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Just back, no issues at Akumal with "snorkel"... - 3/18/2013 9:26:39 AM
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LaurainPA
Posts: 401
Joined: 1/18/2006
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about two weeks ago someone mentioned being "bothered" on the beach about snorkling, paying for lessons, etc., we had no such issues, just walked right in on a few different days w/our gear, but I can say, it breaks my heart that the beach area near the bar has become so crowded. Early am is fine, but by 2 or 3 there were SO many tour groups, lines of people up and down the beach, banging into bodies in the water, it was awful. I'm not telling anyone how nice that OTHER beach is:) Still pretty quiet and not at all crowded, shame the snorkling isn't as good, but I'll take it. Windy as heck this year, but sunny and 84ish most days:) much better than the snow and 20 degrees we had to come home and deal with!
And as always, thank you Locogringo for another wonderful trip. So easy and pleasant to deal with!!!
< Message edited by LaurainPA -- 3/18/2013 9:27:31 AM >
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RE: Just back, no issues at Akumal with "snorkel&q... - 3/18/2013 1:06:43 PM
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FinsUP
Posts: 6898
Joined: 1/16/2008
From: Oakville, ON ...we have squirrels here!!!
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quote:
ORIGINAL: LaurainPA
about two weeks ago someone mentioned being "bothered" on the beach about snorkling, paying for lessons, etc., we had no such issues, just walked right in on a few different days w/our gear, but I can say, it breaks my heart that the beach area near the bar has become so crowded. Early am is fine, but by 2 or 3 there were SO many tour groups, lines of people up and down the beach, banging into bodies in the water, it was awful. I'm not telling anyone how nice that OTHER beach is:) Still pretty quiet and not at all crowded, shame the snorkling isn't as good, but I'll take it. Windy as heck this year, but sunny and 84ish most days:) much better than the snow and 20 degrees we had to come home and deal with!
And as always, thank you Locogringo for another wonderful trip. So easy and pleasant to deal with!!!
Um, if I remember correctly the post was about being 'bothered' to listen to the snorkeling/reef etiquette lecture out on the road towards the dive shop....there's a big banner out there on the road towards HMB
Snorkeling was still good when we were there for the month. My only issue is being 'bumped into' by some doofus who's not watching...and I'm way the hell away from everyone. It's a fairly large bay...get yer own space! 
< Message edited by FinsUP -- 3/18/2013 1:07:47 PM >
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RE: Just back, no issues at Akumal with "snorkel&q... - 3/18/2013 7:09:03 PM
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juan rojo
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Joined: 12/13/2010
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I saw a local guide trying pretty hard to get two 25 year old chicas to sign up for the video and tour . He was offering to personally accompany them . Can't blame a guy for trying . Even Ted Williams missed 6 out of ten . We got by for a couple of days with a wave and a nada gracias . Today was a red flag day and there were a couple of Dutch volunteers on the booth who we spoke to on the lifegaurd chair yesterday . Nice kids and no pushing at all .
Neither dive shop would rent snorkel gear as there is supposed to be no snorkelling on a red flag day . Some locals with a booth right on the beach as well as the guys by the parking lot outside the arch were renting gear and people were snorkelling . To be honest it seemed to me to be more of a yellow flag condition but a port captain or some other similar coast gaurd body makes these decisions and the CEA only enforces them or so I was told . With the huge volume of swimmers with varied skill levels they must be cautious with the flags . The huge problem with this system as it was today is that you could have inexperienced snorkellers or even inexperienced swimmers out in the bay on a poor condition day with no lifegaurds on duty . I saw a fourteen year old boy out a fair way with his eight year old brother , alone , on at least a yellow flag day that was posted as red .
< Message edited by juan rojo -- 3/18/2013 8:17:49 PM >
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RE: Just back, no issues at Akumal with "snorkel&q... - 3/23/2013 8:59:07 AM
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reefhugger
Posts: 8900
Joined: 8/25/2004
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quote:
ORIGINAL: scubasteve
That's the problem though, most people don't know what their doing. They don't do any damage on purpose, they just haven't been educated and don't know any better.
