SARGAZO UPDATE
On May 2nd we informed our community on the difficult topic of Sargazo affecting the Caribbean in general and specifically Puerto Aventuras (Post 60).
We regret to inform today that there has been little effective advance from our Government authorities and we see no solution in the short term. The participation of experts from 15 different countries acting as advisors did not find an appropriate welcome, has not yet found a local leader and presents today no definite plan. Individual solutions basically by independent hotels have found costly solutions with poor results or have failed in trying.
Puerto Aventuras hired personnel from Florida University to design a solution for our Resort and Oceanus as the company to implement it. A budget was elaborated for a Master Plan solution to our total sea front in the amount of $491,259 dollars including a budget for the Caleta Chac Hal Al for the amount of $163,772 dollars. The project included 3 floating curtains 270 meters long each.
Being a master solution for the Resort and considering the amount participation of all owners in our community was required and intended to be coordinated by Colonos. As we all know Colonos declined participation in spite of having accumulated in their accounts over $80,000 dollars for this purpose.
Due to the high risk involved for our community and property values and the need to implement a short term solution, the Developer separated from the Master Plan and general budget the front of the Caleta and invested the partial amount for this area. The plan for the Caleta includes two stages with a floating curtain of 50 meters to prevent sargazo from entering, additional length to 270 meters for deviating sargazo back into the coastal current. The first phase of this plan has been successfully completed and should be considered an example to apply in front of Bahia Fatima as a definite solution for present and future years.
The following is a view of the Caleta taken ten days ago with 80% of the surface covered by sargazo remaining over 15 days and seriously polluting the natural reserves and cenotes.
Sargazo was retrieved with heavy machinery and transported in trucks out of the property. The procedure had no end until a floating curtain would block the entrance to additional new sargazo coming in.
According to the plan, first stage was completed by placing a 50 meter floating curtain that stopped sargazo from coming in and leaving it outside the Caleta to allow a natural cleaning by changes of tides.
Having completed first phase successfully, sargazo now remains outside the Caleta. Second phase with new position for 270 meter long floating curtain will deviate sargazo back to coastal current.
OUR CALETA IS BACK
Projects and designs to control sargazo for all of Puerto Aventuras have been completed. Since participation of the community in the general solution will not be promoted by Colonos we make available all information to Hotels, Condominiums or Private Property to form part of this plan and help us maintain Puerto Aventuras as a ¨clean bubble¨ as an example to the Riviera Maya. We invite representatives of these condominiums and hotels as well as residents on the beach front to visit the Caleta and have a first view of the successful solution accomplished as well as contacting the Developer to join efforts in placing personal solutions as part of a Master Plan.