Ryberg's post-Emily update

**ryberg** · 07-18-2005

Well here's another update. It was quite bad last night until maybe 3 am or so. Hard to know the exact time with everything going on but around then things got noticeably calmer. This morning we saw parts of Playacar on the drive into town, went to the hotel where our guests were and spent a fair amount of time taking care of their needs, and then went to assess things at the hotel before coming back.

From what we saw and heard from others on this trip, and in comparison to serious property destruction, in jury or loss of life, it appears that there's just an awful lot of relatively minor damage. Lots ot trees and brances down, lots of signs down, minor flooding in limited areas (some of which was already gone by the time we came back), and a beach still intact and fine. I'm really too tired to go into many specifics but I'll show some photos below as examples. Due mostly to concerns to calmly and properly assess the situation regarding electricity and water damage, two things nobody wants to mix, we will not re-open until tomorrow. However I imagine from that point it will be business as usual.

The one particular story worth telling is that we again talked to the same TV Azteca reporter this morning, the same one who said he was going to talk to the workers at that construction site yesterday when we were leaving and the police were arriving. Accoridng to him, the police did talk to them, a man who identified himself as the one in charge came out, said man announced to the police that they were not leaving even if civil protection authorities came to take them out. At that point he says that the official in charge announced the he would not be responsible for the death of any of them, his men proceeded to tear down a part of the fence and the were all ushered into a truck and taken away. So a positive, rather colorful ending to that story.

As we were returning we happened to pass the airstrip right when the governor's helicopter was landing and saw the mayor going out to get in. Presumably they were headed out on a fly-over to assess things. We also have reports that President Fox is due to arrival in Cozumel later today from where he will begin a helicopter tour for the same purposes. But the excellent news is that as of this point, we have heard no report of any loss of life.

Here you go. I'll try to throw in some helpful captions.

Steve

Tree downed on my brother-in-law's car in Playacar

Clean-up crews on 5th Ave & 8th Street

Looking down 8th street toward the beach

log washed up next to our palapa

removing debris from the pool

looking north up the beach

another shot looking north

same vantage point as yesterday looking south from between 4th & 6th streets

**Shammy** · 07-18-2005

Thank you Steve...very helpful and encouraging reports!

Babaloo · 07-18-2005

Thanks Steve
Great job...
....as usual.
Glad it turned out much better than we had feared.
You the man!

playabum17 · 07-18-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shammy

Thank you Steve...very helpful and encouraging reports!

Ditto!

Joana · 07-18-2005

Thank you so much.

malibumom · 07-18-2005

Thanks so much Steve for keeping everyone updated. Your detailed reports and pics have kept hundreds of Playa lovers informed throughout this terrifying ordeal. My husband and I spent the weekend glued to this forum and even wore our playa t-shirts in support (as recommended by fellow posters)!

We will see you on Saturday for our 4 night stay at Playa Maya. Hopefully we will get a chance to meet you and thank you for your efforts!

Thanks Again - you have become a true HERO!!!!

LaNell and Michael Hoppe

Beachaddicts · 07-18-2005

Thanks Steve... your awsome

garynjim · 07-18-2005

Thanks Steve for the update and the pics. You are the man to know in Playa! We will be down on 7/27 to set up (or clean up) our new condo. We'll be sure to stop by, introduce ourselves, say hello, and deliver a big thank you!.

Laura123 · 07-18-2005

Shammy- Just wanted to make sure you got my message saying that Sarah is ok. (I've had issues with the site or my computer...) I've spoken to her a couple times today. Her cell phone battery may die soon! I hope power is restored soon!
She's fine. Her apt was flooded a little bit, but nothing was damaged! She's doing fine!

rugger · 07-18-2005

very good to here from you.the way the reports are coming in it sounds like, though there is a lot of damage to infrastructure, there were very few physical injuries to the people themselves, relative to the size of the storm. thats great news. good luck and i hope life returns to normal as quick as possible for all the people in the area.

dj nancy · 07-18-2005

WOW....i'm so relieved! Steve...you done good!

