Into The Biosphere -Part 2

Back in the car and following the sandy, two track road along the edge of the biosphere, we came across this look out tower.





Being as how this was an adventure, we climbed up to the top. I was sure glad that I did when I saw the view from up there.






We had a perfect view out over the brackish swamp water that collects on the edge of the ocean.






As you can see, we were up aways!






The next two shots are looking back and out towards the Gulf of Mexico. You can see the water in the distance.

We then drove as far as we dared, without getting the car stuck. After securely a somewhat secure parking spot on the edge of the road, we ventured down to the water to collect seashells and garbage.

But before we did, we passed a stand of Nopal cactus. We have not had them on the island for years now. They were all purposely eradicated because they were infected with a caterpillar that eats them. We did not want it to spread to the mainland and wipe out the entire Yucatan population of Nopal. You can still see the white traps around the island for trapping the moth stage. I have heard that once the traps are free of moths for six months, we can grow Nopal again. Hasn't happened yet and I think it has been four years or more. Of course, I personally know people on the island who still have them hidden away in their backyards. We'll never get rid of the moth that way.

Heading back into town, we passed the marina. And I had the chance to get a shot of a very typical scene around here. Just another family out for an outing like us!

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, it comes as no surprise to learn that I am currently in Michigan visiting family. I will be home later this week and will pick up the blog again then.

Into The Biosphere

After we had explored the beach area, we stopped for a quick breakfast at one of the Mama and Papa places in town for a quick bite to eat. We were heading into the biosphere after that to do some exploring and shelling. My friend is very environmentally aware and she had also brought large garbage bags along. We planned on taking shells and garbage from the beach. Something, I assure you, we found plenty of!

As we headed into the brush area that lines the beach road, P stopped the car in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. He announced that he had a surprise side adventure for us. (He knows how much I love a good adventure!) We were going to visit a little known and probably less often visited cenote! (sink hole, underground river, or swimming hole) We crossed the road and pushed through some very dry brush and found this path.






I was a bit suspicious of just how "rare" this cenote was if the path could be this well worn. When asked why it was so worn down, P replied that it was used by crocodiles going from water place to water place. I didn't know whether to believe him or not, but I kept as close to the middle as I could anyway. Just to err on the side of caution!

It wasn't long before the path ended and we were greeted by this wooden walkway.






It reminded me of the kind of walkway one finds in NOB parks and wetlands. A lot of them built by the CCC during the depression. I don't think that that was the case here though.


Here's a close-up, lest you think walking along it was a piece of cake. Plus it kept getting hotter and more humid as we got deeper into the shrub jungle.






Oops. This is out of sequence. It is the view throught the bushes that lined the dirt path. Once in awhile there would be a gap and this is what we saw. Vast flatlands of tepid, stagnant water, dotted with the decaying limbs of bygone trees.

These trees had probably been damaged by previous storms or hurricanes. We were very close to the Gulf of Mexico here and the storms probably rip right onto shore.






Hide and seek. Find the heron.

I think some of the stumps are old mangroves. At least the root system seems that way. Mangroves are a very important part of the eco-system here. Destruction of them is one of the main reasons Cancun is decaying and eroding so fast.

Now here's something you don't see very often on this blog. A picture of me! Usually I am behind the camera, where I prefer to be! I wanted to show you that the way was not always easy and not always fun. This had better be one heck of a cenote! It took us about 25 minutes to get to it.

The jungle growth along the way was very lush and interesting. And buggy. Still, it was a fun walk and we stopped often to admire various plants and to point out spiders, centipedes and anything else that caught our attention.

Finally, the sidewalk ended at a pool of water and there we were!

Not exactly the kind of cenote that one wants to take a swim in. Or even put your feet in!

It was more like a shallow marsh, but the setting made it very special and it was full of all kinds of fish. And other unmentionable stuff.

We lingered there just long enough to get a good sense of it and have a little rest. We had to get back to the car and, more importantly, to the water bottles that we have left there. I didn't think it was going to be that long of a hike so I didn't want to burden myself with too much stuff. Lesson again learned. Never leave your car in the Yucatan without your water bottle!

Next we'll delve even deeper into the biosphere and hit the beach.

Day Trip

I was in Merida again last month, visiting my friend there and helping her "not" celebrate her birthday! The only thing she wanted to do for her un-birthday, was go someplace and eat seafood on the beach. Easily enough done from Merida!

Since we had all been to Progresso more times than you can shake a stick at, we decided to head for a different Gulf of Mexico location. A sleepy little town just NE of Merida and east of Progresso, Sisal. Sisal is also the entrance point to the Ria Celestun Biosphere and thus, a protected area.

