Costa Maya and Hurricane Dean discussion (merged)

[tootsiescurly]

Don't you think it is ironic the US is ready to help Jamaica and perhaps Mexico but New Orleans is still trying to recover from Katrina? Not that I would ever deny anyone who needs aid but it seems strange we are more efficient when it is another country

[*Mach*]

Don't you think it is ironic the US is ready to help Jamaica and perhaps Mexico but New Orleans is still trying to recover from Katrina? Not that I would ever deny anyone who needs aid but it seems strange we are more efficient when it is another country.

 

I dunno about that... There was somewhere in the vicinity of one hundred billion dollars (that's billion, with a B) allocated for the recovery of the Gulf Coast. Louisiana, as of May, had a surplus of three billion dollars in recovery funds, eight hundred and seventy five million of which had remained in the State coffers since 2006! As I recall, Nagin called Governor Blanco on the carpet for sitting on the nestegg rather than getting the money to the municipalities, where the true need is.

 

If there's finger pointing to be done, the finger should point at ineffectual,and perhaps corrupt, state governments.

[travgurl]

We were in Mahajual in July. Loved the people and the beach town. I am also thinking about the people on Caye Caulker that we met while in Belize. I can only wonder what people on a small island like that will do during this time. My thoughts and prayers go out to all!

[cruisinonup]

My prayers are also with those in the Yucatan area. We were just there in July and we fell in love with these areas. I hope and pray that the people who live anywhere in the areas hit can find some kind of shelter that is safe. Even the areas that don't take a direct hit will be affected to a great extent. Living in Florida, we lived through all of the hurricanes a few years back and it was not fun- even though we didn't take a direct hit. These people are dirt poor so to be hit even harder is not even imaginable. God Bless those people!!!!

[coachj]

It is near midnight and the eye of the storm is zeroing in on costa maya on the satellite map. I pray all have evacuated and are out of harms way. The little fishing village will feel the brunt of the storm this night.

[777mjrseb]

Prayers to everyone in its path!!! I was in Costa Maya in May as well, and it was one of my favorite ports. There was a man there at the dock painting tiles with his hand absolutely amazing I purchased like 5 tiles.

 

God Bless them all

[coachj]

It is just past midnight and the eye of the storm is bearing down on costa maya. I hope all have taken safe haven elsewhere.

[Cruisetrio]

Visited Costa Maya a few weeks ago via the Liberty. Our fingers crossed for the best outcome possible.

[bnt]

I'm sending my prayers. Costa Maya and the area is a beautiful place with beautiful people. I hope everyone will be ok.

[Thoth]

Same here! My prayers are for the people of Mexico. I was in Costa Maya in May and just loved the place. Some in the US can watch on the news and hear that a category 5 hurricane is slamming into the Yucatan and still retain a sense of detachment. But not those who have been to Costa Maya as a port of call. We know that this is a real place and we can sympothize a bit more perhaps. Personally, I can EMPTHIZE due to the fact that I'm from Mississippi which was ravaged by Katrina.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Statement as of 5:00 am EDT on August 21, 2007

 

"Dean made landfall on the East Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula near

the cruise ship port of costa maya around 0830 UTC...and the eye is

now just inland. Observations from an Air Force hurricane hunter

plane indicate that the hurricane was intensifying right up to

landfall. A peak flight-level wind of 165 kt was measured just

north of the eye. Maximum surface winds from the SFMR were 124

kt...but it is highly likely that the maximum surface wind speed

was not reported by the SFMR instrument. A GPS dropsonde in the

northern eyewall measured a wind speed of 178 kt averaged over the

lowest 150 meters of the sounding. Based on the dropsonde and the

flight-level winds...the intensity is set at 145 kt. A dropsonde

in the eye measured a central pressure of 906 mb just prior to

landfall. Some historic notes are in order here. The 906 mb

central pressure is the ninth lowest on record for an Atlantic

Basin hurricane...and the third lowest at landfall behind the 1935

Labor Day hurricane in the Florida Keys and hurricane Gilbert of

1988 in Cancun Mexico. Dean is also the first category five

hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin since Andrew of

1992."

