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November/December 2007
CEA Electronic Communications are in English and Spanish. Para leer este boletín en español, haz clic aquí.
Click on the images to see larger versions.
Turtle Nesting Season Notes
by Alma Boada S.
Turtle nesting season is almost over and we are waiting for the last six nests to hatch. In our next newsletter we will let you know the final number of turtles that we had this year. Remember that your donations are very important for us. This year, with your help and with our social service students, we were able to produce a documentary video of our turtle program. Next year, we plan on improving our educational displays in the center and our sea turtle education material for the local schools.
To support these efforts, please consider adopting a turtle for your child, friend, mother or father as a Christmas gift! This way they are able to help give something back to the Earth. Also, 2008 is the International Year of the Reef and you can begin the New Year by joining our efforts to protect the beautiful sea turtles, one of the many species that depends on a healthy reef.
Fifth Sea Turtle Festival
by Mauricio Bautista
On October 19 and 20 we celebrated the 5th Sea Turtle Festival in Tulúm. CEA participated in organizing the event, with cultural activities, beach clean-up, contests and a symbolic hatchling release. Instead of releasing turtles (so many hatchlings and nests were lost in Hurricane Dean), approximately 800 people released flowers into the sea in order to raise awareness about the fragility of the ecosystems and the importance of doing something now to keep the Earth alive tomorrow.
CEA Anniversary and Festival
We’re excited! In 2008, CEA will celebrate 15 years of research, education and advocacy in Akumal, working to understand better the natural elements that make this place so beautiful, to raise awareness about how to protect it, and to invite others to join us in our efforts. We will have lots to celebrate and we would love to count on your participation throughout our year of events, especially in our Third Annual Save Our Seas Festival, on February 20 & 21. We will offer activities designed to connect more information about reefs and their inhabitants to people from all over the world. CEA is blessed literally to have the ocean at our doorstep and we are grateful to be able to plan an exciting fundraising experience. We will close the Festival with our 3rd Annual Gala Event which will include amazing talent, entertainment and surprises for those who attend.
This year's Silent Auction is already showing great promise. Ron and his partners have donated a wonderful item for the auction—a stay at their slice of paradise, Xamach Dos, located on the pristine beach of Sian Ka'an. Last year, many people who could not attend the Festival in Akumal expressed their disappointment in not being able to participate in the Silent Auction. This year we hope to include an online auction to coincide with our Silent Auction; the items will be different but just as wonderful. If you would like to donate an item or participate in the online, silent and live auctions, check our Web site for updates.
If you would like to participate in this year's CEA Festival, please contact Alma or Lydia. We are always looking for volunteers, entertainers, craft demonstrations and, of course, items for our Silent Auction. Or, if you would like to sponsor part of the event, please let us know. In the past, we have focused mainly on vacation rentals in and around Akumal, but this year we hope to expand and offer unique experiences from many locations.
New Recycling Bins at Yal-ku
Our Water Quality and Solid Waste Management Program has two new recycling containers located at Yal-ku Lagoon. Please help us by separating your plastic, glass, and aluminum. For further information, contact us.
A Great Park for All of Us!
by Mauricio Bautista
CEA is working with the North Akumal Neighbors Association (Vecinos de Akumal Norte) to clean up and manage the small park in North Akumal, between La Sirena/La Iguana and Que Onda. This area had been designated a nature park some time ago but was neglected and had lately become a parking and work area. CEA invites everyone to visit the area and to take a quiet walk along the paths and enjoy the lush vegetation. We will soon be adding exercise points for people to use during their daily walks in the area. Thanks to Vecinos de Akumal Norte for their support in this project. Help us keep it safe and clean!
Connecting Actions
by Mauricio Bautista
As part of our Environmental Education Program, we took 15 children from the Francisco Sarabia School in Akumal to the "Star" Cenote. After studying the importance of taking care of water, this activity gave the children a chance to see the local aquifer firsthand, to enjoy the cool waters of the cenote and to understand the structure of the unique aquifer on our coast. They saw how the groundwater is connected to the sea and how improper waste management (liquid or solid) can negatively affect the health of the reefs and humans. This activity was done with the generous help of Aventuras Mayas S.A de C.V (Mayan Adventures and Tulum Xtreme).
Buoys, Kayak and Palapa
by Becky Harris and Elisa López
The Reef Monitoring Project is just one aspect of the Marine and Coastal Protection Program and we have been busily involved with several other ongoing tasks. One of the successful projects from the last monitoring phase was establishing the zoning buoys in Akumal Bay and, for the last few weeks, our spare days have been filled with continuing this work. Unfortunately, in strong winds, two of the buoys made their escape and so our first task was to recover them from the rocks and fix them back to their moorings. We have also added to the navigation channel which is set up to help guide the boats in and out of the bay, without disturbing the swimmers and snorkelers. The first thing to do was move the boats on their moorings to make a bit more space. Once the navigation route was clear we needed to move two existing mooring blocks and add two new ones. This was quite hard work but a lot of fun to do. The best technique we discovered for moving the blocks underwater was to remove fins, dive down, lift one side of the block each and run across the sea bed for as long as our lungs would last—like some kind of strange underwater competition! We have become quite used to working in the water: cutting chains, tying rope, adding wire, moving blocks. But all movements are slow and as soon as you laugh the water floods into your mask.
