No, this isn’t an article about a 100th dive. The NUDI, in this case, stands for Natural Underwater Discovery Internship. This is an exciting new collaboration between three exceptional companies: Go Dive Mossel Bay, Keep Fin Alive and Marine Action Research.
So what do you get, when you bring scuba diving, conservation and research together?
An amazing opportunity to master diving skills, while protecting and benefiting our vulnerable oceans, and furthering valuable marine research. All alongside award winning NAUI Instructors and passionate marine biologists and conservationists, who are dedicated to preserving the oceans.
Whether dipping their toes in for the first time with scuba diving, or being an accomplished diver, there is an opportunity to learn new underwater skills and add to a diving resume.
Does conservation get you going?
The possibility of being empowered to preserve and conserve our coastline, with newly learned knowledge, skills and resources to keep our ocean healthy and marine life safe, should have you quaking. The partnership with Keep Fin Alive, enables interns to add into existing and ongoing projects, such as the Clean Ocean Divers workshop and NAUI qualification, the Strandloper Project reef cleans, and the community outreach initiatives with an entertaining puppet show. They’ll also get the chance to share their passion for the oceans with locals, and insist on plastic free oceans among local businesses, by encouraging Clean Ocean Companies.
Maybe research is more up your alley?
Imagine spending your days searching for nudies. No, not trawling the internet, looking at dodgy websites, but scrutinising our beautiful reefs, looking for nudibranchs. These gastropods, are one of the most diverse marine invertebrates in the world. Although more than 5,000 specimens currently exist, so many more have yet to be discovered. With Marine Action Research leading this exciting project, there is hope of a few more undescribed nudibranchs being found among our reefs, and added into the international database.
The research opportunities don’t just end with nudies. There are also many other invertebrate and reef species to be surveyed, as well as fish, sharks and cephalopods, to name but a few. Interns learn to brush up on their buoyancy skills, to capture tricky macro shots of the organisms. BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) will also be utilised, capturing the latest techniques in biodiversity and abundance analysis.
On top of all the exhilarating projects the interns get involved in, they’ll also be honing their dive skills through both practical dives, including the research and conservation diving, and theory sessions. Divers can become Dive Master qualified in just weeks, filled with life-changing scuba experiences.
What do the interns think?
Our Go Dive NUDI volunteer, Nick, has experienced all our internship has to offer. It’s left him chomping at the bit to use his newly acquired Dive Master certification, that he achieved in two months with the help of our team, to build advocacy for our oceans, through guided experiences in our wondrous underwater world. He’ll always strive to educate the divers on the importance of conserving our oceans.
“As an intern at Go Dive Mossel Bay, I was exposed to opportunities far beyond my expectations.
With Dive Master training being the main focus, the regular baited, boat and night dives gave me more than enough time and experience exploring Mossel Bay’s unique underwater landscape. The instructors made my learning enjoyable, giving me any help I needed along the way, and ensuring that I was ready to be the best Dive Master possible.
I was lucky enough to be given a number of opportunities to assist with community, recreational and environmental activities. The highlight of this, being the close partnership with Keep Fin Alive and their Clean Oceans initiatives.
A plethora of tools and knowledge became available for me, which empowered me to make an active change and difference through education and community involvement.
I have been inspired and empowered to take the Clean Oceans initiative to my home in Australia, where the fight for marine conservation can become international.
SAPREC was one of the most fun and rewarding experiences of the internship. Weekly visits to the centre equipped me with skills to take care of injured seabirds, as well as raise awareness for their conservation.
The team were organised, friendly and professional, and they were constantly arranging activities and ensuring they did their very best to create a family atmosphere with Go Dive.”
So what’s stopping you?
If you’re not already scuba qualified, we’re here to build you up all the way from beginner. Even if you’ve already experienced the sensational world of scuba, and are an open water or advanced diver, of any kind, we want to help you get the most out of your diving career, developing you into a safe, confident leader and Dive Master.
Our ultimate Go Dive NUDI goal, is to give you a life-changing experience, empowering you with many diving, conservation and research skills, that will open up doors in the underwater world for you.
So really, what is stopping you?
Just remember…
“You cannot discover new oceans, unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”
Andre Gide – author, humanist, moralist and Nobel Prize winner.