 

165 MPH (sustained) at landfall...

 

Tom

[masterbaker]

We were fortunate to have been able to visit in January. We loved the beauty of the area and the people were so friendly. We toured with David (of David and Ivan) to the ruins and wandered around the village shopping center after. The beach areas are very exposed and I'm afraid there will be severe damage to them. I hope the residents did not stay and were able to evacuate to safe shelter inland. The cruiselines will help rebuild the shopping area but the beach at Majhaul that was enjoyed by so many here will face a more difficult recovery i'm sure. I hope the pier holds up.

[AllenF]

I was looking at google earth last night Tom and I thought Costa Maya was in the bulls eye :(

[gail811]

Watching the weather channel and they say that Costa Maya took the direct hit and Dean INTENSIFIED as it hit! :eek: How horrible for all those in his path. Prayers going out to everyone. Costa Maya has become one of our favorite ports because of the wonderful people. I hope they were all able to get to shelters!

[Carolinamamasita]

Please try to keep us updated on Costa Maya .

 

This is really depressing :(

[WildWillie]

After seeing the destruction of Cozumel, I don't have a warm, fuzzy feeling about Costa Maya. We'll keep all residents in our prayers.

[datonamanmike]

our first stop is costa maya on our sept first cruise

if they have a lot of damage will they still stop there ???

maby pick another city ???

its 2 weeks away so maby they can fix it up by then

i live in south florida and have seen enuff hurricain damage thank you

[SunnieD]

My friends Suzie and John live right on the beach in Costa Maya. I sure hope their home was able to withstand the winds! They have a bunch of beach bungalows on their property that they rent out, I cannot imagine they are strong enough to stay put. John built them by hand. After beinng there last year, there was not much outside the cruise pier area that looked strong enough for something like this! Please pray for all of the people there.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

our first stop is costa maya on our sept first cruise

if they have a lot of damage will they still stop there ???

maby pick another city ???

its 2 weeks away so maby they can fix it up by then

i live in south florida and have seen enuff hurricain damage thank you

 

I would wager BIG $ that Costa Maya will not be ship ready for many months... (years?)

 

Tom

[mtemple]

"The eye of the storm made landfall about 4:30 a.m. EDT near Majahual, a popular port with cruise liners located about 40 miles east-northeast of Chetumal and the Belize border, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center."

 

How sad. I was looking forward to seeing this beautiful town on my cruise in a few weeks. Right now, my concern is with the people of Costa Maya. Prayers go out to everyone there.

[gail811]

With 165 MPH winds I am not sure the pier will still be there. After seeing the damage Wilma did in Cozumel to the piers there, I shudder to think what is happening in Costa Maya; worse still in Majahual. Most of the structures there could not withstand winds like that. They will replace the port with another, but no idea where that might be; Cayman maybe, or possibly Freeport, Nassau or Key West. Really depends on what ship and what itinerary you have now.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I am glad we had a chance to visit Chac-Chi last month (and became OFFICIAL members of the "Hole in the Fence Club"...

 

 

I would imagine that the photos and memories are all that we have left of Chac-Chi.

 

I read yesterday where the area should expect a 20 foot storm surge - that pretty much wipes the slate clean there. I anxiously await those first few photos of whatever is left of all the shops/pool area...

 

 

Tom

[datonamanmike]

i have the costa maya, coata rica, panama,

itinerary.

im sorry to sound like i care only for my self

but iv worked long and hard for this

 

of course all the people affected will be in my prayers

 

i guess only time will tell

[suzski]

I have been following the path of Dean closely as it seems that we have recently been to just about every island/country in it's path. It definitely takes away that sense of detachment when you've met and befriended people at these places.

 

After turning on the news this morning and seeing that it was Mahajual that was a direct hit I was horrified....it is such a beautiful place but so terribly vulnerable, with the entire town laid out only a few hundred yards from the beach. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected in Mahajual and beyond, including Barbara and her staff at the Cat's Meow. We spent a glorious day there in mid-July and I can only hope they are all okay.

[thepeach]

i have the costa maya, coata rica, panama,

itinerary.

im sorry to sound like i care only for my self

but iv worked long and hard for this

 

of course all the people affected will be in my prayers

 

i guess only time will tell

We all have-yes, it's disappointing, but I can't even begin to imagine what the residents of Costa Maya must be dealing with now. My thoughts and prayers are only with them, and not which port I'm going to miss. Wherever we are rerouted is fine with me, we're still on a cruise ship, while those poor people in Costa Maya will have lost absolutely everything.