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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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Thursday around 1:15pm, there was an island-wide power outage.
VIDEO from Thursday night with the Mayor explaining that the island-wide electrical outage was caused by a problem with the underground cables on the mainland near Punta Sam, and he is asking for the islanders to be patient while the engineers and technicians work to repair it. He went over to the mainland to observe the work, and power returned around 2:30am, although friends near Punta Sur said theirs didn't return until nearly 8am.
From the Mayor's FB page: The City is working in coordination with the Federal Electrical Commission (CFE) to guarantee electrical service on the island, with the installation of 22 power generating plants to handle consumption. In less than a week two trailers will be brought with electric power generating plants to prevent blackouts and ensure service on the island at all times.
July 26. Poll from Isla Mujeres Pueblo Magico: Which is your favorite beach in Isla Mujeres Pueblo Magico? Those who have visited us know how difficult it is to choose. The first photo is Playa Centro and says 13% and the second is Playa Norte and says 87%. It was posted July 25th and says the poll ends in four days.
News from the Municipal Facebook site..... ( FB page link)
July 26th: International Day for the Protection of Mangroves
The City reports: CFE (Federal Electrical Commission) and the City agreed to install generators to ensure electricity for the island
(Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, July 27, 2018) .- To ensure electrical service for the citizenry, the municipal government is working in coordination with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), providing an immediate solution to the insufficiency of energy that occurred, with the installation of 22 generators.
On the occasion of these works, City officials, together with CFE superintendent in Isla Mujeres, Orlando Roque Flores, conducted a tour to supervise the installation of the generators, which will assist the submarine cables, which supply the island, from the city of Cancun.
Representatives of the CFE explained that the cause of the insufficiency of energy was due to the fact that the island has registered a historical level of electrical consumption, exceeding the current capacity and causing an overload.
Currently workers are
installing the 22 auxiliary plants and, in addition, to ensure service
to the public, two trailers with power plants will arrive in upcoming
days to prevent blackouts and to balance consumption.
The municipal government reaffirms its commitment to ensure that islanders and visitors have quality services, in the same way asks that everyone make optimal use of electricity by turning off lights and disconnecting electrical appliances that are not being used.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The municipal government reaffirms its commitment to ensure that islanders and visitors have quality services, in the same way asks that everyone make optimal use of electricity by turning off lights and disconnecting electrical appliances that are not being used.
FB News Sites about Isla Mujeres
Tvisla Mujeres
After more than nine hours without electricity CFE still doesn't have the problem repaired LINK
Personnel with CFE said they were working on the problem in the line that supplies electrical power to the island, but didn't know what time the power would return. It is noted that businesses, restaurants and hotels, are losing food that requires refrigeration. Shops were closed and tourists were uncomfortable in the heat, in the midst of the holiday season. Residents remained outside their homes due to the stifling heat, with the children suffering the most from the lack of ventilation.
Telcel lines were limiting service because the batteries that feed the signal were being discharged.
Work continued into the wee hours of the morning by the CFE to install emergency plants in different locations of #IslaMujeres, after the general blackout that left the whole island dark
July 27 The suffering of islanders continues due to cuts in the electrical supply! Several colonias are affected (photo of Hidalgo)
The leader of the business owners organization CANIRAC in Isla Mujeres, Baltazar Mandonado Tun said that the blackouts like the one suffered yesterday in Isla Mujeres cause serious losses to the economy of Isla Mujeres, that is why he asks the Federal Electricity Commission to find the root of the problem or at least to guarantee service with emergency generators throughout the tourist area. VIDEO LINK
Interviewed this (Friday) morning, after the blackout that lasted just over 13 hours, he explained that the situation for restaurateurs is complex, since the lack of electricity complicates their work, in addition to the risks associated with refrigerated products. .
He said, "The most affected are us, the small businesses, because the larger companies have generators, so they have no major impact, but the rest if we have try and manage." In this regard, he said that the vast majority of businesses do not have a generator and with these prolonged blackouts, there is a lot of damage. He said, "There are economic losses, loss of raw material and mainly the effect of the heat on the guests."
He said, "As an organization, we ask for emergency generators to be able to supply us with energy, at least in the tourist area." He commented that the CFE has been dealing with problems of this type for several years, but there has been no definitive solution to the problem. He said that these are just remedies, but there is no comprehensive plan to put an end to this problem, or at least not one that is known.
