Thanks, Mel. It is sad that some of the hotels have literally no beach and the "recovery" seems long in coming. Also, careful with Playa del Carmen--some of the hotels down there have the same problem.
Mayan Palace beach Mayan Palace Major disapointment. We got back last Wed. Originally we were going to stay with friends for the first 3 nights of our trip. When we got to the palace the first thing we want to do is stick our toes in the ocean. After the long hike to the beach you couldn't even use the beach. All rock! No one in the water at all. We stayed one night and checked into the Westin early. Awsome beach. You can read more in my trip report in the Cancun forum. Jimmy
That is the pits we really like the beach any ideas as where there mite be a hotel with a nice beach ? I guess Jim says the beach in playa are just as bad in places. We really were looking foward to going to Cancun to hit that great sand .Do you think that maybe by Feb the beach will be better ? Thank you for your help
Well, they have been having meetings about the best way to recover the beaches. They have discarded artificial reefs (proposed by the local government) and breakwaters proposed by the owner of the Real resorts and have decided that "geotubes" are the best way to go. The say now they will put the job out for bids in January 2009 and hope to start the work by the middle or end of February 2009 and finish by May 2009. From their lips to God's ears!
Last time they dredged and blew sand up on the beach and then didn't do any preventive maintenance afterward. Certain hotels have used geo-tubes so you see them around Cancun in certain places. But that's not what was done last time public officials tried to save Cancun's beaches. Personally I think geo-tubes are quite ugly. And from the reading I've done they don't work all that well and can increase erosion. From what I've read dredging and blowing sand back on the beach is the best method, but it has to be maintained properly.
Absolutely correct, RG! And that is what the company that did the work last time recommended. They did not follow their recommendations. This is also getting to be a worldwide situation. A great many coastal areas have permanent maintenance programs--especially if the depend on tourism. Some do it so their houses and hotels are not washed away like many small islands with the rising sea level.
Being a geologist and regular visitor to Cancun I find this topic interesting. Personally I would say that in addition to blowing sand up onto the beaches placing a barrier off shore to 'anchor' the sand would be required. that could take the form of concrete slabs and/or rocks dumped into the water. Otherwise it doesn't matter how much sand you place on the beach the ocean will wash it away fairly quickly. Hopefully they can make it work for the benefits of all who use the beaches in the Cancun area (local and tourist).
