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- Updates from the Islands -- - Mexico - -
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Looking for someone? Have some specific info? I have set up a Mexico-dedicated Pleas for Help forum at
http://help.stormcarib.com/list.php?5. Please, share the information you have in these stressful times.
You can also e-mail me specific info and I will post it on this page. -Gert (gert@gobeach.com)
There are some very good maps of the Yucatan at caribbean-on-line.com.
I saved some impressive satellite images when Wilma was approaching the Yucatan.
| - whoo hoo its over |
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3 hours and 28 minutes and its over!!!!! What a ride!!! put the last of my generator gas into my car today!! Now maybe I can get a little sun in before the 24th of December (yes back to work)!!! Merry Christmas to all !!!!!!! Sant ....... I mean Mike and Chrissy
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| - Update | |
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Attachment:
11-22-05 Fire 011.jpg |
| - Gamma??? |
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Definitly, did not expect to make postings concerning "3 storms this year" !!!! Hopefully this one will be only a rain maker, and we do not loose power, so we can huddle on the coach and watch some movies, and anything else that comes up!! saw this on another posting, found it interesting. comparision between Gilbert (1988) and Wilma "was translated from spanish" GILBERT WILMA Birth 12 of September 1988 17 of October 2005 Died 316 12 Losses 880 mdp of those of before 2100 mdp of those of now Number of hurricane 3º of the season 21º of the season Category 5 4 Winds 280 ? 320 km/h 250 km/h Duration of whips 8 hours 36 hours Diameter of the eye 15 km 65 km Zone of influence 250 km 675 km Evacuation of civil defense 4 hours before 3 days before Evacuated tourists 10,000 of Cancún 34,000 of Cancún, the Mayan Percentage of damaged hotel infrastructure 75% 90% Recovery of the tourism 3 years 4 months Mike |
| - Mexican , Miami herald |
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Article about Cancun's rebuilding effort http://www.mexiconews.com.mx/miami/15703.html |
| - updated link to hurricane wilma pics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| - fund raiser Isla Holbox & San Angel | |
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Attachment:
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P1010141.JPG |
| - Isla Holbox WILMA Update |
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HOLBOX AID PLEA The small fishing village of ISLA HOLBOX, home to 1600 Mayan fishermen desperately needs your help. Hurricane WILMA destroyed the island lashing it with 6 hours of 200 kph+ winds and a 9 foot sea & storm surge. The maximum elevation on this picturesque island is just 3 feet. When the eye of Wilma left the Yucatan it passed by this tiny island on the northern tip near Cancun. In its wake it left 4-5 feet of SALT WATER in every house. EVERYTHING everyone owned is basically destroyed! Further, there is NO ELECTRICITY 75% of the utility poles are down & twisted. The main waterline from the mainland 7 miles away is broken so there is NO WATER for cleaning, bathing etc. The towns Reverse Osmosis plants cannot produce Fresh Drinking/Cooking water without electricity. The ultimate disaster is the ferry barge that brings EVERYTHING to the island including gasoline, diesel for the electric plant, food, supplies...everything. The only way anything is now getting to the island is by small boat & gasoline supplies are LOW! The Mexican Government ran helicopters to the island one day last week with some food & water & some thin mattress pads. This happened coincidentally on the day Mexican President Fox & his wife dropped by with promises and a photo-op. The MAIN PROBLEM for these proud people is this: Hurricane Wilma devastated Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos. These Tourist destinations normally supply 15 million $$$ of revenue PER DAY. The Mexican Government gets a nice cut of this $$$. Granted the Mexican Government needs to get this area back up & running ASAP as the High Tourist season is fast approaching. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HOLBOX?? Well since there is NO FEMA in Mexico the islanders of HOLBOX will soon be forgotten like yesterdays old news, and left to fend for themselves. They desperately need help NOW, TODAY, TOMMORROW, to rebuild their shattered lives. Many tiny beachfront hotels were completely destroyed, so what little tourism Holbox had is now gone. There will be few tourists' spending money in Holbox. The islanders are slowly returning to what's left and are trying to pick-up-the-pieces. They need repairs on their boats so they can resume doing what they know best, fishing. They need new nets, repairs to the outboard motors, clothes, food, shoes, the basics simply to survive! Can you PLEASE HELP the proud people of Isla Holbox. Aid can now be forwarded directly to a bank account created by Holbox's Mayor, Gamaliel Zapata Moguel. Please forward donations to: Gamaliel Zapata Moguel, Banamex, Tizimin, Mexico - sucursal(branch) 4896, cuenta(account#): 25353, clabe(international routing): 002918489600253531 USA RELIEF EFFORT Your Donation of $10,$25,$50,$100, or $500 would be greatly appreciated by these beautiful people. 