Slowly the work in the bay is coming together, helping to balance all the different activities which are based here. We have a daily patrol shift kayaking in the bay, advising snorkelers about good practices with regard to the resident turtles and the shallow coral reef. We also record nautical activities, collecting information to help determine the usage level of the bay. At first all the boats and captains are a mystery, but it doesn’t take long to recognize regular faces and the different boats are like old friends making their way out to sea every day.
Beside the beach is CEA’s Information Palapa, at the moment a work in progress but eventually it will be point of information for visitors about all aspects of Akumal Bay: the marine environment, the nautical activities—diving, snorkeling and fishing—and the different programs initiated by CEA. As volunteers we spend a bit of time each week in the Palapa, a chance to offer information to the visitors and tell them about our projects.
At the moment it is very relaxed but with high season around the corner we expect it will soon be very busy!
Residence Experience
by Argel Rodríguez
As you know, we signed a collaboration agreement with the Technological Institute of Carrillo Puerto and, as part of this, students carry out their professional residence with us. Such is the case of Argel Rodríguez and Misael Canche, who are doing a review of the water quality laboratory in order for us to get it certified. This month we present the experience of Argel Rodríguez with us.
Since August 27, I had the opportunity to realize my professional residence in CEA, experiencing the difference between student life and being a worker in the Water Quality Program. This involves carrying out a review of the laboratory, but also taking part in other activities like sampling and water analysis, and learning the correct maintenance of artificial wetlands, which are alternative methods for wastewater treatment that I sincerely did not know about.
Initially it was difficult because I missed my family, the food freshly prepared by my mom, the friends and the comforts (TV and car), but during my stay I have gained very much, not only the experiences acquired at the work level, like having a boss, but also meeting new people and especially valuing my family more.
To those who want to live a different and gratifying experience, I recommend they take part in the CEA programs, because they will have the opportunity to learn much about the importance of environmental conservation, besides having a cultural exchange with people from different nations.
Newbies
by Becky Harris and Elisa López
On September 26 we started the next phase of the Coral Reef Monitoring Program. With three phases every year this means the project has successfully entered into its second year.
We are two volunteers for this phase: Elisa from Spain and myself from England—The Coralitas! Six weeks ago, we arrived here as novices with three months to become experts at coral and fish identification and to survey six sites successfully. Together with our instructors Miguel and Joel we form the Phase Four monitoring team.
Our first two weeks were dedicated to learning—afternoons in the classroom and mornings spent snorkeling in Akumal Bay, practicing what we had learned. At first, it seemed like an impossible task, with 52 coral species and over 170 fishes to learn. Soon, with help from Joel and Miguel, we began to recognize and differentiate between the species and finally were confident enough to take and pass the identification exams.
Our next challenge was to become accustomed to the monitoring process itself. Diving will never be the same again after learning how to do a line transect survey, with measuring tapes, slates and extra weights! It’s certainly a challenge but again, with practice and a lot of patience, it became possible and after just one month we were ready to start monitoring for real.
On the boat out to the first survey site, Punta Sur 20, we were both feeling a bit apprehensive and both Elisa and I totally concentrated on what we had to do, hoping all our practice would be enough. Luckily, everything went really well and we surfaced from the dive to see Akumal Bay bathed in afternoon sunlight. I think Elisa and I were the happiest Coralitas in Mexico! With three or four dives a week we have almost finished surveying two of the sites.
We have already been here for six weeks, half-way through our project. Akumal feels like a second home, and now that it's winter, it even feels as cold as home! We have found all the hiding places, we know the different faces and have settled into a lovely routine—between our office, No.15, kayaking in the bay, diving in the sea and enjoying a few cold beers in La Cueva, under supervision from our bosses of course! What other way to end another hard day working in Paradise!
CEA Birthdays
November 12 – Don Andres A. Sarabia Gamboa, Maintenance
January 4 – Juan Antonio Huerta Ilescas, Property Manager
Calendar of Events
February 20 & 21, 2008 – Third Annual CEA Festival, Save Our Seas, will be the don't-miss event in Akumal.
Please continue to tell your friends about CEA! Many CEA Members join after being referred to CEA by people like you. If you have questions about how you can become more involved, please contact us. The Yucatan Environmental Foundation is the U.S. 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor for CEA. All donations made through YEF for CEA are tax-deductible in the U.S.
If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, or simply need to contact CEA, please click here.
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