On Friday, the cuts continued, one of the most prolonged began once again after 1pm affecting the colonias of La Gloria, Ampliación la Gloria, Cañotal, Miraflores, and Caribeña, among others.
Some fences on the beaches of Isla Mujeres still have closure seals. Zofemat will take the file to PROFEPA VIDEO
Playa Luxury finally agreed and Thursday they began removing their fence VIDEO
The director of ZOFEMAT in Isla Mujeres, Kerem Pinto Aguilar, confirmed that after talks with the concessionaire of Luxury Beach, they decided to remove the fence that restricted the free passage of people. (Luxury beach was previously called Playa Sol). LINK
After complaints from the public, City officials placed closure seals on two fences, one at the concession of Hotel Privilege Aluxes and the other at Luxury. In the first case, the fence was removed without complications, but in the other, they had to resort to federal involvement.
The official said that it is important to respect the free passage of people in Federal Zones, which is why several of the concessions are being monitored. It is noted that in the case of Luxury, the fence was in place for more than two years, however, there was always disagreement from the tourists and residents.
Residents of the colonias of Isla Mujeres, not only suffered from a lack of electricity, but also with a suspension in the tap water supply as a sequel to the constant ups and downs and power outages. LINK
Mrs. Isabel Rodríguez, who lives downtown in Colonia Centro, explained that since yesterday when there was a blackout that lasted 13 hours, they have also stopped receiving tap water.Although the company Aguakán has not yet issued a statement, the power cuts caused the suspension of water pumping in various colonias. Therefore, parts of the island have no tap water supply.
One of the residents said that since the previous blackout occurred in May, their tap water supply hasn't returned to normal.
On Friday, electrical outages continued in several colonias, including Ampliación la Gloria, Caribeña, Cañotal, and Miraflores.
Isla Mujeres Al Dia
Up to 20 thousand people come to Isla Mujeres on summer weekends, thanks to the fact that the beaches are free of sargasso.(Aerial photo of the isle)
This says the Community Hospital, via the Reproductive Health department extend an invitation for the campaign to detect cervical cancer directed especially at women 25 to 64 years of age on Tuesday, March 31 between 8a and 2p. It is free and Seguro Popular insurance isn't required.
The CFE installed emergency generators, in different strategic points of the island, in case another blackout is registered on the island, which were brought from the city of Cancun. (photos)
VIDEO of the clear blue water off the coast of Isla Mujeres by Rosa Hobart, taken July 22.
Enjoy Isla Mujeres (photo of a young woman sitting in a hammock suspended over the water)
Trash collection, street lighting, and brush removal
The deputy director of the municipal Department of Public Services, Emmanuel Zetina Cime, explained that in accordance with the mayor's orders they have redoubled efforts so that both islanders and visitors have quality public services in a clean destination, which is why the municipality actively maintains the collection of garbage throughout the whole week, with six routes on the island and three in the Continental Zone.
He explained, "During the week we collect around 50 tons of garbage, while on weekends, when the island has approximately 27,000 visitors, a total of 60 tons is collected. It is our responsibility to continue these efforts to carry out the correct waste management and keep Isla Mujeres as a clean destination "
He said they also are responsible cleaning and pruning of public spaces; as well as the repair and maintenance of public lighting, with 94% of the public lights on the island functioning and 85% in the Continental Zone, providing families with safe, illuminated and brush-free streets in the green areas.
Noti Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres receives more than 15 companies per year that carry out television or commercial programs, taking advantage of the natural beauties of this island, said Tourism Director Gustavo Rodríguez Orozco. VIDEO
The atlas of risk of Isla Mujeres is being updated, said Ulises Berman director of Civil Protection. VIDEO
Sunset VIDEO
The electrical outage and blackout caused serious damages to the economy of the Islanders, including shops, hotels, and restaurants. VIDEO
IM Noticias
It has been requested that all the palisades or wooden fences in the federal zone be removed, among them that of Playa Luxury, aka Playa Sol VIDEO PROFEPA and SEMARNAT will be involved in having the fence removed from Playa Luxury, aka Playa Sol.
After a series of talks between the officials in charge of the Federal Zone in Isla Mujeres and the concessionaire of the federal zone of Playa Luxury, they were unable to reach an agreement for the withdrawal of the wooden fence, which delimits the concession area.
