A Day in the Life of a Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Volunteer

photos and words: Hannah McKennett

Picture this: you spend every day diving into electric blue water, swimming alongside spotted stingrays, and biking past rows of fluttering palm trees. Dream tropical vacation? Yes…and also a day in the life of a marine volunteer for the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Project in Mexico. 

As an ocean lover and environmental activist, I’m always looking for ways to travel more ethically. Overtourism is one of the main reasons our coral reefs are vanishing before our eyes, especially in Cozumel — the island where over 2 million tourists set their sights every year. 

That’s what led me to the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program (CCRRP), which is on a mission to rebuild the vibrant coral reefs that the island is known for. As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to dive in the lush underwater world of the Mesoamerican Reef, all while saving the reefs that calls it home.  

So if you’re interested in voluntourism, love the ocean, or are looking for ways to make your Caribbean travel more sustainable, here’s what you can expect as a marine volunteer for the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program! 

Volunteering at the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Project

For three weeks, I worked as a volunteer for the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Project, where I cleaned the coral platforms, planted new coral fragments, and helped the marine world of the Villa Blanca reef. This is what a day in my life looked like!

Morning

As a volunteer, my day starts with a panoramic ride past turquoise waves and tropical palm trees on the bike path that connects Cozumel’s downtown area with the Sunset Beach Club, where CCRRP is located. (Every volunteer is given access to a bike for the duration of their stay, a major bonus for navigating the island!)

During my trip, I stayed at the Hostelito Cozumel, a hostel in town that offers both shared dorms and private rooms — and a rooftop pool that’s perfect for post-volunteer cervesas. It was here that I met another volunteer for the marine organization, and we spent the following weeks biking, diving, and exploring Cozumel together. 

After a quick breakfast in the hostel kitchen, we set out for our 15-minute bike ride to the beach club, where we start our day around 10:30-11 am. 

Marine Volunteer Day

Now let’s save the ocean! At CCRRP, we start our volunteer days by buying a tank from the onsite Sand Dollar Sports dive center (which is $3 USD or 60 pesos) and setting up our dive equipment, which is supplied by the volunteer organization. 

During a short swim from the shore to the coral platforms, we say hi to our local neighbors: seahorse hidden in soft coral, rainbow parrot fish circling the currents, squid staring wide-eyed from the shallows.

Once we make it to one of the platforms, we stake our claim and start cleaning. Wielding a trio of brushes, we carefully remove algae from the corals growing in the area and plant any coral fragments we find on the way. While algae grows 1-2 cm a day, coral only grows 1-2 cm a year, so it's essential to remove algae overgrowth that's can suffocate the baby coral. 

During these hour-long dives, I loved feeling like I was helping rebuild the reef — while also mingling with the curious fish, spiny urchins, and shy stingrays that have taken up residence at our platforms. The mermaid vibes were very much real!

Marine Volunteer Afternoon

Every day is different at the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Project, so our afternoons were filled with a mix of volunteer work. Sometimes we'd squeeze in a second dive, where we'd help record the coral growth in the reef or install sun shades over the platforms. Other days we'd help make content for the CCRRP Instagram or clean up the beach where our mangroves are growing.

One week, we had the chance to take a fish identification course with the dive center, where we learned the names of our reef's local fish (my favorite: the tiny sharpnose puffer fish that hides in the baby coral). 

Around 2:30, we call it a day, jumping back on our bikes and make the picturesque trip back to town.

Evening

Home and showered, now it's time to explore the island! One of the best parts of the volunteer experience was making friends with my fellow volunteers, and we spent most evenings discovering new snorkeling spots, taking advantage of margarita happy hours, or simply hanging out at the hostel.

As a solo traveler, I loved having a built-in group of people to adventure with, and my trip was filled with jungle excursions to see Mayan ruins, snorkel boat tours in Cozumel's famous reefs, and even a night dive around our coral platforms.

After watching the glowing sun set over the waves, the volunteer day officially came to an end, and it was time to head to bed and do it all again tomorrow!

Sustainable Travel Tips: Why You Should Volunteer With The Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program

If you’re a travel lover who cares about the environment, volunteering abroad is one of the best sustainable ways to travel. Not only are you helping the environment rather than hurting it, but you’re also immersing yourself in a destination in a way that’s more authentic and unforgettable. 

Luxury beach clubs, crowded dive boats, cheesy restaurant chains — those aren’t going to give you the real experience of a place. Plus, they can contribute to overtourism and the destruction of local environments, like the cruise terminals that have destroyed huge areas of coral in Cozumel. 

As a marine volunteer for the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program, you can experience all the amazing things the island has to offer up-close-and-personal, while also being part of a positive change for the ocean. If we don’t start making a difference, the reefs we love so much will be gone within our lifetimes.

Consider this your sign to volunteer!!