Friday, August 13, 2010

North Beach

The best way to get to North Beach used to be at the end of the street, past the Maria del Mar. Nowadays a lot of people enter over by Ixchel Condos, landing more or less in the center of the beach. I still prefer the old entrance.

I was shocked as I walked up to see this construction going on.




The Hotel Maria del Mar, one of the oldest on the island, is now following the trend that has hit the island of building giant palapas. Their outside dining with your feet in the sand has disappeared. It may reappear under this palapa, but I kind of think it will be tiled or cemented underneath it.

In the next picture you can see what is left of the old Swing Bar. The first place on the island to ever put swings, instead of seats, at the bar. It was a favorite of beachgoers. I never cared for the swings myself due to the fact that they were so rough on your knees, but I can fully understand the charm and uniqueness of them.




Here's a view from beachside looking back at the construction. A passing beach waiter told me that the Swing Bar will reopen when construction is complete. But, he said, it will be all new. Mmmm. I wonder what that means.




On to the actual beach. It does look like erosion is slowing gaining ground again here. The water is almost up to the palms again. Again with the beach concession and no place to freely sprawl out on the sand.




Those stick walls that they put out into the sea really do seem to help though. By the way, those are rental chairs and umbrellas.



Here again, the beach was dirty. It never used to be like this. Staff from the hotels would clean up seaweed every morning. The hotels along here seem to be more concerned with taking up every available inch of space with rental furniture than with making the beach as attractive to the tourist as possible. I'm not saying that it is their job, but one would think if their livelihood depended upon it, they would pay more attention.





This time of year we get a lot of day tripper private boats over from Cancun.



I didn't check out Playa Sol yet. I will do that one a little later. I could see a storm coming in and I didn't want to get wet and risk melting! (Can you tell I just finished reading Wicked?)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

just a simple....sigh:-((

lisa said...

I love that last picture, it just looks so crystal clear and makes you feel like you are right there next to you!

Steve Cotton said...

I agree with Lisa. The power boat photograph is top notch. Great construction and color. And that is from a sailor, not a power lover. Make that, power boat lover.

Linda said...

The concession-owners would be wise to take note that folks prefer to go to another area of the beach which is seaweed-free, rather sit among rotting vegetation!!!

Linda
IC

Jackie said...

hat seaweed stretch of beach looks awful. At Sergio has his beach cleaned daily. It's all part of the "marketing".

the new restaurant/bar open under the huge palapa on Medina across from Brisa's Grill?

Unknown said...

We have not been to Isla for the past couple of years because we sort of felt as if it is just changing too much...for us. The north beach with all of the seaweed saddens me as do the palapas being constructed at Maria Del Mar. No more swing bar...man that was an institution in itself. I really am sad by the changes....

BlueSky said...

I love that last shot...wow, makes me wish I was there right now...the beaches still look good to me. You haven't seen seaweed until you visit northern CA beaches...sigh...

couzin frank said...

Gringo...Thanks for taking all these pics. It's interesting to see the changes between trips. And also glad that you are getting out.

Islagringo said...

jackie: It is not a giant bar. It has been subdivided into 4 spaces. Only one is occupied so far. It is going to be a money exchange.

Arizona Kelly said...

The seaweed is icky. I miss the days of North beach being like a vast swimming pool. Hell, I miss A LOT of things that Isla used to be.

My question would be why start construction of such a huge palapa at the beginning of hurricane season?? I have a feeling we are in for a whopper this year. (knock on cement)

Anonymous said...

People came to Isla because there were few people, the people came and changed it from a place were there were few people to too many people. People bring development and development brings more people and the reason why people came is no more. Sad.

Carlos Crusoe said...

A friend of mine advertises his out of the way resort, I won't say where, on what he claims is Mexico's most rapidly disappearing resource: undeveloped beaches. That too will dissapear.

Islagringo said...

Carlos Crusoe: No fair. Tell us where it is. We might want to visit.