Dominican Republic
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Your diving training starts at zero and we will lead you through two complete level of diver qualifications. Gain a speciality training certification before you assist with marine conservation tasks. You’ll gain valuable and life-changing experiences with this exciting diving internship where you will help with important day to day tasks at a diving center and learn diving while protecting marine flora and fauna! Even if you do not have previous diving experience you will obtain important diving skills, while gaining insight in what it means to operate a diving center and also help safe the marine environment!
The minimum Internship length is 6 weeks
Start Dates for 2020: January 06, February 17, March 30, May 11, June 22, August 03, September 14, October 26, December 07
Samaná Bay is a significant breeding ground and nursery area for humpback whales from all over the North Atlantic and the most important multi-species fishing ground in the DR. While tourism is an important economic activity its impact on sensitive coastal-marine ecosystems is of particular concern. A major portion of environmental degradation in coastal areas is attributed to large-scale hotel developments in areas of high biodiversity and unregulated tour activities put at risk reproduction sites for whales and turtles. Mangrove deforestation and coral reef damage in turn decrease the resilience of these coastal marine ecosystems and increase their vulnerability to tropical storms. Additionally destructive lionfish (Pterois volitans) are invading coral reefs in the Americas and has been identified as one of the world’s greatest conservation issues. Our program is part of an effort to tackle an invasive species and help reverse coral reef damage!
With the Open Water Diver International Diploma and a speciality training you’ll get with this internship, you will be able to dive up to -18m deep while assisting dive instructors in their day to day work at a busy local diving centre. Once you have acquired the necessary training and skills, from the second week of your internship and on, you will additionally assist with marine conservation activities linking yourself with projects related to the conservation of aquatic coral nurseries, coral transplant and restoration, and training the local population on the importance of the environment. All seaborne diving activities depend greatly on weather patterns and sea conditions. This is a great opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to the protection of the marine environment while at the same time becoming a passionate qualified diver and learn to master everyday challenges at a busy diving centre working side by side with fellow interns and students, diving clients, dive masters and the chief instructor. The work can be quite demanding but is always very rewarding and varied. Physical fitness is important, no Spanish language skills are are required.
There are unlimited activities and sights to visit in your spare time. Visit the north coast for some of the best windsurfing or kiteboarding found in the world, go whale watching, try fun hiking, biking or even white-water rafting for those adrenaline seekers! You may also like to visit Caribbean’s highest peak, Pico Duarte, or the Playa Rincon, said to be one of the best beaches in the world. Hunt around the quaint town of Monte Cristo for some great finds including bargain priced jewellery made from handcrafted beads, and try some of the local rum in one of the colourful bars.
Upon arrival at Santo Domingo “Las Americas” airport or “El Catey” airport (Samana) you will be met by an in-country welcome & pick-up service and transferred to the bus terminal from where you leave with the bus to Samaná or Las Terrenas. On arrival, Aldeas de Paz staff will pick you up and bring you to the accommodation where you will be based for the duration of your project. The welcome & pickup service is courtesy and included in your placement donation.
If you have any questions you are very welcome to contact us!
Aldeas de Paz works hard to keep the required financial contribution to an absolute minimum and offers financial transparency by practicing an open book policy. The calculation of your financial contribution/donation is set up so that the longer you stay the less you pay. We do this to encourage longer stays, recognising that longer stays lead to more significant volunteer work and more energy contributed in the form of donated time in place of money!
The minimum contribution for this 6 weeks internship is only $1995. It includes two complete levels of qualification from basic to speciality training, Spanish language classes, shared accommodation fully equipped studio apartments, a special program donation as well as all scuba diving related equipment as well as a personal welcome service and pick-up at the airport, transfer to the bus, bus fare and free transfer to your placement location in Las Terrenas or Samana. If you wish a single room upgrade the total it is $2.238. For an independent and completely equipped Bungalow within a gated residence or one-room apartment pay €2.460 and an all in Host Family homestay for 6 weeks is $2.886, including a private bedroom and two meals per day.
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