100% of ALL Donations will go DIRECTLY to HOLBOX AID. TravelYucatan.com's offices on the island of Holbox were badly damaged but we have insurance, the island people DO NOT! Our resident representative on Holbox, Mr. Rodrigo Sidney is coordinating RELIEF AID directly on the island at this moment. A SPECIAL ACCOUNT has been created for this Relief Effort. Please send all DONATIONS large or small to: CARIBE TRADE RELIEF FUND 1627 Dale Douglas Dr ElPaso TX 79936 915-590-0727 r00300 at hotmail.com Thank You & God Bless You! Mr. Rodrigo Sidney, is a long-time associate and owner of the building that houses our meager office on Holbox. Mr. Sidney spends roughly a third of his time in Mexico and the remainder in Texas. He is married to a Mayan woman and has extended family in the Yucatan. He presently owns and operates Holbox Tours & Travel. CANADA RELIEF EFFORT Canadians wishing to contribute â??in any wayâ?? are encouraged to contact Paul â??Pabloâ?? Harding. Paul has been traversing back and forth to the island for some 30 years now from his â??otherâ?? home in King City, Ontario Canada. Paul is in constant communications with Holbox's Mayor, Gamaliel Zapata Moguel. Paul can be reached at: Paul Harding pharding at timeslice.ca Attachment:
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| - pictures from Puerto Morelos |
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Well, powere came back on late last week, water service restored yesterday, and still waiting on new telephone lines to be run. The clean-up and services restoration has been amazing. The Militay here has been doing the clean-up and security and they have done a fantastic job. Here is link to pictures of Wilma's aftermath. These only paint a limited picture of the damages, but they are a schocking reality check on the power of thiws storm
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| - Fwd: MAST: Cancun Update 2 | |||
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--- Begin Message --- |
| - Latest from Mexico... |
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Latest from the Cozumel Tourism Promotion Board: COZUMEL, MEXICO, REPORTS RAPID RECOVERY COZUMEL, Mexico (Nov. 8, 2005) - Cozumel tourism officials report rapid progress in the post-hurricane Wilma clean up and restoration effort on the island. According to Raul Marrufo, director of the Cozumel Tourism Promotion Board, “Now that the essential services have been restored to most of the island, we have shifted our focus to prepare the island for winter visitors. We are enthusiastic about our progress and look forward to a busy tourist season starting in December.” General information: • Electricity and water has been restored to 90 percent of the island • The Cozumel Airport officially reopened on October 29, 2005. Mexicana Airlines is currently operating daily flights to Cozumel out of Mexico City. American Airlines will resume its Dallas-to-Cozumel flights on December 16, 2005, operating three flights a week, and Continental has resumed its Houston-to-Cozumel flights, operating three flights a week. • The first cruise ship is scheduled to arrive on November 14, 2005. • Several dive shops are open and operating • Officials from the Cozumel National Marine Park are optimistic and report that many reefs along Cozumel are largely undamaged. Shallow reefs, up to 35 feet deep, were most impacted, while reefs found at greater depths are reported to be in good condition. • Caverns, including Chankanaab Cavern, F1 Cavern and Aerolito Cavern did not sustain damage and are open. • More than 30 island excursions have been available since October 31, 2005 • 95 percent of shops and restaurants will be open beginning November 14, 2005 • The Cozumel Country Club will reopen the golf course, offering 9 holes, on December 1, 2005 • The Atlantis Submarine attraction will reopen on December 15, 2005 • Fiesta Holidays is open for snorkeling tours and car rentals According to Aurelio Joaquin, director of the Foundation of Parks and Museums of Cozumel, “Though the island’s parks have sustained some damage, we are thankful that the ruins at San Gervasio were not harmed. We have already begun efforts to restore the parks and will have them ready for visitors to enjoy by the winter travel season.” • The Museum of the Island of Cozumel is now open and fully operational. • Punta Sur ecological park is currently open for jeep tours. • Reconstruction has started on Chankanaab National Park, with the tentative opening date scheduled for December 20, 2005 • The Mayan ruins at San Gervasio were not damaged and the archaeological site will reopen on November 14, 2005. According