CORAL GARDENS (WHITE HOUSE REEF) SNORKEL TRAIL RESTORATION WORK TO BE UNDERTAKEN ON 18 DECEMBER 2011
5 December 2011, Providenciales, TCI – The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF) announced today the work to restore the snorkel trail markers on the Coral Gardens (White House) Reef will be undertaken on Sunday 18 December 2011. Work on the reef will begin at 9:00 am and at 2:00 pm Somewhere on the Beach will be hosting a beach party with food and drink specials and live music.
The work will involve removing and thoroughly cleaning all the markers that are underwater at strategic locations around the popular inshore snorkeling reef. Each ceramic tile trail marker will be carefully removed from its reef ball base by local scuba divers and then brought to shore to be cleaned by volunteers using a environmentally friendly cleaning protocol developed by the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund. After cleaning, the trail markers will be reinstalled by the scuba divers. In addition, several of the trail markers are either missing or damaged and new ceramic tile markers have been produced by the local artists who produced the original trail markers. These new markers will be installed that day and this work will involve also repairing several of the reef ball mounts.
Volunteers are needed to assist in this effort. Snorkelers are needed to provide surface assistance to the divers working underwater. The snorkelers will help transport the trail markers from their site on the reef to the shore for cleaning and then back out to the divers for reinstallation underwater. Other volunteers will be asked to help with the cleaning effort which will be done right on the beach so people can learn more about the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund and the snorkel trail. Page 2 of 2 Turks & Caicos Reef Fund Providenciales, TCI (649) 347-8455 (Don Stark) Info@TCReef.org (E-mail) (649) 346-3111 (David Stone) www.TCReef.org Any one interested in volunteering to help on this project can contact the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund via email at info@tcreef.org. Starting at 2:00 pm, Somewhere on the Beach will be host a beach party with specials and music.
One highlight of the event will be a raffle for a Beaches Day/Night pass for two people, a prize valued at $250. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the event or in advance of the event by contacting David Stone at 346-3111. The drawing will be held during the Beach Party at Somewhere on the Beach.
“Since this is such a popular destination for both guests and local residents, we felt it was an important project for the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund to undertake,” said TCRF Deputy Chairman David Stone. “The trail markers have been unattended for so long that most are no longer readable by snorkelers on the surface. When this work is done, the trail markers will be clearly visible to all visitors to this reef.” “We also want to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters who have made this project possible,” added Don Stark, TCRF Chairman. The Trip Advisor Turks and Caicos Specialists have generously underwritten the cost of one of the replacement trail markers. Provo Turtle Divers is generously providing the air fills for the scuba divers who will be working underwater most of the day.
We also want to thank Beaches for providing the day/night pass for our raffle and Somewhere on the Beach for assisting with promoting the event and hosting the beach party that afternoon.”
About TCRF Founded in 2010, the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund is an all volunteer-run organization that provides funding for education, research and conservation programs to individuals, organizations and agencies that help to preserve and protect the marine environment of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Our goal is to have at least 85% of all funds raised through voluntary contributions from divers and snorkelers visiting the Turks & Caicos Islands are directed to the Fund’s programs. More information about TCRF can be found at www.tcreef.org