The environmental qualities of genuine eco-developments like Tiamo versus places like Baker's Bay are not in dispute within the scientific community. The efforts to legitimize Baker's Bay are very similar to the ploys of intelligent design, or astrology. Real scientists don't take that stuff seriously, but pseudo-science proponents have a way of marketing themselves as both legitimate and scientific to the public.

One of the signs that people concerned about development look for when evaluating the early stages of a development is how transparent they are; how much information they are willing to share with the local community and the scientific community about their plans.

As our small boat approaches the northern edge of the property, and towering dunes of golf course sand loom above us, I notice more coral formations in the sea.

This is the spot where, in 2006, a group of scientists decided to do a bit of independent research on what Baker's Bay has been up to under the sea. What they saw was shocking.