A Big Reefer

I spent a few days last week on one of the private islands in the Muy’Ono portfolio. We just had a new swimming pool built on Royal Belize, and I had to get down to see it for myself. It is a definite game-changer. The island has always been known for over-the-top pampering, and now your drinks can be delivered to you while you lounge by the pool. The friends and family plan makes this experience accessible to just about everyone. Raise your hand, and I will hook you up.

Of course, whenever I am in Belize I am going to SCUBA dive. The barrier reef is in our backyard, and it is spectacular. The Belize Barrier Reef System is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprised of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, amazing offshore atolls, and several hundred cayes. The system is pristine and lightly visited. I have been diving all over the world, and Belize is the best.  

Diving is a Zen experience for me. It is one of the few times when I am completely cut off from all distractions and can just be. Some days, the reef is just popping and vibrantly alive. The big things are impressive: sharks, turtles, rays, tarpon, barracudas, manatees, and giant groupers abound. It is the small and hidden things that I find fascinating. You’ve got to look hard to find an octopus, lobster, spotted drum, nudibranch, or cleaner shrimp. This is where I block out the rest of the world.

The reef in Belize is still healthy, but there are signs of stress caused by global warming. The water temperature this week was 85° - in November! That is at least five degrees above average for this time of year. There is spotty coral bleaching that I pray remains contained and that we don’t lose those precious corals. The damage is not from overuse, pollution, or anything that can be controlled locally. It is a global problem that is impacting us all, even if you are not a SCUBA diver.

Protecting these ecosystems requires urgent and sustained effort to address global warming. The evidence is clear, obvious, and abundant. We will find the collective courage to address the problem, or all humanity will suffer. We have a big, beautiful reef, and we’d like to keep it that way.