A new direction - A Fascination for Fish: Adventures of an Underwater Pioneer - page 311

Who were these people, and what was their story? Their complex,
highly organized society spanned two thousand miles of what is now
Peru and Bolivia, yet they had no written language or even the use of
the wheel for travel. They had domesticated the llama and alpaca, us-
ing them for the transport of goods and for clothing materials. By means
of terracing and irrigation, Inca engineers from centuries past had made
a mountainous terrain fertile and productive. Surrounding the build-
ings at Machu Picchu, for example, were terraces cut into the steep
mountainside, used to grow food such as the many indigenous vari-
eties of potatoes and maize. Remarkable feats of construction were ac-
complished in such cities as Cuzco using wooden rollers to transport
huge stone blocks, and a farflung network of stone-paved roads,
bridges, and even ferries linked all parts of the empire.
The time came for us to take the windy van ride back down to the
little station. We boarded the train and headed back to Cuzco, and even-
tually home to California, feeling subdued after experiencing such a
perfect combination of natural and man-made grandeur. After a life-
time spent diving in the oceans, I felt great respect for the people who
had overcome the monumental challenges they must have faced high
in the clouds.
GOING HERE AND THERE
As I've waited in one line or another in some airport, either in this coun-
try or elsewhere, I have occasionally asked myself, “Why are you do-
ing this?” The answer is easy. I enjoy sharing the value of aquariums
with others, the creative process of developing new exhibit ideas, and
the challenges associated with working with new animals.
The first major project I was asked to consult on was the Aquarium
of the Americas in New Orleans in 1986. The primary exhibit was to
be a large Gulf of Mexico display featuring an underwater view of an
oil rig; there would also be a secondary Caribbean exhibit, as well as
displays focusing on the fresh water of the Amazon and Mississippi
River drainages. Working with five architectural firms was a bit of a
challenge for all of us on the project and I learned that it's essential to
hold fast to your beliefs and to stick to what you think will work.