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| This is the live webcam at North Beach / Playa Norte. |
Follow Isla Mujeres News & Events on Facebook for highlights of news & events, and more photos & videos
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A
reminder that the Ley Seca/Dry Law goes into effect at midnight
tonight. For 48 hours, until midnight on Sunday, after the elections,
all alcohol sales are banned with one exception. In tourism areas, like
Isla Mujeres, foreigners may purchase alcoholic beverages, with food,
at establishments with food licenses.
The head of the Revenue Collection agency in Isla Mujeres said businesses in violation will be subject to fines of 50,000-80,000 pesos, in addition to closure. He said the food must be prepared, chips & salsa or nuts don't qualify, and the catamaran tours are included in the ban, as well as convenience stores, minisupers, cantinas, and bars (without a food license).
The head of the Revenue Collection agency in Isla Mujeres said businesses in violation will be subject to fines of 50,000-80,000 pesos, in addition to closure. He said the food must be prepared, chips & salsa or nuts don't qualify, and the catamaran tours are included in the ban, as well as convenience stores, minisupers, cantinas, and bars (without a food license).
It's a slow news day, so here's a story about two flamingos, one from Yucatan & one from Africa, who found each other in Texas (where flamingos don't exist)
There's a flamingo in the international news this week, after it was spotted and photographed during a bird survey in Texas. Flamingos aren't found in the US, except in Puerto Rico and occasionally in southern Florida. This is a "legendary" flamingo, who escaped from a Kansas zoo thirteen years ago.
It was originally from Tanzania, and was one of 40 African flamingos shipped to a Witchita, Kansas zoo in 2003. It escaped, "with an accomplice" in June 2005 (before zookeepers had gotten around to doing a blood test to determine its sex). The pair left the area a month later, after a bad Independence Day thunderstorm, and for unknown reasons, they went their separate ways. The other bird is presumed to have died from the cold weather after it flew north, and was last spotted in August of that year, at AuTrain Lake in Michigan. This bird, known as #492 for its leg band number, flew south, where it found a more suitable environment.
The articles briefly mentioned that #492 had previously been seen hanging out in Texas with a Caribbean flamingo, who was born in the Yucatan. What?? It found what was probably the only wild flamingo in Texas??
I dug a little deeper and found a blog post from 2013 by Neil Hayward, who photographed the pair. He said these two birds had been reported together all along the Gulf Coast since 2006, from Louisiana to Tampico, Mexico. He explained that flamingos are extremely social birds, which is probably why these two lost birds were hanging out with each other. Experts conjectured that the Caribbean flamingo was blown into the Gulf during a tropical storm. It is known as HDNT, for its leg band identifier.
Mr. Hayward said the Caribbean flamingo had hatched in 2005 at the large flamingo colony in the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, on the northern tip of Yucatan. This meant it was about eight years old at the time of these photographs, and less than two years old when they were first spotted together in 2006. At the time of the photos in 2013, African flamingo would have been about 15-17, and is estimated to be 20-22 years old now. Flamingos have an average lifespan of about 30 years in the wild, but can live decades longer in captivity.
Flamingos are monogamous and reach sexual maturity at 3-6 years of age, but the gender of these birds is unknown. It is presumed that these two species are similar enough that cross breeding is possible, but flamingos typically only breed in colonies, laying one egg annually.
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| African Flamingo zoo escapee from Kansas with wild Caribbean Flamingo from Yucatan, together in Texas. Photo credit: Neil Hayward, 2013, Accidental Big Year blog Port Lavaca Texas (Cox's Bay) |
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| Photo credit: Neil Hayward, 2013, Accidental Big Year blog. |
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| Photo credit to Texas Parks & Wildlife, June 2018, Lavaca Bay African flamingo "#492" who escaped a Kansas zoo in 2005 |
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| Photo credit to Texas Parks & Wildlife, June 2018, Lavaca Bay |
Before Hurricane Gilberto in 1988, the main colony was in the Rio Lagartos area, but then colonies began to form in Celestun, and Uaymitun. Across the Caribbean, declining numbers have placed the birds on the endangered species list, due to habitat destruction, the draining of wetlands and pollution. However, the flamingo population in Yucatan has rallied from a low of 5,000 birds in 1956 to 30,000 in 2002 and recent estimates are over 43,000.
The largest numbers are found at the Rio Lagartos Bio-Reserve, which includes 35 miles of beaches and protects nearly 150,000 acres of forest, dunes, mangroves, and the largest estuary (70 km) in the Yucatan peninsula, with nearly 400 species of birds (migratory and resident). The Celestun Biosphere Reserve (aka Parque Natural del Flamenco Mexicano) consists of 147,500 acres, protecting over 200 species of birds, including vast flocks of flamingos. Both reserves also protect thousands of nesting sea turtles, and a wide variety of other animals.
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FB News Sites about Isla Mujeres
Tvisla Mujeres
There is another reminder about the Dry Law, which prohibits alcohol sales for 48 hours from 00:00 Saturday to 00:00 Monday, except to foreign tourists, at businesses with a food license, with food, due to the elections on Sunday. LINK
Isla Mujeres Al Dia
Noti Isla Mujeres
Lobster catching season begins July 1st, when the four month ban ends. VIDEO
IM Noticias
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From por esto Link to their Isla Mujeres articles & photos
Hotels expecting good occupancy rates during summer holidays
Reservaciones hoteleras “viento en popa”.. [+] Ver masFull article at this link
Based on their reservations, many hotels are expecting occupancy rates of more than 90 percent during the summer holidays. The overall occupancy rate from June 19 to 24 was 68.20 percent, which was 78.68 percent in the Continental Zone and 53.12 percent on the island, according to the Department of Tourism, who also anticipate rates over 90 percent during the summer.
