Nestled in the vibrant waters of the Caribbean lies a hidden gem of biodiversity and ecological health — the coral reef of Tela, Honduras.
In an era where the majority of coral reefs are experiencing degradation and decline, Tela’s reefs are a rare example of resilience and hope.
Tela Coral News
Beneath the Surface
🌊 Come experience the ocean like you’ve never done before and help us raise $100K for #TheRebelReef! 🌊
🎻 Composer-violinist Chad Cannon (@chadwickcannon) and 🎹 pianist Hui Wu (@hw.musician) are the lead edge of a musical tidal wave, flooding LA with original compositions inspired by the ocean, raising money to protect the ocean. All while Tim Rauch (@tim_rauch)’s animations delight your eyes and Will Chen’s (@audiowmc) soundscapes immerse your ears. The ocean is magic on its own, but we can bet you’re going to remember experiencing it like this.
💡 Following the concerts, Tela Coral co-founders Juli (@juliberwald) and Tiff (@tiffmakeswaves) are joining deep-dive panels to talk about coral science, @rebelreeffilm, hope and everything in-between.
🎟️ There are just a handful of tickets left! Join us and follow along for more performances around the world!
The time we spent in Tela was a whirlwind of beauty, challenge, and unexpected moments that reminded us why this is a story worth telling. Filming was equal parts magic and logistical chaos—rigging lights from hardware store finds, pivoting plans, and trusting the process. Still, from a last-minute scouting day to chasing golden-hour light, every step was a reminder of how special—and fragile— ecosystems like #TheRebelReef are.
Christian’s @scubachris17 pride in his home was contagious; standing where the lagoon meets the sea at sunset, he grinned and said, “How can you not be proud of this?!” That moment crystalized our mission for @rebelreeffilm: to share the wonder of these places and the strength of the people fighting for them. To inspire Hondurans and fans all around the world.
Being welcomed by Christian’s family for a heartfelt BBQ was an unexpected highlight. His parents’ gratitude humbled us all, and their stories of resilience rewrote parts of our script on the spot. As Director of Photography Patrick Krum @_patrickfilm_ put it: “This night is why we do this.”
Thank you to our team, collaborators, and everyone who’s followed along. Next step is to turn these captured moments into a story that we’re proud to share with all of you. Stay tuned!
Special thanks to:
🏨 @granhoteltelabahia
🤿 @tela_marine @quentincaussin @nastasi_kbrk
🪸 @tela_marine @telacoral @caribbeanreefguardians
🎬 @hiddencompassmedia @oceanculturelife
🇭🇳 @pietjesadventures
Our time in Utila brought about feelings of both grief and joy beneath the surface. 🌊💙
We spent two days diving with @diveutila and @wsorc_life, exploring Utila’s trenches and walls—where spotted eagle rays soared, moray eels peered from crevices, and countless fish darted about.
Like most of the Caribbean, these reefs are degraded. Some of our team could not let go of what they felt should be there, what once was. Grief.
And yet, the dives were spectacular. There was still enough intact structure — even with the coral now gone — for plenty of life to exist. Our @rebelreeffilm team even got a behind the scenes tour of the WSORC coral nursery and met with both the Hondurans and global advocates working tirelessly to keep these reefs alive. And, where there’s life and action, there’s hope. Joy.
🫂 Utila helped us remember this dichotomy in our work:
Grief for what’s lost. Joy for what remains.
Heartbreak for the decline. Awe for the resilience.
We can hold both — and must, because loving the ocean means fighting for it—even as it changes. Dive deep. Feel the feelings. And, keep going 💙🌊🪸We’ve got this.
Special thanks to:
🏨 @utilalodge
🤿 @wsorc_life @diveutila
🪸 @wsorc_life
🇭🇳 @pietjesadventures
Roa ROCKS!!! 🌊✨
Our partners at @caribbeanreefguardians have consistently invited us to their island paradise 🌴 since we started working with them last year. Filming for our upcoming @rebelreeffilm 🎬 provided the perfect reason to take them up on this sweet offer!
So, we kickstarted the expedition with a visit to Roatan and immediately fell in love with the West End. Diving with @roatandivers, guided by @pietjesadventures and @quentincaussin, we saw mature Elkhorn stands (enough so we needed to count them on two hands 👐, a zombie pillar coral 🧟, and even a healthy pillar coral 🙏 colony that survived SCTLD — something many of us had never and thought we would never see in the wild. Are these related to our mysterious, seemingly-resilient Tela corals? Maybe! We wondered.
And, our friends reminded us this is just a tiny portion of what used to exist here. That reality reminded us why this work matters, and why we need to work together: to ensure we protect what we still have, and to rebuild a future more vibrant than what we’re presented with now.
Film-wise, these days allowed our team to come together for the first time. Two days of problem-solving, flooded cameras, buoyancy battles, and syncing workflows prepared us for success before we got to Tela.
But the best part? Creating something bigger than ourselves 🌟 We strengthened our ties with our sister organization @caribbeanreefguardians and cemented new ones with @coral_org, @roatandivers, Seabreeze Inn and Cannibal Cafe. Because protecting reefs isn’t a solo mission—it’s #OneFightOneReef.
This is what we still have. This is why we fight. 💙
Special thanks to:
🏨 Cannibal Cafe & Seabreeze Inn
🤿 @roatandivers
🪸 @caribbeanreefguardians
🇭🇳 @pietjesadventures @quentincaussin
After a breathtaking two-week expedition in Honduras 🇭🇳, we’ve wrapped on the @rebelreeffilm! This journey is about identity, pride, resilience, and hope—things #TheRebelReef inspires in each of us. And, we’re eager to get editing to bring this story to the world. Until then, here’s what we uncovered:
🐠 ROATAN: SHIFTING BASELINES
We dove deep into the concept of “shifting baselines”—how each generation unknowingly accepts a more degraded environment as “normal.” For some of us, the dives here were mind-blowing; for others, heartbreaking. But that stark contrast in the same moment reminded us just how powerful—and urgent—this story is.
🌊 UTILA: THE BIGGER PICTURE
We captured comparative footage to see where Tela’s rebellious reefs stand in the broader story of Honduras’ coral resilience and learned more from organizations fighting to protect the reefs that surround their island home.
🪸 TELA: A REBEL REEF REUNION
Of course, we revisited our beloved #RebelReef—from the legendary elkhorn coral thickets to brand-new reefs we’d never seen before! Every dive was a reminder of why we fight for these waters and proof that hope isn’t just a concept here… it’s physically growing in our hearts and on our reefs.
This is just the beginning—stay tuned as we share more from this unforgettable expedition. Until then, dare to hope. 💙
#ExploraHonduras #VisitHonduras #Coral #CoralReefs #Ocean #OceanConservation #CoralRestoration #ReefRestoration #OceanClimateAction #WINGS #WINGSWomenOfDiscovery #WINGSFlag #WomenInScience #WomenInStem #WomenEmpowerment #WomenSupportingWomen #WomensLeadership #SheInspiresMe #Exploration #Honduras #tela