This was confirmed by the director of the offices of ZOFEMAT (Federal Marítimo Terrestre Zone) in Isla Mujeres, Kerem Pinto Aguilar, who said that after a conversation with the concessionaire of the federal zone of Playa Luxury, previously called Playa Sol, Jorge Cárdenas Bazán, there was no way to convince him to remove this wooden fence that delimits the Federal Zone.
Ms Pinto said that in the absence of agreement with the concessionaire of the Federal Zone of Playa Luxury, formerly Playa Sol, they will be obliged to request the intervention of the Federal Attorney's Office for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) and, if necessary, the Ministry of the Environment, Resources and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), so that the fence would be removed.
She explained that the intention of the removal of this fence, along with the one that was removed at Privilege Aluxes is to have free beaches so that pedestrians can walk freely through the sand, which is one of the main attractions offered by this holiday destination. (See TVIM article above which says they are removing the fence.)
There is a photo of CFE personnel working near Punta Sam to restore electricity to the island.
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From por esto Link to their Isla Mujeres articles & photos
Hostels experiencing good levels of occupancy
Hostales llevan bien la temporada. [+] Ver masFull article at this link
Like the medium and large hotels, the occupancy of the hostels is good, since it is at 80% and they expect this to continue for the rest of the summer holiday season. In contrast, the small hotels aren't doing well and they are reporting very low levels of occupancy, despite offering discounts of 20%, and they anticipate that 2018 will be the worst year for them.
The main hostel is Poc-Na, which had an occupancy rate of 65.75% on Wednesday and expects to be above 80% for the remainder of the summer, according to an executive there. As of Tuesday, the municipal Tourism office reported a general occupancy in the hotel industry of 75.9%, with the Continental Zone of Punta Sam and Isla Blanca at 84.3% and the island at 65%. The good level of general occupancy is expected to continue throughout August with good amounts of room reservations for the upcoming weeks.
Electrical blackout
“Apagón” de la corriente eléctrica [+] Ver masFull article at this link
July 26 When this article was written, it was four hours into the outage, and it notes that it began at 1:15pm. This caused concern especially among the business sector during this holiday period when many tourists are visiting. A month ago there was a similar outage for about 12 hours, from 3am to 3pm. Unline today, the internet crashed and didn't provide service to the general public.
The longest blackout occurred in January 2017, when the service was out for 15 hours because of an interruption in the submarine (sic underground) line to the North Beach substation. The CFE replaced 600 linear meters of this cable along this section to solve that problem, but now the failure is occurring in Punta Sam, according to personnel with CFE.
The outage impacted more than 500 businesses dedicated to tourism, including hotels, restaurants, shops, government offices, schools, and others. There were also more than 3000 homes affected, with families suffering losses of food that requires refrigeration.
Transportation is lacking or nonexistent
Transporte deficiente o inexistente] Ver masFull article at this link
The Workers and Campesinos Revolutionary Confederation (CROC) union urged the municipal government to meet the needs of workers in the tourism industry this season concerning the lack of urban transportation, because the taxis have become insufficient to meet the demand.
Román Maldonado, leader of the CROC union, said that many hotel and restaurant workers experience with delays in getting to work because of poor transportation. He said that personally, when he was a member of the City Council during the previous administration, he presented a proposal to include the trade union that heads trici-taxi service in the popular sector (colonias) of Isla Mujeres, which was not accepted by the municipal officials.(la propuesta de meter el gremio sindical que encabeza servicio de tricitaxi en el sector popular de Isla Mujeres, lo que no fue aceptado por los diputados locales y actualidades municipales)
It is recalled that two years ago, the contract with Isla Turicun for urban transportation was terminated at the end of the 15 years of concession, although in reality it was suggested that the company had breached the contract in regards to issues of efficiency and quality.
At the beginning of the period of the current government, Roberto Martinez, City Council member for the minority MORENA party, asked Mayor Juan Carrillo to promote an initiative so that the City Council could take charge of the service with their own vehicles or buy combis to provide transportation. The mayor has not made an announcement on the subject, although he made a commitment to address the pending issue during his second term.
