When Ross Perot heard the story, he exclaimed, “blast it!”
“Millionaires like Ross Perot are used to getting their way. A case in point: In 1985 the Texas businessman bought two vacation homes in Bermuda, one for himself, one for his son. He hired a local firm to add swimming pools, verandas and air conditioning to both houses. Perot also set about finding a way to dock his 68-ft. cabin cruiser, the Chateau Margaux, at his doorstep.
Unfortunately, Perot’s preferred anchorage in Castle Harbour is filled with species of marine life that are protected by environmental laws. On June 4, 1986, Bermuda’s Ministry of the Environment ruled against Perot’s plan to build a dock and boathouse in front of one of his houses, because “substantial dredging” would be needed to bring his boat close to shore. Faced with that denial, Perot’s contractors realized that any similar request for permission to cut a channel in a nearby coral reef would probably be nixed as well. A week later, without filing for a permit, Perot’s construction team blew up a section of the reef near his house.”