I wrote in the other thread that the few things that were prolonging my move to playa had been resolved...actually, at 8pm last night!!! as emily was hanging around you guys...Now with the news that emily did not do as much harm to playa as anticipated, although, I'm really wanting to hear some positive reports about tulum/akumal, i can very safely say playa will be home in the next week.

All you playa peeps that rode this out and survived, I look forward to being there and meeting you and helping in whatever capacity i can...

I can 'mule' anything that is needed to bring down...

nancy

really happy you're all ok!

Mme. Dogma · 07-18-2005

Steve - thanks so much for the update and photos. We've been thinking about all of you. Hope your staff, their families, and their homes all came through OK, too.

07-18-2005

Steve~~Thanks for the update. I'm sure it alleviated a lot of us who were worried. We were at the Riu Palace in Playacar last week, but flew our yesterday (2 days early) after hearing Emily was a Cat. 4. Great to see that damage in PDC was not extensive. Plan on returning in Aug., probably to Playa Maya if possible.
Take care and be safe!
Linda

Falulio · 07-18-2005

Yes, a big thank you for the update and pics - it really helps put things into perspective. My wife has made it down to playa car and checked our condo. We did have some water damage, window blew out the one not covered in ply. I think the furniture made it through ok - got message relayed to me - not having any luck in direct communication via her cell?? I'm told that all lot of the trees are down in Play car/vegetation. We are at playa car phase II condos.

From what I've read - looks like the hurricane storm shelters did the trick for many - can someone provide me the names of the company you used. - I'd like to pursue for my own piece of mind to avoid having this problem in future.

Rockinman39 · 07-18-2005

Excellent report Steve.Kim and I are so relieved that everyone seems to be fairing pretty well all considered. We will see you on Saturday....can't wait.

07-18-2005	#1 (permalink)
ryberg playa maya guy Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: real America Posts: 11,863	post-Emily update Well here's another update. It was quite bad last night until maybe 3 am or so. Hard to know the exact time with everything going on but around then things got noticeably calmer. This morning we saw parts of Playacar on the drive into town, went to the hotel where our guests were and spent a fair amount of time taking care of their needs, and then went to assess things at the hotel before coming back. From what we saw and heard from others on this trip, and in comparison to serious property destruction, in jury or loss of life, it appears that there's just an awful lot of relatively minor damage. Lots ot trees and brances down, lots of signs down, minor flooding in limited areas (some of which was already gone by the time we came back), and a beach still intact and fine. I'm really too tired to go into many specifics but I'll show some photos below as examples. Due mostly to concerns to calmly and properly assess the situation regarding electricity and water damage, two things nobody wants to mix, we will not re-open until tomorrow. However I imagine from that point it will be business as usual. The one particular story worth telling is that we again talked to the same TV Azteca reporter this morning, the same one who said he was going to talk to the workers at that construction site yesterday when we were leaving and the police were arriving. Accoridng to him, the police did talk to them, a man who identified himself as the one in charge came out, said man announced to the police that they were not leaving even if civil protection authorities came to take them out. At that point he says that the official in charge announced the he would not be responsible for the death of any of them, his men proceeded to tear down a part of the fence and the were all ushered into a truck and taken away. So a positive, rather colorful ending to that story. As we were returning we happened to pass the airstrip right when the governor's helicopter was landing and saw the mayor going out to get in. Presumably they were headed out on a fly-over to assess things. We also have reports that President Fox is due to arrival in Cozumel later today from where he will begin a helicopter tour for the same purposes. But the excellent news is that as of this point, we have heard no report of any loss of life. Here you go. I'll try to throw in some helpful captions. Steve Tree downed on my brother-in-law's car in Playacar Clean-up crews on 5th Ave & 8th Street Looking down 8th street toward the beach log washed up next to our palapa removing debris from the pool looking north up the beach another shot looking north same vantage point as yesterday looking south from between 4th & 6th streets __________________ "The bottom line is that we are now a white, Southern party." Republican strategist Ed Rollins

07-18-2005	#9 (permalink)
Laura123 sandflea Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 7	SarahB Shammy- Just wanted to make sure you got my message saying that Sarah is ok. (I've had issues with the site or my computer...) I've spoken to her a couple times today. Her cell phone battery may die soon! I hope power is restored soon! She's fine. Her apt was flooded a little bit, but nothing was damaged! She's doing fine! Last edited by Laura123; 07-18-2005 at 03:44 PM. Reason: add name

07-18-2005	#10 (permalink)
rugger way into it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 248	Steve very good to here from you.the way the reports are coming in it sounds like, though there is a lot of damage to infrastructure, there were very few physical injuries to the people themselves, relative to the size of the storm. thats great news. good luck and i hope life returns to normal as quick as possible for all the people in the area.