to Gabriela Verduzco, manager of the Cozumel Hotels Association, “Several hotels have already returned to business as usual and many others will reopen prior to the busy fall season.” The following is a list of scheduled reopening dates for various Cozumel hotels and resorts. Some properties are still in the assessment stage and have not yet reported reopening dates. Hotel Scheduled Opening Date Casa del mar December 15, 2005 Casa Mexicana Open Coral Princess February 1, 2006 Cozumel Palace Pending Cozumel Resort Open Days Inn Open El Cozumeleño Pending El Cid la Ceiba November 15, 2005 Fiesta Americana February 1, 2006 Flamingo Open Hacienda San Miguel Pending Iberostar Pending Melia Cozumel December 23, 2005 Occidental Allegro January 31, 2006 Occidental Grand January 31, 2006 Park Royal July 2006 Playa Azul December 15, 2005 Presidente May 2006 Reef Club Pending Scuba Club Cozumel November 15, 2005 Sol Cabañas del Caribe Pending Suites Bahia December 15, 2005 Suites Colonial December 15, 2005 Villablanca November 15, 2005 Vista del Mar Open For additional information and updates about Cozumel hotels contact Gabriela Verduzco directly at gabyverduzco at cozunet.com For ongoing destination updates, travelers should visit www.islacozumel.com.mx # # # |
| - Caribe Blu Hotel and Blue Angel Dive Shop | |
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BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:2.1 N:Shop;Blue Angel FN:Blue Angel Dive Shop ORG:BLUE ANGEL DIVE SHOP TEL;WORK;VOICE:52-987-872-1631 TEL;HOME;VOICE:52 987 872 1631 ADR;WORK;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:;;Beach front ocean view 2.3 km Costera Sur=0D=0A=0D=0A;Cozumel;Quintana Roo= ;77600 LABEL;WORK;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:Beach front ocean view 2.3 km Costera Sur=0D=0A=0D=0A=0D=0ACozumel, Quintana= Roo 77600 EMAIL;PREF;INTERNET:bluangel at fidmail.com REV:20051108T160516Z END:VCARD |
| - Wilma Pics (fwd) |
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Received from Ryan Collins... * ** *** Gert van Dijken ( gert at vandijken.com ) **** Caribbean Hurricane Network - http://stormcarib.com/ ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 14:29:02 -0500 From: Ryan Collins <rpcollins at gmail.com> Subject: Wilma Pics Hello, I don't know if this is the correct email address to send these pics to, but thought i would just send them in case people were interested. I noticed other people had sent their pics also. All my pics are located at: http://pages.uindy.edu/~rpcollins/Wilma_pics/ these are pics taken at the shelter and after we returned to the shelter. we were staying at the royal sands, and were able to leave on the 27th, of october. again, don't know if it is any interest to people, just thought i would pass along the pics of our experience. thanks, Ryan |
| - Puerto Aventuras Update 11/4 |
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Hello Gert, First timer on Storm Carib. I received an email from Donna At Tiramisu Restaurant in Puerto Aventuras with a update See Below............Thanks,Gary ********************************************************************************** Hi Gary, Netscape. Just the Net You Need. |
| - Update | |
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| - Hotel Update & Damage Reports |
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I got the following forwarded by Dan Schierman. The attached Microsoft Excel spreadsheet shows damage reports, expected opening dates of many hotels in the area. You can click on a region and see what may have happened to your hotel of choice. Gert * ** *** Gert van Dijken ( gert at vandijken.com ) **** Caribbean Hurricane Network - http://stormcarib.com/ |
| - The calvery has arrived |
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Make that "Carnival has arrived"" Several Cruise lines have begun diverting cruise from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen, with the 1st one arriving today!!! Playa Del Carmen's infrastructure is almost 100%, but we lack tourist in the hotels, these cruise ships will be a welcome addition for our area!!! Since we have always lacked the cruise ship terminals, folks are being tendered in to docks, just like the old days!! Playa is back and open for business,,, pass the word , please on another note, our kids school reopened today, wow, great to have the house back, even if its only for 6 hours Mike and Chrissy
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| - Fwd: hell bosh photos (fwd) |
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More pictures from Isla Holbox. Taken by Rodrigo Sidney whose own beach-front home was severely damaged. Forwarded to my by Ecovillage Training Center <ecovillage at thefarm.org> Rodrigo's caption: "Take A deep breath first" * ** *** Gert van Dijken ( gert at vandijken.com ) **** Caribbean Hurricane Network - http://stormcarib.com/ Attachment:
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Title: You have been invited to view mike hopson's photos!
