Kona’s newest dive operation celebrated its grand opening on Nov. 3 at Honokohau Harbor. We had a chance to dive with the crew of Aquatic Life Divers earlier this year, where we enjoyed a full day of diving, including tiger shark and dolphin sightings. Since then, a lot has happened. Aquatic Life Divers acquired two new, state-of-the-art dive boats, launched a new website and hosted its first EcoDiver training course with the Reef Check Foundation.

Aquatic Life Divers is quickly making a name for itself by implementing new programs with a focus on coral and marine conservation in Hawaii. After diving with the crew earlier this year, founder Heather Howard shared that “she wakes up every day, living her best life.” A veteran to the dive industry with more than 11 years working and guiding on the Island of Hawaii, Howard says she is “doing the right thing, in the right way and at the right time.” This is her interpretation of a native Hawaiian phrase “Kina’ole.”

Aquatic Life Divers completed its first Reef Check EcoDiver training program on Oct. 21 and is currently in process of developing a PADI specialty in partnership with the Reef Check foundation.

As the creator of this new specialty, Aquatic Life Divers is in a unique position to partner with other operators to help certify instructors and spread the message of conserving coral in the Hawaiian Islands. This falls right in line with the operator’s mission to educate its clients and community on topics of coral and ocean conservation.

The Reef Check EcoDiver Training program teaches divers to become EcoDivers and how to collect data while diving and upload the data to Reef Check. The data is then used to monitor and help marine health and longevity. With EcoDiver teams established in more than 90 countries and territories, there are a multitude of reefs to survey at nearly every diving destination worldwide. Aquatic Life Divers team members were taught by Gregor Hodgson, the founder of Reef Check, and they spent three days both in the classroom and in the ocean to learn how to identify marine species and collect relevant data. The curriculum was designed so participants can learn how to incorporate conservation efforts into diving. Aquatic Life Divers plans to hold EcoDiver certification courses monthly.