Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen : Mayan Riviera , Wildlife, Events

It's Turtle Nesting Season on the Riviera Maya!

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:50:00 GMT

It's turtle nesting season again on the Riviera Maya! Every year, adult female Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtles make their way to the beaches of the Riviera Maya, build nests and lay up to 150 soft-shelled eggs twice each season. When the baby turtles hatch (approx. 60 days later), they instinctively head for the water, using the light of the moon for navigation. They smell and taste the sand as they find their way to the ocean and remarkably will return to the very beach where they were born when it comes time for them to nest.

Our good friends at Cabanas Tulum and Ziggy Beach would like to remind everyone to take care during this special time and have shared with us a list of helpful recommendations to consider during this special time!

1. Do not use lights on the beach, shut off balcony lights, and cover all outside lights and windows if you are in a house/condo.

2. If you see a turtle coming ashore to lay their eggs, notify your hotel staff or turtle patrol if you happen to see them on the beach.

3. Do not approach the turtles (unless specifically at the invitation of turtle patrol), do not touch the turtles, definitely do not interfere with any part of the nesting process.

4. Do not take flash photography, this will definitely spook the mom.

5. Do not have beach parties during the nesting season.

6. Keep the beach free of litter or any obstacles that may get in the path of the turtle (bring in beach chairs at night, etc).

7. Keep pets indoors at night, barking dogs are not turtle-friendly.

8. Do not disturb the nests, if you see what you think is a nest that has not been marked, notify the hotel or the authorities.

If everyone works together and respects these rules, we can ensure a long and happy life for this endangered species and their continued visits to the Riviera Maya for years to come.

The best way to see the turtle nests and possibly baby turtles being released is to go on a night walk organized by CEA. Centro Ecologico Akumal is a non-profit environmental organization located in Akumal. They take out a maximum of 10 people each night at 9 pm. CEA is the only organization with permission to access certain beaches during the nesting season. The suggested donation is $15 for adults and $8 for children. Reservations are not accepted, so show up early if you can. There are also regular presentations on the CEA Turtle Watch Program, with slides of the sea turtles and a lecture about their evolution, ecology, behavior, the threats to their survival and how we can help them.

Protest Against the Mistreatment of Animals in Playa del Carmen

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:50:00 GMT

I don't think there is a one of us, Playa resident and tourist alike, who has not noticed (or been approached by) the street vendors hocking photo opportunities with the animals, birds and reptiles native to the Riviera Maya. Recently, the offerings have expanded beyond parrots, iguanas and monkeys to include lion and tiger cubs, apparently sedated for the safety of the customers. While certain vendors have been detained for lack of credentials, still more come in their place with better and better documentation. This is a very lucrative business and although there are groups and organizations focused on preventing such abuses, this not a problem that will go away overnight.

There are many people that will argue that as long as the animal has worth and brings an income to its owner then it will be fed and well-cared for. Others maintain a "live and let live" attitude. A passionate discourse can be made from all sides. Regardless of your opinion of the use of wild animals in captivity, I think we can all agree that, at very least, there need to be standards for their care and treatment which are carefully set, maintained and regulated by governmental authorities. The handlers need to be trained and licensed, the animals need to receive regular veterinary checks and the provenance of the animals needs to be documented.

Several times every year, a traveling circus comes to Playa del Carmen and sets up their big top tents on the Arco Vial at Constituyentes. This draws a huge crown of families from the region who line up for hours, night after night, to enjoy the circus spectacle. Every year, there is an outcry from a steadily growing segment of the Playa population about the terrible conditions in which the animals are kept. Many of the animals that are paraded around town in rolling cages appear to be drugged into submission. There have even been allegations that the traveling circuses contract local youth to round up stray dogs to feed to the big cats.

This year a local group is asking the compassionate Playa del Carmen community to gather outside the circus grounds (Ave. 115 and Constituyentes) on Saturday March 3 at 4:00 pm. (translated from the Facebook event page) .... "to express displeasure with the apparent mistreatment of animals who are victims as part of what is considered to be an obsolete spectacle by most circuses in the world. As sentient beings we must understand that we have no right to abuse and exploit other species for the sole purpose of profit. Life and freedom are not rights exclusive to the human race. Join us in this activity and help to expose society to the reality that exists behind the tent. Create a poster. Mount a play. Attend in costume or write a slogan. If we participate in a creative way we will be able to transcend the violent practices and nonsense. Let us unite to send a firm message within the Playa del Carmen community."