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| - "Cancun: Yes, We're Open!" |
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Some info pages on current situation in Cancun (incl. airport/hotel info): http://cancun-airport.com/katrina.htm http://www.mexican-embassy.dk/latest.htm http://www.worryfreevacations.com/news/newsarticle.do;jsessionid=dvEP2PPt96je?newsArticleCode=2326 * ** *** Gert van Dijken ( gert at vandijken.com ) **** Caribbean Hurricane Network - http://stormcarib.com/ |
| - very up-to-date pictures of Cozumel |
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This has been posted before, but this site is keeping very up-to-date
sets of pictures of Cozumel, day by day. The destruction is widespread,
but the pictures of the intensive clean-up, repairs, and influx of
relief supplies is just as impressive.
http://eczm.com/wilma/index.htm scott in indiana |
| - Royal Resorts Hurricane Update (fwd) |
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Received from Jennie: http://archives.subscribermail.com/msg/ROYA86D8B905.htm Apparently they are reopening November 5 already! * ** *** Gert van Dijken ( gert at vandijken.com ) **** Caribbean Hurricane Network - http://stormcarib.com/ |
| - Puerto Morelos |
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Well we made it through the storm. Without a doubt the most nervous 48 hours of my life. Once it started it did not want to end. Terrific winds and waves, but we were never threatened by storm surge at the house. Had a total of 6 people staying there including me. There is no power and very few functioning phone lines. Luckely, I do have a generator and so life is not so different as before. I had to come to Playa del Carmen to use the internet and several of us are here doing laundry as well. Our town is recovering quickly. The army arrived soon after the storm (2 days) and immediatly started clean up operations and supplting food, water, and other supplies. For the 1st 2 days the only way into or out of town was to either swim or take a boat through the swamp. The town has really pulled together with cleanup and assisting those that need it. Most all waterfront properety was severaly damaged or totally
destroyed. I will be posting pics as soon as I can get on line with my laptop. |
| - Playa is ready |
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Playa Del Carmen is up and running!!!! Probaly 80-90% of stores and restaurants are open, and many of the area hotels will be fully up and running next week, but very few folks remain to enjoy. As others have posted, this area needs folks to return, if you had plans on visiting, please check with your hotel, if they are open, and you can get here, please come!!
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| - CUN/COZ Airport - Now What? (fwd) |
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2005 18:40:46 EDT
From: SkiVerdad at aol.com
Subject: Re: CUN/COZ Airport - Now What?
It seems that the effects of this terrible storm will just never end... As I
posted on 10/26, my Thursday Suncountry flight to Cancun was canceled. No,
Cancun airport arrivals would be allowed through Monday. I have tried all
day, without success, to get a call through to Suncountry for an update. A very
busy phone line.
This afternoon, I received a call from a friend, who has a home and
business in Cozumel with two additional locations in Playa del Carmen and
Cancun.
American Airlines called canceling her November 20 flight to Cozumel and
they are not offering any arrival fights until December 15. I have read similar
information from other airlines. The charter flights will surly be following
soon.
My friend and I both have homes, businesses and employees in this area
who really need our help. The Riviera Maya is recovering much faster than
Cancun. Many shops and hotels are now open for business. Closing the airports
for
6 weeks is going create an incredible burden on what is now a very fragile
economy.
Many local people are currently without shelter, food/water, money and
now jobs. Is President Fox going to evacuate his citizens to shelters inland -
as was the case with Katrina? I don't see that happening but who knows, the
Mexican government has performed fairly well so far with this crisis.
At this point, the closing of commercial flights into this region is a
big mystery. A lot of people including my friend and myself need to come in to
begin the recovery process. Everyone from insurance adjusters, material
suppliers to medical personnel need access but I was told no special exceptions
have been discussed.
If anyone has any information or suggestions, please share them, they
would be greatly appreciated.
____________________________________
AA.com
Cancun, Mexico (CUN) - The airport and local travel center are closed.
Access to the airport for departing customers is only available by checking in
at
a local school, Colegio la Salle.
>From November 1 through December 14, two daily flights from Cancun to
Dallas/Fort Worth will be scheduled, as well as one daily flight from Cancun to
Miami. Another daily flight will be added for each of these routes from December
15 through February 2, 2006.
Cozumel, Mexico (CZM) - Departures have resumed, and scheduled service will
not be available from November 1 until December 15. At that time, flights
will be offered Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Please check _www.aa.com/gates_
(http://www.aa.com/apps/travelInformation/SearchGatesTimesandStatus.jhtml)
for the most current information on your specific flight.
