SPIRIT OF RESORT OWNER LIVES ON THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS
Ricki Harris holds many fond memories of her late husband, Lee Harris. In 1999 Lee Harris went to Curaçao and became so captivated by what he saw that he developed ways to preserve some of his favorite spots and inform the public why it needs to do the same. He co-owned Sunset Waters Beach Resort, located at the mouth of Santa Marta Bay, but his business interests were secondary to his love for the ocean and Curaçao. He promoted eco-tourism to the island, created eco-adventures for his resort patrons, and developed a snorkel trail in front of the resort, not only for tourists but also to provide the local community with the chance to learn about the coral reef and other marine life found just off shore.
“I remember when we were first down at the resort, we went to the water and saw an amazing display of biodiversity of this reef, which virtually comes to the shoreline,” Ricki Harris said. “Fish and coral. It’s right there. It’s not like you have to swim a thousand feet. Lee thought the best way to preserve it was to promote it.” Lee’s enthusiasm came to a tragic end in March 2003. While on a kayaking trip with friends, he separated from his group and disappeared. An exhaustive search turned up no indication of what happened.
Ricki Harris confronted the tragedy and pain of the mystery by finding a way to memorialize her husband. The experience has turned into a spiritual journey. During many subsequent trips to Curaçao, which included meeting with the people investigating the disappearance, she has been embraced in a way she couldn’t have imagined.
“During the two weeks I was down in Curacao, during the search period, people there were incredible to me,” she said. “I can’t even begin to explain what I’ve learned to be a good person.” With that inspiration, she set up the Lee Harris Memorial Preservation Fund (LHMPF) in 2003. Together with the resort’s dive shop, Sunset Divers, the resort itself, and another group, Reef Care Curaçao, the trust aims to preserve the coral reefs of the Santa Marta Bay through Lee’s Reef Program, a name given by staff members at Sunset Waters Beach Resort who are very involved in the project.
The group is using a three-pronged approach to attain a reserve at the mouth of the Santa Marta Bay: • Study and protect the coral reef at the mouth of Santa Marta Bay and demonstrate to Curaçao how protection of the breeding grounds near shore will benefit the community, including economically. • Educate the children and communities surrounding Santa Marta Bay about their reef and ocean. • Involve the community in the reef project. Ricki Harris now works at a law firm in Chicago but frequently travels to Curaçao to nurture the projects. 2004 was a busy year for her. In just a short time, several programs have been started or are being supported by the Lee Harris Fund. Money to finance their efforts and support is coming from several sources including the Netherlands Eco-Tourism Microfund.
Among the many events already held:
• A Lee Harris Memorial Swim and Snorkel Safety Instruction program. Volunteers instructed the children how to keep calm and stay alive in the water if they find themselves in a dangerous situation.
• Kids for Corals was launched. Twenty children from Bandabou received a free snorkel course. The course consists of four lessons and a visit to Seaquarium where the kids explore the reef and learn how to snorkel safely and responsibly.
• An educators forum. Educators of Bandabou were invited to explore the “Savage Turtle Environmental Classroom” at Sunset Waters Beach Resort to discuss their current environmental curriculum and how the Savage Turtle and ongoing programs can best benefit educators and schools.
Harris said that when it comes to creating awareness of the ocean and its importance, it’s not difficult to figure out where the energy should be focused. “We decided we needed to reach the children, who will be the protectors in perpetuity,” she said.