No incidents among the whale shark tours
Permisionarios operan sin contratiempos[+] Ver masFull article at this link
The second half of the whale shark tour season has begun, and there have been no emergencies associated with these activities among the 240 boats that transport visitors to the area where the large fish congregate. The season began in mid May. Unlike last year, there have been no problems with the outboard motors of these boats, which implies a level of prevention being taken by the crews, according to Ismael Gonzalez Gil, Harbor Master of Isla Mujeres. He said that so far this season, there have been no mechanical failures requiring boats to be towed, which has occurred in previous years.
He said the period of stable weather is about to end, and now the weeks are starting where tropical waves are expected, of increasing intensity, which can cause sudden changes in the wind, therefore service providers should be more cautious, until the season ends in mid-September.
Regarding private boats who take their relatives out to see the whale sharks, it has been known that 10 vessels have been present in the area throughout this season, and it is recommended that they contact the officials of the Marine Park to be granted permission to enter the area of observing and swimming with the whale sharks, that they are given the protection guidelines, and that they pay for the corresponding bracelet.
Regarding the role played by the Harbor Master, he explained that they work in coordination with other federal agencies to maintain order and to protect of the whale sharks.
Bonito tuna
Regarding the complaint of the fishermen of Isla Mujeres about the alleged intrusion of the Cuban fishing fleet into Mexican waters, the Harbor Master said that he is responsible for responding to the National Fishing Commission (CONAPESCA) on the matter of the agreement and the limits where the boats from Cuba are allowed to enter to catch fish.
These seamen say that in recent times they are experiencing strong competition from the Cuban fleet who catch bonito, which is a variety of tuna, who lay their eggs in the waters near Isla Mujeres, which, along with plankton is an important part of the diet of the whale sharks, who visit the Yucatan Channel from May to September. Bonito is also used by the local fishermen as bait, to catch other fish, including shark, within the capture period allowed by federal authorities.
Recommendations for avoiding heat stress
Recomiendan no exponerse mucho tiempo al sol [+] Ver masFull article at this link
This advice from the director of the Community Hospital has already been translated.
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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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| July 1 10:14 July 2 10:53 July 3 11:31 July 27 7:32 July 28 8:14 July 29 8:54 July 30 9:32 July 31 10:09 Painting by Pamela Haase Sunset ~7:25 Sunrise ~6:05 |
July Events
Provided by MaraVilla Caribe & Isla Mujeres Daily News & Events |
Sunday, July 1 Election Day Polls open 7a-6p Alcohol will only be sold to foreigners with food purchase at businesses with a food license, until the 48 "Dry Law" expires at midnight. Mexico will electsa president for a single six-year term, and 628 members of the national congress, who for the first time in nearly a century can be reelected. Voters are also choosing nine governors, ~1600 mayors, and thousands of state and local lawmakers.
Monday, July 2 Mexico vs Brazil 9a World Cup Islanders can watch at the large screen on Playa Centro provided by the Posada, or at a variety of bars.
Wednesday, July 4 US Independence Day, may be celebrated in some bars
Friday, July 6th at 8pm at the Convention Center. Renatta Dance
Studio would like to invite you to our 6th annual end of school year
show! The theme is ‘Mexico Without Borders’ and the show includes more than 50 dancers and special performers. Join us for this wonderful dance and musical tribute to Mexico! Local island children from 4 years up to their teens will be performing, as well as professional dancers and special performers from the island and Cancun. Tickets are $50 pesos for adults and $30 for children in advance. And $70 pesos and $50 pesos at the door.
July 20 & 21 Friday & Saturday Barracuda Fishing Tournament
July 20-22 Fri, Sat, Sun. 11th Annual Whale Shark Festival
6:30p Inauguration of the Festival on the Town Square
7p Presentation by Biologist Pamela Vasquez of Saving Our Sharks on the Town Square
8p Performance by the Municipal Folklorico Troupe of Palenque Chiapas Latin Dancers Dance Studio
Saturday, July 21
6p Artisans Exposition and tasting of regional dishes
7p Presentation by Biologist Karen Fuentes of results of monitoring Manta Rays in the Mexican Caribbean
8p Folklorico dance performance by the dance troupes Al Son del Corozon de Isla Mujeres and Mestizas de Agua Salada de Isla Mujeres
Sunday, July 22
4p Children's Basketball Lightning Tournament at the court on the Town Square
7p Conference by Biologist Rafael de la Parra about Whale Sharks
8p Folklorico dance performance by the dance troupe of Silao Guanajuato and comedian Miramelindo
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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