Some smaller hotels report their their occupancy rates are lower than that, at an average of 20 percent, while larger hotels are at 90 percent, according to their managers. Regarding the hotels that the reporter consulted, Bahia reported an occupancy of 92 percent on Wednesday and expects this to continue all summer; the Posada del Mar is at 65 percent and expects to increase by 20 percent during the next month; Ixchel expects to go from 80 to 90 percent; and Cabanas "María del Mar" expects to go from 60 to 80 percent occupancy.
The managers of small hotels expect their rates to increase to about 40 percent, based on experience from previous summers, with sufficient space for families looking for a place to stay.
Personnel with the hotels on the beaches are cleaning the beaches in an ongoing manner so that sargasso doesn't accumulate on North Beach or Playa Centro. According to hoteliers, many guests from the Riviera Maya are looking to Isla Mujeres to enjoy the island environment.
Reviewing & renovating the buoy line
Verifican líneas de boyado [+] Ver masFull article at this link
Historical site in ruins
Valioso patrimonio antiguo en ruina[+] Ver masFull article at this link
I'll translate these last two manana. The first is about the buoy line for North Beach & Playa Centro being renovated for summer vacation season and the second is about nothing being done at Boca Iglesias church-ruins, which are considered historically significant.
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From the Municipal Facebook site..... ( FB page link)
In accordance with the electoral laws, the municipal Facebook site has suspended the release of information as of March 29, until after the election on July 1st.
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| View from the rooms. |
MaraVilla Caribe Bed & Beach Three rentals with large glass doors overlooking our white sand beach and the beautiful Caribbean sea, with kitchenettes & free WIFI. In the coastal neighborhood of Bachilleres, among upscale villas & boutique hotelitos, convenient to downtown or the colonias, yet separate. Quiet & Private.
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| Kitchen in a large studio. (Sur & Norte are identical) |
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| Kitchenette in small room, Medio. There's a table & chairs across from it & a double bed. |
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| A large slider opens from each of the 3 rooms onto the patio where each has a table & chairs, hammock & clotheslines. The BBQ is behind the pole, and the outdoor shower is outa the pic at left. |
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| Large studio (Norte), I'm standing in the kitchen. A queen & single bed. |
Free amenities such as hammocks, BBQ grills, outdoor shower, portable beach chairs & beach towels, washer & dryer, loungers. Breathtaking panoramic views from the rooftop terrace. Large sliding doors open to a patio & our backyard-beach, overlooking the Caribbean sea. Upstairs room also available. Downtown is ~ a mile away; if you don't feel like walking, flag a $2 taxi. Parking. You can enjoy the music & crowds downtown, then come home our quiet neighborhood of Bachilleres where you'll sleep to the sounds of the sea.. $275/$325/$425 wk $40/50/$65nt Monthly Discounts
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| Large studio (Sur) with Queen & Single bed. Slider door & view are behind me. |
Fine dining a few steps away at Da Luisa or try the neighborhood eateries a couple blocks farther. Within ten minutes walk are a variety of restaurants including Mango Cafe, Brisas, Manolitos, La Chatita, Green Verde, Kash Kechen Chuc, and the large department store-grocery , Chedraui. Visit marinas, bars, & beach clubs that are minutes away by bike or on foot. Attend Yoga classes a couple villas away at hotelito Casa Ixchel. Fresh juice, produce & tortillas a few blocks away in the village, as well as a variety of other stores and small local restaurants. It takes 20-30 minutes to walk downtown.
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| June Events Provided by MaraVilla Caribe & Isla Mujeres Daily News & Events |
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| June 1 10:07 June 2 10:52 June 3 11:35 June 27 7:14 June 28 8:03 June 29 8:49 June 30 9:33 Painting by Pamela Haase Sunset ~7:25 Sunrise ~6:05 |
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| Photo by Tony Garcia of turtles mating off Punta Sur |
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| Tortugranja staff collecting eggs at MaraVilla Caribe beach |
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| A busy night for the mama turtles digging nests at MVC |
Friday, June 1 Navy Day Día de la Marina. Usually there is a wreath placed at sea in memory of sailors who lost their lives at sea.
Saturday, June 2 Plogging cleanup 8a Location TBA LINK Action for Isla link
Sunday, June 3 Noches Magicas performances at 8p on the Town Square
Tuesday, June 5 World Environment Day
Friday, June 8 World Ocean's Day
Saturday, June 9 Plogging cleanup 8a Location TBA LINK Action for Isla link
Sunday, June 10 Noches Magicas performances at 8p on the Town Square
Saturday, June 16 Plogging cleanup 8a Location TBA LINK Action for Isla link
Sunday, June 17 Father's Day
Sunday, June 17 Noches Magicas performances at 8p on the Town Square
Thursday, June 21 Summer Solstice
Sat & Sun, June 22 & 23 Women's fishing tournament "La Dorada del Caribe" Fifth edition
Saturday, June 23 Plogging cleanup 8a Location TBA LINK Action for Isla link
Sunday, June 24 Noches Magicas performances at 8p on the Town Square
Sources for Weather Information:
LINK to Civil Protection Q Roo weather bulletin (Spanish)
LINK to Mexico National Weather Service (Spanish)
LINK to satellite images for the Mexico National Weather Service (Yucatan peninsula is under Satellite GOES Este, I recommend "Animacion")
LINK to GOES East Band 16 GIF (animation)
LINK to a private weather station on Isla Mujeres
LINK to Tropic Watch (in English)
LINK to NHC in US (in English)
LINK to Tropical Tidbits (in English)
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