Aren't most of the people who are a disaster in the water also the people in the tour groups with a guide? I think the time would be well spent requiring the guides that bring groups to Akumal Bay and making them sit through a course (more than an hour, more like several days), teaching them proper reef etiquette, fish ID, snorkeling skills and how to teach the skills, how to properly brief their groups, and how to be a bit better or a wrangler in the water to keep control over the group.
I've read in a couple Mexican papers of the last 2 yrs that there have been attempts to restrict access and entry points to the beach an bay. It hasn't been upheld and because it's not an officially designated protected area or private property, there's not much you can really do about restricting access or making everyone come through one entry point. It's a public beach.
This is where marine parks and mpa's have an advantage. They can set and enforce rules and charge fees to support those programs. But then people complain about having to pay and having to go out with guides, wear vests, etc., etc., so you really can't win either way.
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RE: Just back, no issues at Akumal with "snorkel&q... - 3/23/2013 10:59:55 AM
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panesh
Posts: 1470
Joined: 11/27/2009
From: San Rafael, CA
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If it actually is CEA doing the guide thing, it would be an improvement.
Some of the "tour directors" give a little talk on the beach while people look around and don't pay attention to what they are saying and they do very little to keep the folks in line once they are in the water. I usually take pictures of the offending groups and show them to CEA if I'm ticked off enough by their actions. They will talk to tour guides if someone complains enough and you can ID them.
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RE: Just back, no issues at Akumal with "snorkel&q... - 3/23/2013 12:27:18 PM
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reefhugger
Posts: 8900
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Doubt it will happen at this point, Steve... especially with a new swanky, luxury resort going in. I don't think guests paying $$$ a night are going to want to pay a park fee or be told they have to wear a vest and hire a guide.
Akumal had the opportunity to be a marine park or mpa in the early 90s when it was offered to several areas in Q.Roo. Cozumel went for it, as did Puerto Morelos and up around Isla Mujeres. Akumal, being a private community, opted not to go that route as I believe they wished to stay a private community. They thought they'd come up with a plan for self/community management. Formulating that plan started around '92 I think, and a watered down version went into effect that many years ago. Interesting and sadly, it seems that since the bay management plan was announced, there's been more tours and usage of the bay in general.
I'm not saying what they chose to do was right or wrong. It was the decision of the majority of the community and it's founders at that time, and I'm sure they made it thinking it was the better option for their bays and the community. Nobody can see into the future. At this point with the continuing growth and popularity, it's a tough task to try and control usage when you're dealing with a public beach, resorts who have access (and can choose to host tour groups and provide them with access), and the challenge of trying to keep boats from coming in as well. You can't really block off the whole bay by land and sea.
These are issues beach towns everywhere deal with. When your business is tourism is a double edged sword - you want to build your business but that comes with consequences. You also end up with different interests and views in the community and it's tough to please everyone. Bottom line though is that whatever happens with Akumal bay and the other other bays there, it's up to the community, the people who live there and own the businesses and properties. Visitors are just that and at the end of the day we can either live with it or choose to go elsewhere. It's not like there won't be a new tourist coming...
< Message edited by reefhugger -- 3/23/2013 12:28:38 PM >
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RE: Just back, no issues at Akumal with "snorkel&q... - 3/24/2013 1:02:24 AM
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mngardener
Posts: 213
Joined: 10/21/2005
From: Faribault, MN USA
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Last year I saw a couple of groups of people standing on the "Rocks". I tried to tell them that the rock IS part of the coral and they hurled nasty language my way. It's a lack of education and how do you crowd control with the people from the tours and those that are staying in the area condos? The certification in skin diving is a good idea, but who enforces it? All the precaustions that I take, I have learned off this board. I'm not slamming anyone here, please don't take it that way. It's a matter of making a living for them, enjoyment for us and a whole lot of gray area. People don't know that they NEED to be educated, I didn't when I first started. This forum taught me a lot before I ever actually toulched the waters of Akumal, but I was looking for it.
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