One other note... I did hear today that a Playa neighbor of mine did arrive Wednesday into Cancun on a domestic Mexicana flight via Mexico City. The Mexican passengers were allow entry with no delay however my neighbor was not going to be allowed entry until they showed their FM3 visa and argued the exception. What is the deal? Is the Mexican government afraid that swarms of US tourists are suddenly going to decide to vacation right now in Cancun? I am sure the tourist industry south of Puerto Morales would however welcome some business about now. Cynthia |
| - we are back |
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Hi every one, pls excuse ny typing, I lost 2 pairs of glass's in the storm, and am guessing where the keys are!! we are fine, got electric and internet back last hight, (sorta of) as they bring on more grids, they shut us down for 1/2 hour or so, This sucker lasted for rver, by monday our feet looked like they belonged on a corpse. can not believe the progress being made here, almost back to normal!!! will post some positive pictures soon, people going about their buisness, dining , shopping ect. Playa was blessed, as bad as it looked on monday, no real structure damage ,except for the extreme beach front units that sufferred the storm surge and battering waves, (why wld you build there anyway) Yesterday we made 2 runs to friends in pto Moralos, ice water and food, they really got it, and no presence of help!! Today on the way to Cancun the pueblo was bursting with government activity!! If you have been here, you may remember the huge power lines running along the highway #307, from Moroles north they went down, we saw a convey of trucks to replace one of them, over 20 semi trucks pre fab, to replace one tower!! Rexieved a call from our companys boss, they are operating out of his house in Cancun, They have 1 generator, and really need to shut it down for maintance and requested mine as a back up, wasn't thrilled about going to Cancun, then they told me they are trying to put together pay roll, so they could send to Maridia for deposit into our accounts, we were on thge road in 5 minutes (cash is king) Cancun is under military control, soilders on every block, and military encampments every where, but what impressed us, soilders , government worlers, civilians workoink hand in hand , cleaning up. working on power poles , you name it!! An example!! a road of fallen power poles, (A) civillian workers removing the insulators, wires hardwares ,what ever, and moving the fallen poles aside (B) workers with equipment laying the new poles, and drilling them and intalling them (C) electrical wporkers from all over the Republic , attaching the "T"s insulators ect (from the old poles) (D) then crews behind them running the lines Have talked to a few tourist stranded here, and all have been great impressions on how they have been treated, one guy was in a hurricane in Florida last year, and can not believe how effective the response has been here, he was with out power for 3 weeks, and we had power in 3 days!! Yes we may be down, But we are not out, and qouting a sign at the Cancun Hilton, we will be back better than ever!!!! Mike . Chrissy and family |
| - Flights (fwd) |
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Update from Teresa. -Gert ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 20:51:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Teresa C. Pisano <cozumel00 at yahoo.com> Subject: Flights Hey Gert... Teresa here again with updates from America West Airlines. We have cancelled all our flights to Cancun until the beginning of December. It's hard to believe this with the fact that cruise ships will be allowed in but not passengers on flights. We have relief flights going down everyday to get tourist out of the area but those of us who live, work, and own a home or business can't get home. Any help from anyone as to how we can get there would be great. I can get on the flight since I work for the company but I can't get off. Teresa cozumel00 at yahoo.com yahoo IM: cozumel00 AOL IM: tcozumel00 www.vrbo.com/36988 (Cozumel Bungalow Rental) |
| - Desire Resort Hurricane Wilma Update (fwd) |
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---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 22:19:52 -0700 From: NFN Travel International <aaron at nfntravel.com> To: gert at gobeach.com Subject: Desire Resort Hurricane Wilma Update <http://www.nfntravel.com> NFN News and Updates Thursday, 27 October 2005 HURRICANE WILMA UPDATE Announcement from the management of NFN Travel International regarding Desire Resort & Spa reservations. We have followed the situation in Cancun and the Maya Riviera almost hourly, and have been working overtime to assess the situation and prepare a policy to protect your vacation. As all are likely aware, Desire was not accessible until yesterday due to impassable roads. We now know that the resort will not reopen until at least December 20. We offer the following: 1. AIRLINES: American and Continental have offered full refunds. United is offering re-scheduling with no penalty for up to one year. We understand that most charter airlines are offering vouchers for future travel. Please check with your carrier for their current policy. If you booked your air through NFN Travel, please contact us for assistance with a refund or a re-schedule of travel dates. 2. RESCHEDULE YOUR DESIRE VACATION to one of NFN Travel's January, February and April 2006 dates. We also have 2006 group space at Desire for June 20-25, July 18-23 (takeover), August 15-20, and October 21-28. Check NFN Travel <http://www.nfntravel.com> for other group dates. 3. DECEMBER 3-10 DESIRE GROUP - RE-SCHEDULE to HEDONISM III: We have negotiated a very attractive all-inclusive rate for a December 3-10 tour date. This is especially suggested for couples who had Dec. 3-10 reservations for Desire, but all couples are welcome to join this group. Please call NFN Travel for these rates - they are too low to publish. 