Call me naive, but I had thought the world as a whole was determined to keep the waters and islands of the Galapagos as unspoiled and undisturbed as possible. And although I was aware that "liveaboard" diving was practiced by small ships venturing into these sealife-rich waters, I somehow felt that the creation of resort hotels there for scuba-divers and other adventuresome sorts would be discouraged. So it was somewhat of a shock to read the plans of Red Mangrove Galapagos and Ecuador Lodges to create the largest dive training center in the area. It is presently under construction, covering (in addition to its accommodations, restaurants and kitchens) 15,000 square feet of classrooms for up to 40 students, "changing rooms, lockers, a patio/juice bar...repair center, retail store...and custom compressors."
Isn't this the occasion for public outrage? Or perhaps for Greenpeace?
Published on April 12, 2012 10:49