Passersby stunned by massive vessel casually cruising through coastal waters: 'What is this?'

A person trying to enjoy a sunset on the Galapagos Islands had their view interrupted thanks to a large boat with an unusual design.

The passerby shared their photo in a yacht-focused subreddit, noting they were looking out on the water from the coast of San Cristobal Island, one of the islands that make up the Galapagos Archipelago.

They questioned the look of the boat, simply asking, "What is this boat?" because of its size and unusual shape.

"Being rich doesn't always come with taste," one person quipped in the comments.

Another called it "pretty ugly" and wondered, "Don't most yachts not satisfy Galapagos's environmental requirements?" 

Their instincts were correct, as there are regulations in place to limit biocontamination and other pollutants from impacting the protected islands. According to Noonsite, a cruise planning site, officers from the Galapagos Quarantine and Inspection System will inspect the hull of the boat for organisms like barnacles and check that garbage, engine, and food maintenance are all up to a "reasonable level of risk." 

Another company, Sea Masters Galapagos, noted that yachts must provide a specific itinerary to sail to the sites available to visitors, and a park guide is required on board. 

In the comments, a Redditor shared a link to the M/C Endemic catamaran, which promises to be a carbon-neutral vessel for visiting the Galapagos. 

Even so, superyachts as a whole release 285,000 tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide, as much as the nation of Tonga, according to Bloomberg. The outlet also noted there are other issues with yachts, like releasing wastewater, noise and light pollution, and negative impacts where they dock. An opinion piece for the Guardian also recently highlighted that yachts are exempt from pollution rules for boats from the International Maritime Organization. 

The Galapagos continues to face threats from warming oceans and invasive species, but people are working to protect the ecosystem through things like rewilding efforts and focusing on sustainability practices with locals. 

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