Henry Harries-Jones has lived by the ocean since the age of three – fascinated by the expanse of big blue before him, he dreamed of breathing undersea from a young age. So, when the opportunity arose for him to become scuba certified he, like so many others, dove in head first and was instantly hooked.

Completing advanced training, Henry became a certified professional diver at just 18 and became a dive instructor. His career in diving allowed him the chance to travel to many breathtakingly beautiful locales. From diving amongst underwater wrecks in Australia to exploring uncharted reefs off the coast of Madagascar, the adventure never seemed to end. With every trip to a new dive site, Henry’s admiration and respect for the underwater world and marine environment strengthened. He determined to seek employment with a dive center sharing his passion for ocean protection and marine conservation, and soon joined the team at Blue Water Divers in Turks and Caicos.

With the company motto, “Have fun, do good,” Blue Water Divers prioritizes giving back to the marine environment through volunteerism and community action. The 100% AWARE partner organization was the perfect place for Henry to continue his career. He explains, “What makes us a good fit for each other is our shared passion for protecting the environment and educating others so that they can do the same.”

With island clean-ups and Dives Against Debris held at least 6 times per year, Blue Water Divers and its staff consistently look for new opportunities to engage their local community in ocean protection efforts. When Henry presented the idea to participate in a Project AWARE Finathon fundraiser during a company meeting, his team was thrilled!

Drawing from the strong community of resident and vacationing divers on the island, Henry organized participation in a Finathon swimming event that raised over $700 in support of Project AWARE’s shark and ray protection efforts.  It was the first event of its kind on the island, and the community rallied in support. The fundraiser and festivities gathered so much attention that local media came out to report on the scene – an island TV station coordinated a news feature, and a local newspaper wrote an article on the event. Under Henry’s leadership, the message of increased need for shark and ray protection spread far and wide! Henry and the team at Blue Water Divers determined to make their summer Finathon swim challenge an annual fundraising event.

Project AWARE is grateful for the efforts of Henry and the team at Blue Water Divers to raise much-needed awareness and funds to protect sharks and rays in peril. Thank you, and keep up the great work!

To host your own Finathon fundraiser, visit Finathon.org.