“When reefs disappear, people feel it. A coral reef protects coastlines, feeds communities, supports tourism and regulates ocean health,” said Dr. Shelby Thomas. “Coral reefs are living cities and underwater infrastructure, and they hold so much more we have yet to discover, from medical cures to technological advancements.”
Dr. Thomas grew up in Florida, where she saw her home reefs degrade year after year. The experience motivated her to find other regions impacted by the same conditions and find ways to protect and rebuild reefs at risk. Today, Dr. Thomas is the head of Ocean Rescue Alliance International (ORAI), a nonprofit marine conservation and coral restoration organization.
ORAI’s next big project is in Grenada. As the video below explains, the country is committed to restoring its coral infrastructure — to preserve the island’s biodiversity and to protect residents from the catastrophic impact of hurricanes. According to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), healthy coral reefs can absorb up to 97% of a wave’s energy, protecting coastlines from storm surge, waves, flooding and erosion.
🎥 Film Directed and produced by Ricardo Nascimento at Dock 6 Films. Nascimento is a filmmaker and visual storyteller capturing the beauty, urgency, and hope behind ocean restoration.
“Grenada’s reefs have an opportunity to rebound, and our goal is to assist in their recovery,” said Dr. Thomas. “We can apply everything we’ve learned through ORAI’s work in Florida and bring it to a place that is proactively investing in ocean stewardship.
“To be clear, many of Grenada’s reefs are thriving and healthy. But hurricane damage and human impact have left their mark, particularly on the southeastern part of the island (shown at 1 minute 17 seconds). We intentionally included that footage to show what can happen when reefs are left without intervention, and why restoration in places like Grenada is so important.”
The Ocean Rescue Alliance (ORAI) Model
ORAI’s coral restoration projects are permanent, community-owned, economically supported infrastructure. In addition to restoring an existing reef structure, ORAI adds new, artificial reefs seeded with coral.
“ORAI’s proven model combines permanent reef infrastructure, active restoration and community engagement,” Thomas explained. “We go beyond saving reefs to rebuilding them at scale.”
Coral Lok is one of the innovative technologies ORAI uses. Coral Lok “frag plugs” screw into Coral Lok Receivers like a light bulb goes into a socket. There are different types of Coral Loks designed for various species and settlements.
As of writing, Ocean Rescue Alliance has deployed more than 300 habitat reef modules and artistic structures. Its coral restoration efforts extend from Florida, USA, south to Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
ORAI + Azuros
You may be wondering who the second voice is in the video up top. The speaker is Dr. Angus Friday, former Ambassador of Grenada to the United Nations and the United States.
Dr. Friday is also the Executive Chairman of Atlantean Ltd., a London-based company developing a platform (Azuros) to help governments and investors identify high-impact opportunities that advance resilience, economic growth and environmental sustainability.
ORAI and Azuros are working together to establish:
- A new underwater park featuring sculptures that serve as a habitat for marine life
- Coral restoration nurseries integrated directly into reef infrastructure
- A site for the Blue Institute, a future hub for ocean science, innovation, community and eco-tourism
“Grenada has extraordinary marine biodiversity, strong local leadership and a clear desire to balance conservation, community and sustainable tourism. It is in a position to lead with regeneration and that’s exactly where ORAI does its best work,” Dr. Thomas said.
The partnership’s goals for the next 12 months include:
- Finalizing site selection, permitting and funding for the underwater park
- Deploying the habitat and art reef modules
- Establishing coral nursery infrastructure
- Launching education and volunteer programs
- Expanding local partnerships with dive operators, fishers, schools and tourism leaders
“Dive shops are stewards, educators and long-term partners in reef protection,” Thomas said. “The coral restoration trees shown in the video are maintained by Eco Dive (a PADI Five Star Resort).
Dive In and Make a Difference
If this article has piqued your interest in visiting Grenada, contact your local PADI Dive Shop or PADI Travel® to arrange a trip. Warm water and diverse dive sites make Grenada a superb destination for new and experienced divers. There’s even an existing underwater sculpture garden to visit.