4. RESCHEDULE to BRACO or HEDONISM II at GREAT RATES for NOVEMBER & DECEMBER: We have negotiated very attractive rates for Grand Lido Braco and Hedonism II, Jamaica. These rates are subject to room availability; give us a call and we will work with you to book the dates you prefer. 5. TRIP INSURANCE: If you had purchased travel trip insurance (recommended), please contact your insurance company directly. DESIRE RESORT & SPA OFFICIAL POLICY AS OF 10/27/05 FOLLOWS: 1. GUESTS SCHEDULED for OCTOBER 12-20 INCLUSIVE: a Desire Travel Certificate will be issued valid for the number of nights unused due to early departure to avoid the hurricane. These certificates will be valid for stays at desire from March 1 through December 27, 2006 in the same room category as the original booking regardless of the applicable rate in effect in 2006. You will have first option for new dates. We suggest rebooking by November 30, 2005 to ensure your space, but you may book at any time as long as travel is completed by December 27. 2006. Call NFN Travel <http://www.nfntravel.com> for rebooking. 2. GUESTS SCHEDULED to ARRIVE from OCTOBER 20 THROUGH DECEMBER 20, 2005: A Travel Certificate will be issued valid for stays at Desire from March 1 through December 27, 2006, in the same room category as the original booking regardless of the applicable rate in effect in 2006. You will have first option for new dates. We suggest rebooking by November 30, 2005 to ensure your space, but you may book at any time as long as travel is completed by December 27, 2006. Call NFN Travel <http://www.nfntravel.com> for rebooking. NOTE: guests who re-book their reservation for travel between May 1 through December 27, 2006 will receive an additional free night. This is applicable for one stay only, and is not accumulative. This is an exceptional discount and an excellent reason to rebook for 2006. |
| - An Update from Adrian (fwd) |
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Received the following from Adrian from Especias through Marla Fisher. * ** *** Gert van Dijken ( gert at vandijken.com ) **** Caribbean Hurricane Network - http://stormcarib.com/ Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:36:35 -0500 (Central Standard Time) From: Marla Fisher Subject: An Update from Adrian I received this from Adrian today Thank you very much for beein in touch. We are all ok, family and Especias as well as the Kiteshop are ok. We have had some friends over with us and have help alot of people here in the island. It was a Strog hurriacine for sure and PLEASE do not belive all of what the media is saying. Cozumel had some big damage but nothing that cant not be rebuild. We have had electricity since last night and we are working really hard. As a team, we (town people) have cleared up streets since the day after the storm for the help (electricity company and trash trucks) to work and have water and all the services back. Ocean front is only accesible to store owners and the streets are ok, and in a month, as a limit, all have to be back to business. Piers: one, puerta Maya gone, International pier partially hurt and in use as well as punta langosta and the town one are in use already. We are expecting the first cruiseship Nov the 14th and tour operators are ready to work Now!! We have had this before and we know how to get back in business. My restaurant is running already and the kiteshop as well. Please Help, spread the voice, WE ARE OK!!! and there will be updates at www.cozumelkiteboarding.com, www.cometocozumel.com, www.cancunmap.com, www.scubatony.com I will greatly appreciate if you forward this mail to as many people you know Sincerely Adrian from Especias!!
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| - Cozumel correction- boats in Puerto Abrig |
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Earlier there was a report that about all boats in Puerto de Abrigo were destroyed. (see below). Susan Zamos send me the following correction: -Gert I am happy to report that Albatros Charters, Cozumel, who keeps 3 boats in the marina, has operational boats. The dive boat, the Libra, was off site and suffered no damage. It will be fully operational as soon as they can get it in the marina. The other boat, a fishing boat, the Albatros, suffered minimal superficial damage. In fact, the Albatros will be towing another fishing boat (The Easy Rider, also owned by Albatros Charters) out for repairs as early as tomorrow. Please issue this correction, as we need to get the good word out that their are businesses ready to operate, and their boats have survived. For further information, contact Rita/Burak, Albatros Charters, local Cozumel number 987 87 27904 or from the US toll free 888-333-4643 Thank you! Susana Zamos |
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| - Back to Normal? |
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Greg Barron forwarded me the following: Some excellent photos can be found on the Playa Maya hotel website in regard to Hurricane Wilma. http://www.playa-maya.com/ * ** *** Gert van Dijken ( gert at vandijken.com ) **** Caribbean Hurricane Network - http://stormcarib.com/ |
| - More news from Cozumel |
