|
The
never-ending story of Escalera Nautica,
the "nautical staircase" that
was to place 22 marinas along the
coast of Baja California, seems to
have reached yet another stumbling
block. The rumors of success and
failure about this contentious project
seem to swing back and forth more
frequently than a Mexican flag in
the wind. To date, only one marina
has been built (at Santa Rosalita),
and rumor has it that it already
lies vacant and choked with sand.
President Vicente Fox, despite throwing
big fiestas and lavish press conferences
announcing the progress of this ambitious
undertaking, has yet to produce anything
concrete, and it is looking increasingly
doubtful that he ever will.
The projects at one time threatened many
good surf spots along the Pacific coast,
including Punta San Carlos, Camalu, Punta
Abreojos, and San Juanico (Scorpion Bay),
to name but a few. Regardless, when identifying
potential environmental impacts, the
Mexican Government failed to mention
the project’s potential impact
on surf. Thousands of surfers from the
US head south of the border each year,
but FONATUR seemed more interested in
the six-thousand-odd boats that were
projected to come through its marinas,
an estimate that was heavily questioned
by the American yachting community. The
project also included plans for new resorts,
hotels, highways and real estate, which
was most likely the driving factor behind
the project.
After a thorough bashing in the press
earlier this year, thanks to a ruthless
publicity campaign by Wildcoast director
Serge Dedina, the project seemed doomed
to failure. Originally, the Mexican Government
was seeking a large investment from the
American business community to make the
project financially feasible. But after
a front-page article in the Wall Street
Journal questioned the financial strength
and environmental harm of the project,
many American investors pulled out, and
the project seemed to be losing momentum
quickly.
Nonetheless, Escalera Nautica is not yet
a dead dinosaur. The mega-project is
still going forward in the Sea of Cortez,
and we would not be surprised to see
it resurface along the Pacific coast
at a later date. Save the Waves Coalition
is still urging you to sign
the petition to ask President Fox
to reconsider the project and its potential
harm to surfing in the area. We would
also sincerely appreciate a donation to
help fight against this ill-conceived
development.
Please become a member by signing up HERE.
It's FREE, and by signing up you will
receive news on all of the latest developments
in our fight against harmful development
projects. If you wish to make a donation,
please go to our Donation
Station. The staff and volunteers
at Save the Waves thank you for your
support!
|