"The world is a dangerous place. Not because of those who do evil, but those who do nothing to stop it "

-Albert Einstein

Don't Miss the 9th Annual Festival de la Tortuga Marina!

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:44:00 GMT

The 9th annual Sea Turtle Festival is scheduled for October 13 - 16 2011 in Tulum. The Festival de la Tortuga Marina is a free event whose mission is to raise awareness in residents and tourists alike about sea turtle protection.

This event will provide information about these magnificent creatures that are in danger of extinction, There will be arts, environmental and cultural events and activities related to the conservation of sea turtles. Information will also be available about the many organizations working to preserve the sea turtles and how you can contribute. This is a wonderful family event that should not be missed if you are in the area.

To protect the Sea Turtles during the nesting period (May through October) the following is recommended:

Avoid all types of lighting on the beach, including flash photography.

Do not leave objects such as chairs, lounge chairs, garbage on the beach.
Avoid building sand castles, walls or fences that may impede the turtles path to the sea.

Do not approach the turtles during the nesting process.

Not drive on the beach with motor vehicles.

Avoid loud sounds which endanger the work of the turtles during nesting.

Do not touch the turtles.

The sea turtle is an example of survival and harmony in the surrounding ecosystem. Over millions of years has shown its resilience and perseverance. More information and updates about the festival can be found on the festival Facebook page.

Hacienda Tres Rios Hosts Permaculture Conference

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:48:00 GMT

Recently, my pal Mitch and I enrolled in an interesting conference to be held over a weekend at the nearby Hacienda Tres Rios Resort. Having had the good fortune to be a guest at the resort for previous events, I had a feeling that this would be an interesting weekend. Certainly we would be in luxurious accommodations and enjoying fabulous food. Hopefully, we would both come away with some systems for sustainable development and living that we could both apply in the design and building of our new homes in the jungle. As Birdie attends Ak Lu'um International School, the Riviera Maya's only not for profit ecological school, I also hoped that I might bring back some fresh ideas that might be implemented there as well.

We checked into our room early Saturday morning and met the other participants and group leaders who would be accompanying us throughout the conference. First on the agenda, an ice-breaking exercise designed to get us more in tune with our surroundings and ourselves and in the right frame of mind for the events ahead. The Sense Adventure Experience took us, blindfolded, on a tour designed to awaken each of our other senses and break down some of our social defenses. Some people love this tour...others, not so much. Naturally, I have no pictures of this experience but should you find yourself staying at the resort, I would recommend the experience. It takes a few moments to relax and allow yourself to get into the moment but, by the end, you should feel much more alert and aware of everything around you, the perfect state of mind to carry into the conferences ahead.

The weekend was designed to be a grand overview of permaculture, the ideology and the systems. For those participants embarking on a certification process, this weekend builds the foundation on which all other workshops are built and was certified by the Latin American Institute of Permaculture, Ecoaldea Gratitud A.C., and the Ecovillage Network of the Americas. Without a solid understanding of permaculture, past present and future, the various components of the certification will not be as useful or meaningful. The sessions were long and presented in Spanish by Maria Ros, a certified designer for self-sustaining and permaculture human settlements and a representative of the Latin American Ecovillage Bio-Regional Council. Mitch and I, the only non-native Spanish speakers in the room made good use of translation help from Hector Reyes, Maria's partner and founder of Casa Sanarte. The concepts were not terribly complex and having done quite a bit of research on my own, I was pretty familiar with many of the systems already. Still, there was a lot of information to digest. With only nuts, fruits and raisins and herbal tea to hold us over between meals, it was rather exhausting, both mentally and physically. I made good use of my camera, taking pictures of the slides rather than having to copy and translate everything on the spot.

There were almost 20 students in the group, including Mitch and me and it was an interesting mix of people. Each individual had arrived with their own preconceived notions about permaculture and their own unique motivations for attending. We shared the weekend with doctors, teachers, eco-farmers, builders, students and parents. Daniel, at 18 was the youngest and represented the hope of a new generation. At this young age, he is already building his own eco-farm on some land outside of Cancun. I don't know what you were doing when you were 18, but I can tell you the last thing on MY mind was the health of the earth and saving the future of humanity. Vanessa, 23, had completed a bachelors degree in nutrition but became passionate about permaculture and is now traveling around the globe, living and working in villages where she can learn more and put her skills to practical use.