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More news from Cozumel I received through Reiko from the scuba folks Aldora Divers ( http://aldora.com ). -Gert October 27, 2005 Using our Cozumel Staff and a reliable phone link I have been working on getting status information on as many hotels and locations as I can. But it is impossible to get many of the details being asked for and predicting when damaged hotels might open would be ridiculous. I would like to offer some general guidelines for consideration which will be condensed into Dave's Rules. 1. All photos that you see on the web are the ones showing the most devastation. Nobody takes a picture of something that is OK and there is a lot of Cozumel that is still OK. And most of you know how hard working and industrious the Cozumelenos are so Dave's rule #1 is: Believe that there is still a lot left in Cozumel, and what is a mess, will soon be cleaned up. 2. Most serious and long lasting damage from this hurricane was the duration of wave action. It should then be obvious that proximity to the water and height above the water are major determinants of damage. If one is worried about a hotel that is right on the water, or between the main road and the water, there should be serious concern about the possibility of reopening in the short term. Hotel Presidente has announced a planned January 31st opening, Melia Mayan has announced that they will be closed at least 3 months as has Caribe Blu and others. The Fiesta Americana has announced a December 15th opening. I suspect however that some of them may never reopen. Now, you should keep in mind that there are many hotels with minimal damage that are going to stay closed until the end of the money losing low season and must use the hurricane as an excuse. Or some may be negotiating with insurance companies by staying closed to protect possible compensation. After all, it is low season and even in normal times they are losing money by staying open. So, Dave's rule number 2 is to expect that waterfront hotels may not be available until after the New Year, and apply reasonable skepticism to any other claims. 3. There are many hotels that ought to be open soon and even quasi waterfront ones like the Hotel Cozumel, Coral Princess, Fiesta Americana and Villa Blanca that should be able to overcome the minimal damage they suffered. Virtually all of the downtown hotels could be open tomorrow if power is restored. Dave's rule #3 is to be suspicious of waterfront hotels being opened any time soon, but expect all off the water hotels to be able to open very soon. 4. Businesses off the main street can be in full operation as soon as power is restored. These include most of the favorite restaurants such as Prima, La Choza, El Capi Navigante. And regardless of posts about being unable to get food, that was a very short term problem and will be solved very quickly if it is not already. Dave's rule #4 is to expect that you will be able to visit most of your favorite places in Cozumel. 5. The major factor in the restoration of the normal infrastructure, and the ability to provide a quality vacation will be the electrical power. Indeed, by Wednesday night power was restored to the Chedraui supermarket and portions of the Corpus Christi area. The Mexicans know that tourism is the life blood of Cozumel and a major source of income to the country overall so there will be a massive effort to get things back in order. Perhaps a more important factor is that the Governor of the State of Quintana Roo is a former Mayor of Cozumel and all of his family and friends live in Cozumel--they will not let Cozumel be forgotten. The preliminary announcement was that power will be restored to all of the island within 45 days, but that means every last palapa in the jungle. The priority will of course be the business areas. Dave's rule #5 is that you should wait for power to be restored before coming to Cozumel, but expect that it is possible any time after November 15th. 6. There have been many dive shops that have suffered damage to both boats and facilities. But sinking a boat is not the calamity that many envision. In the case of outboard powered boats it is pretty simple. We at Aldora over the years have had 4 or 5 cases of boats going down and in most cases we were able to get them running and working again in a matter of a few days or less (one time 3 hours later). Those with diesel inboards are more complex and may be complicated by the shear numbers that have to be fixed, but they will be. As long as the hull of the boat was not cracked open repairs should be able to be done in fairly short order. As for facilities being damaged, that is easily overcome in many cases. Indeed, for our first 3 years of operation, Aldora Divers did not even have a facility. For many shops the tanks are just rented on a daily basis from the compressor shop and maintenance and gear is stored off the water. It is my opinion that most dive shops will be physically able to be back in operation very soon. Financial problems are another issue though. While physically able, many shops have just finished a very low season in which most of their financial reserves needed for survival were already eaten up by the recovery from hurricane Emily in July. Whether they have the resources to pay for repairing damages and stay in business is another question. Given all that, it is possible that the availability of dive boats may be limited in the near term so Dave's Rule #6 is to make assured dive reservations before coming to Cozumel. 7. There have been many posts by concerned people about ways to help their friends and the generally wonderful people of Cozumel. I think the absolute best way to do so is to plan a trip here and make it soon and frequent. Your presence is all these people need, that is work and they know how to do that. And I sincerely believe that you will find the experience to be better than ever before. Sure there will still be lingering damage to look at, and you may not be able to do everything like you used to, or your favorite beachfront hotel may never open again, but in every cloud there is a silver lining. At least for a while, the thundering herd of cruise ships may no longer be there in such numbers, the reefs will be less crowded, everyone you see will be grateful for your presence, and you can feel very good about helping the people restore their lives, and become a part of creating the new, old Cozumel. Dave's rule #7? Come down and figure it out your own! Any questions regarding Wilma, follow this link Regards Dave Dillehay Aldora Divers |