The first thing I say when we got to the beach area of town, was this dock. A much smaller version, but very reminiscent of the one in Progresso.





But getting to that beach and view was an interesting walk in itself. Along the way, we passed "City Hall" and were able to get out of the hot sun for a bit under this walkway. Very typical archetecture for the Yucatan.




Most of the streets in town are paved until you get to the ones leading directly to the beach area.






Of course, we had to take a stroll out onto the dock.







And see the shoreline to the left.

And to the right. The darkness you see is accumulated seaweed.

I was a little surprised to see people in the water at the end of the dock. I had no idea of how deep it was there, nor how they got back onto the dock once in.

That mystery was soon enough solved!

As we watched some of the local pre-teen youth cool off and enjoy and a hot spring day, I realized that the water here was only about five feet deep. That's certainly enough to do a cannonball into!

The view from the end looking back to the beach area.

Next we'll get off the dock and actually take a tour into the biosphere. I was not disappointed and hope you won't be either!

A Good Reason

This is the best reason I have seen in a long time for spaying/neutering your pet. Or all the unloved strays that are left abandoned.

Saying Goodbye

This is a hard post to do. So hard that I almost didn't do it. Funny how an animal can grab ahold of your heart strings and squeeze so tightly.

This week we said farewell to our lovely Doxy as she left us for a permanent home. Somewhere in Minnesota, of all places!

You will recall, she was the rescue dog that we took in with her seven abandoned puppies last December 4. We raised the puppies until they were eight weeks old and then gave them back to the animal rescue shelter here on the island for placement. I'm not sure of the status of all of them. I do know that one was placed here on the island and can be seen riding around on a scooter. Two died. That was heartbreaking to hear, but stuff happens.

We decided to keep the mama, whom we named Doxy, until a suitable home could be found and she had fully regained her health. When she left us, she was a bouncy, happy, semi-obedient, always willing to please little bundle of joy.

Some shots.

Of course, before she left us, her shots were up to date, we had gotten her spayed, her hair and nails had been trimmed and her passport put all in order.

We were unsure before, but now we know that we would like a special dog in our lives permanently. Perhaps a Lab type mix with short hair that doesn't shed! One that we can take to the beach and throw a ball into the water for. And one that I can take on walks. Something good there for both of us.

We (mostly me) will be travelling a lot this summer so I think we will wait until fall to start looking. If we don't find something, there are always plenty of dogs that we can take in and nuture and teach how to become good citizens until a real owner comes along.]

If our hearts can stand it.

South Point - The Refreshing Side

South Point also features a bar and "restaurant", of sorts. I don't know about the food there, but a cool drink is always welcome during a hot afternoon of sightseeing.





I've never liked these displays. I don't find them appealing in the least degree. I think I know what a cocktail looks like, and certainly a bottle of beer. And I can read a menu.




I don't find these as bad as the portable, glass enclosed display cases that have become so popular downtown though. I find nothing, absolutely nothing, appealing at looking at warm pieces of raw meat displayed under flourescent lighting on plates. Or dead fish.


And here is what those intoxicatingly inviting cocktails look like after they have set out in the hot sun for a few hours. Refreshing? Not.

More From South Point

Despite being one of the more dangerous and windiest spots on the island, the South Point remains also one of the most beautiful.


The vistas out to sea, of the coastline and across the bay to the mainland of Cancun are awe inspiring. An added bonus is how nice they have fixed the whole place up now. It really is a pleasant place to stop, walk around and take a few pictures.

Like this one. Fallen in cliff edges, blues so vibrant they make you suck in your breath and the horizon stretching out to forever.






What would a visit to South Point be without the obligatory pictures of the native denizens?

My brother-in-law has been in a wheelchair since he was the victim of a drunk driver back in the 1970's. I guess that made me overlt aware of handicap accessibility issues. I am glad to see that Mexico as a whole is finally starting to address this issue. The newly remodeled South Point is no exception.

I think this extra headdress thing on the lighthouse must be new. At least I don't remember ever seeing it before. I think it may have something to do with electronic transmissions. Looks like an antennae to me anyway.

Notice the difference in the color of the sky between the above photo and this one. Looking into the sun and away from the sun. Makes a big difference.

Of course, despite a former Mayor wanting to toss these ugly, rusting statues into the sea, thus creating a fake reef for marinelife, here they still stand. Rusting and becoming dangerous. Soon to be just fallen heaps of ugly, dangerous metal. Waiting to be blown at us during the next big hurricane. As a good friend of mine would say, they look nice from a far but are far from nice.