In general, I was struck by the genuine interest and seriousness with which everyone approached the subject at hand and the interesting experiences and questions they brought to the table for discussion. I was not surrounded by tree-hugging long-haired hippy freaks (although I did feel compelled to warn Vanessa of the social stigmas attached to cute blond girls considering dreadlocks). Rather, I looked around the room and saw people not so unlike myself. I was particularly impressed with the depth of experience that Maria was able to share with us and the professional manner in which the information was relayed throughout the sessions. We covered a lot of information including eco-design, bio-construction materials and techniques, sustainable energy resources, heating and cooling systems, composting and organic gardening, the establishment and prerequisites for an eco-village and much, much more. I felt, in the end, that I would be well prepared to pursue more intensive certification workshops in any one of these components of permaculture although my motivation for attending this conference was not the certificate.

During breaks, we were served beautiful and nutritious meals especially designed for our group to have detoxifying effects while nourishing our bodies and minds. During the course, were to be free of all meat, dairy, saturated fats, refined salt and sugar and any chemical preservatives. The meals were vegan and reminded me quickly that my portion control is out of whack. As Rob and I have been giving serious consideration to our diets and lifestyles, it was not a complete shock to my system and I was pleased with most of the meals. I did come to realize how much salt affects my enjoyment of food and will endeavor to decrease my dependence on it as a seasoning and to make use of more sea salt and natural sweeteners in my cooking.

We also were treated to a backstage tour of the Hacienda Tres Rios nursery where the resort horticulturists cultivate many of the indigenous plants that populate the 326 acres of nature park that surround the hotel. When the resort was built great care was taken to not disturb or destroy the mangroves and the hundreds of forms of animal life that call the dense aquatic forest home. Since its inception, Hacienda Tres Rios has been at the forefront of sustainable development and is recognized as a model for eco-tourism both regionally and nationally by Mexican environmental authorities. Current eco-projects include the reforestation of some of the wetlands in Cancun and we were able to see the thousands of small plants ready to be moved to their permanent home. The resort’s nursery has produced more than 80,000 mangrove trees in four years. This year, Hacienda Tres Ríos donated 3,000 mangrove trees to help the Cancun reforestation efforts. This donation represented over 90 percent of the red mangroves planted in the protected areas of the Nichupte Lagoon. Quite impressive.

On the second day of the intensive conference, the group was invited to tour the lush mangroves by kayak. This was a first for many of the participants and navigating the small wobbly crafts through the dense jungle proved to be challenging (and humorous) for some. Once we all got our bearings about us and managed to control our kayaks, the journey through the mangrove proved to be a real highlight of the weekend. With our newly awakened senses, we experienced the mangrove not just with our eyes. I don't think I have ever been anywhere that smelled so ALIVE. We kayaked all the way to the ocean and back and took a break to cool off with a swim and some snorkeling in the natural cenote. Invigorated, we returned to our rooms to quickly change and return to the conference room for the final session of the workshop and the presentation of the diplomas.

Now, after all the notes have been reviewed and the information has been absorbed, do I want to cast off all my worldly belongings and live in an eco-village? Nope. Sorry, I'm not sold on the whole idea of living by consensus. I get it and I understand why for an eco-village to be successful it must be run as such. Still, it is not for me. There is too much U.S. capitalist left in me for that kind of living situation.

So, what did I take away from this weekend that I can apply to my life and our daily activities? Quite a bit actually. While the idea of living in an actual eco-community is not at all appealing, I do see how many of the concepts and systems can be applied to our existing community structures. For example, I think that Ak Lu'um is perfectly poised to incorporate many of the permaculture concepts and systems, not only within its physical facility but in the virtual fabric of the school community. As the sum of our skills and expertise is far greater than that of any individual teacher or parent, why should we not be looking to each other first for support rather than looking outside of the group. If my needs and the needs of our family business can be filled by another Ak Lu'um member, is that not who should receive our patronage first? Can we not make the fibers that connect our community stronger in this way?

The cost for this weekend workshop was 2600 pesos per person which included lodging for one night, the conference, a backstage tour of the plant nurseries, the kayak cenote expedition and all meals. Reasonable by my standards, but still WELL out of reach financially for most people, especially those who would perhaps benefit most from the information provided. It is my hope to develop a relationship with the organizers and in the future identify and/or organize small informal groups that might meet occasionally to learn specific techniques that can be integrated into a family's daily life and routines. Whether it be building a compost bin, starting a small bio-dynamic garden, setting up a rainwater catch system or teaching our children how to recycle we can all do our part to move toward a more sustainable, healthier future.

"Adios y hasta pronto!" from Swiper and Hacienda Tres Rios