07-18-2005	#2 (permalink)
Shammy Travel Insurance Tester Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Joisey Shore Posts: 10,869	Thank you Steve...very helpful and encouraging reports!

07-18-2005	#3 (permalink)
Babaloo añejo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 10,979	Thanks Steve Great job... ....as usual. Glad it turned out much better than we had feared. You the man!

07-18-2005	#5 (permalink)
Joana Niiiice!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: With Quincy....... Posts: 5,147	Thank you so much.

07-18-2005	#6 (permalink)
malibumom lost on fifth Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Port Orchard, WA Posts: 14	Thanks so much Steve for keeping everyone updated. Your detailed reports and pics have kept hundreds of Playa lovers informed throughout this terrifying ordeal. My husband and I spent the weekend glued to this forum and even wore our playa t-shirts in support (as recommended by fellow posters)! We will see you on Saturday for our 4 night stay at Playa Maya. Hopefully we will get a chance to meet you and thank you for your efforts! Thanks Again - you have become a true HERO!!!! LaNell and Michael Hoppe

07-18-2005	#7 (permalink)
Beachaddicts way into it Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Springfield, Illinois Posts: 122	Thanks Steve... your awsome

07-18-2005	#8 (permalink)
garynjim toe in water Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 50	Thanks Steve for the update and the pics. You are the man to know in Playa! We will be down on 7/27 to set up (or clean up) our new condo. We'll be sure to stop by, introduce ourselves, say hello, and deliver a big thank you!.

07-18-2005	#11 (permalink)
dj nancy beachaholic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Playa Del Carmen (formerly from Vancouver, BC) Posts: 319	WOW....i'm so relieved! Steve...you done good! I wrote in the other thread that the few things that were prolonging my move to playa had been resolved...actually, at 8pm last night!!! as emily was hanging around you guys...Now with the news that emily did not do as much harm to playa as anticipated, although, I'm really wanting to hear some positive reports about tulum/akumal, i can very safely say playa will be home in the next week. All you playa peeps that rode this out and survived, I look forward to being there and meeting you and helping in whatever capacity i can... I can 'mule' anything that is needed to bring down... nancy really happy you're all ok!

07-18-2005	#12 (permalink)
Mme. Dogma way into it Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 231	Steve - thanks so much for the update and photos. We've been thinking about all of you. Hope your staff, their families, and their homes all came through OK, too.

07-18-2005	#13 (permalink)
Summer05 Guest Posts: n/a	Steve~~Thanks for the update. I'm sure it alleviated a lot of us who were worried. We were at the Riu Palace in Playacar last week, but flew our yesterday (2 days early) after hearing Emily was a Cat. 4. Great to see that damage in PDC was not extensive. Plan on returning in Aug., probably to Playa Maya if possible. Take care and be safe! Linda

07-18-2005	#14 (permalink)
Falulio lost on fifth Join Date: May 2005 Location: canada Posts: 22	Yes, a big thank you for the update and pics - it really helps put things into perspective. My wife has made it down to playa car and checked our condo. We did have some water damage, window blew out the one not covered in ply. I think the furniture made it through ok - got message relayed to me - not having any luck in direct communication via her cell?? I'm told that all lot of the trees are down in Play car/vegetation. We are at playa car phase II condos. From what I've read - looks like the hurricane storm shelters did the trick for many - can someone provide me the names of the company you used. - I'd like to pursue for my own piece of mind to avoid having this problem in future.

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07-18-2005	#15 (permalink)
Rockinman39 very sparkly Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Southside Posts: 27	Excellent report Steve.Kim and I are so relieved that everyone seems to be fairing pretty well all considered. We will see you on Saturday....can't wait.