| - news from Cozumel (fwd) |
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Received this update from Lisa through Carrie and Reiko Michisaki. Gert GOOD MORNING, I SPOKE WITH RAMON LAST NIGHT, ALTHOUGH HE SOUNDED TOTALLY EXHAUSTED HE WAS VERY ENCOURAGED AT HOW FAST THINGS ARE IMPROVING. HE SAID THEY SENT A LOT OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS TO THE ISLAND & THE LOCAL FOLKS ARE ALL PITCHING IN TO GET THE PLACE CLEANED UP. I RECEIVED THIS UPDATE & WANTED TO FORWARD IT ON TO ALL OF YOU, IT REITERATES WHAT RAMON WAS SAYING. I DELETED THE PARTS THAT DIDN'T APPLY TO US, HOWEVER, I LEFT IN SOME INFO ABOUT THE HOUSES JUST TO GET AN IDEA ABOUT HOW FAST THINGS ARE MOVING. JUST SO YOU KNOW, LISA IS COZUMEL VACATION RENTALS. THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE BOAT & SO FAR SO GOOD. HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. BEST REGARDS, CARRIE -----Original Message----- From: Lisa - Cozumel Vacation Rentals Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 5:56 AM To: Subject: 8am Thursday - Miracle recovery underway! Hi all, Haven't heard from Miguel this morning but we talked last night until we got cut off. Cells still intermittent. Pancho arrived yesterday to very wet & mud covered belongings but he said it appeared so far just cleaning and drying out. Hopefully he didn't lose much. Miguel says there are elec. co. workers all over the island now. They don't have much equipment yet though and they are conserving gas with a few trucks. They drop workers off in a neighborhood so they go around working on foot. They have ropes to get up poles, and use some small tool (don't know the word Miguel used) and their hands to dig. Very crude but they are making incredible progress. He didn't get power as of last night but thinks it'll be today/tonight as they are working in his area (just south of Corpus). The neighborhood of San Gervasio (way back) had power on Tuesday as well as a few other smaller areas. People are out gathering and piling up debris. Some are even able to haul it away. Since there is so little gas, local private companies like Ferinco (big construction equipment & supply company) are using their vehicles and equipment to clean/move debris. They and other companies and individuals are doing this for free, only asking for gasoline. Miguel's neighbors are cleaning up the neighborhood and as soon as he can, neighbors will chip in for gas for his personal truck to haul it away. He said not only did the helicopters arrive like flies (3rd person I know who's described how many "like flies") but that Cozumelenos are buzzing around everywhere. They expect to have city water running today ! I guess their pumps weren't too badly damaged or more have already been flown in. Gasoline is limited to 150 pesos worth per person They are determined to get back to as near normal as possible, as soon as possible. I commented that though the island will be ready by the season, many will have to leave the island for work in the meantime....he exclaimed "NO LISA, the island will have tourists in two weeks I think." IF we can get the word out the island is ready - so many terrible rumors are going around the internet and the photos will remain in people's minds for a long time. Lots of dive boats lost but many are ok. All boats in Puerto de Abrigo (fishing/yachts) destroyed. Those I can confirm are ok are Ventura's (though it's not out of dry dock yet I don't think) and Michelle & Roberto's Liquid Blue Divers'. Theirs is in the water. Maybe we'll have an honest account of the reef/marine life conditions soon. What most people don't understand is that all the destruction seen in photos of downtown, is that 90% of the buildings are still standing and basically only need paint, shelving, and merchandise to be back in business. The shells of buildings remain, just nothing inside them. And that the Punta Langosta pier in good shape can receive cruise ships & vehicle/supply ferry. And the passenger ferry is running normal schedule, and will add more trips for just supplies if the vehicle ferry doesn't get there today as expected. It was expected yesterday but they were still modifying something on the Pta. Langosta pier to receive it. Cruise ships may not arrive for awhile however since the shops on and around that pier were destroyed, and the Pta. Maya pier and buildings are gone. So, things are looking VERY good for a speedy recovery. For your homes too.....and I was shocked at how much our crews got done yesterday..... They finished cleaning up exterior (gardens) and interiors of all homes in town. They removed all debris from pools in town and added chlorine. They cannot run filters until there's either more gas for a generator (which he should have today) or electricity. Today they will clean gardens & pull debris out of oceanfront pools and clean gardens. He said the landscape debris is unbelievable. Interiors have been cleaned too. Though they have finished cleaning interiors, they are still working on drying things out. They take furniture/etc outside to dry while they are on site and put it back in before they leave. And they will do that each day as long as necessary. I can't believe they have gotten so much done ! Miguel did say he doesn't feel his age right now...says his body feels about 70 years old. I imagine the whole crew feels the same, along with many others on the Island. I haven't heard from him this morning but knowing how busy and tired he is, I told him unless he needs me for something to just call once a day. That we all trust him to do what he needs to do. Lisa | </
