Beach Reclamation

[hummbaby11]

Any new pictures Don and Deb since the south eastern winds and waves have done their damage? Getting depressed to hear the news of the beach deteriorating and rocks emerging where soft pure white sand once was.

[YWGDon&Deb]

Originally Posted by hummbaby11

Any new pictures Don and Deb since the south eastern winds and waves have done their damage? Getting depressed to hear the news of the beach deteriorating and rocks emerging where soft pure white sand once was.

I had a feeling you might want an update, so I took a walk right after breakfast. It's not pretty. Anywhere from 6 to 10 feet of the upper level was eroded in the past 1.5 days. One shot shows some sand bags in front of Hotel Pelicano Inn, for example. They were half-buried in the foot of the wall yesterday morning. Today the wall is about 9 feet further in from them. The wall at Playa Maya this morning is at least 5' 6" high and there is essentially no access to the lower level.

Here are some shots from about Luna Encantada to about Hotel Alhambra, taken within the past hour.

[Babaloo]

Oh my!

[hummbaby11]

can't believe whatvwas such a beautiful beach just a year ago has turned into an area of land mines of rocks,coral, and sandbags. So hard to look at...those people in the chairs are on the verge of sliding off the cliff...thanks for the pics..hoping selfishly, I have a dream tonight and the beach that once was only a short year ago returns to it's pristine self. Hope they find that money they lost so they can do something to fix or at least patch up the really badly effected areas.

[Babaloo]

Originally Posted by hummbaby11

can't believe whatvwas such a beautiful beach just a year ago has turned into an area of land mines of rocks,coral, and sandbags. So hard to look at...those people in the chairs are on the verge of sliding off the cliff...thanks for the pics..hoping selfishly, I have a dream tonight and the beach that once was only a short year ago returns to it's pristine self. Hope they find that money they lost so they can do something to fix or at least patch up the really badly effected areas.

Yes, but the beach you saw a year ago was fake.
Well, it was real sand, but you know what I mean.
Mother Nature can be fickle.

[hummbaby11]

I know.....but it didn't seem fake when I was there...it was magnificent...and being that it was the first time I had been to Playa, I thought that the beach would be and stay like it was a year ago....or so I hoped. Mother nature needs to change it's mood on how it's affecting the beach...I wish.

[mexigirl]

Originally Posted by cormacsg

an interesting article on beach erosion: Primary Causes of Erosion

and another: Dr. Pilkey vs. The<br> Army Corps of Engineers

Thanks for sharing these links. It's very validating to see professionals validate what I (an non geological professional) have thought for a long time. The buildings cannot be built as closely as most in Playa have been. You can see examples of this all over town. Even the smallest parcel, with no buildings, has more sand than many of the surrounding areas with buildings. This is not an easy problem to fix. I spoke with the Engineers in charge of the restoration two years back. They said they gave our newly restored beach about five years. They were not very optimistic about keeping it in it's restored state.

[mexigirl]

IMHO they should tear down the illegal pier. Maybe it isn't relevant, but I remember a nice beach for everyone except Porto real before that was built. Seems to me that porto real built entirely too close to the water.

How did El taj get approval to build that little short pier(that is now a bird sanctuary since you can not longer reach it) Seems that it too only exacerbated the beach erosion problem.

[J_Montana]

Anyone know how the beach is around mamitas and north?

[Babaloo]

Originally Posted by J_Montana

Anyone know how the beach is around mamitas and north?

Better.

[J_Montana]

Originally Posted by Babaloo

Better.

Good to hear Rick. My wife and I will be there early May. We will stopping in the Luna Blue to meet you and Lenny. Hope to catch ya there! We feel we owe you a drink for all of the great info you have provided on this site...

[terzaghi]

Not pretty!

Any photos from the beaches north of the pier?

That might be where we will spend most of our time in may...

[ProfessorPibil]

Originally Posted by mexigirl

IMHO they should tear down the illegal pier. Maybe it isn't relevant, but I remember a nice beach for everyone except Porto real before that was built. Seems to me that porto real built entirely too close to the water.

That's exactly right. Constructing a pier usually increases downwind erosion and increases dead seaweed/algee accumulation. Good luck getting it torn down.

[burly]

Bringing newbies down, staying at the Playa Maya, so sad. Really.
first time down was in 2005. Why did they do anything? the beach seemed fined then!.(i mean i know why, i'm just being cranky about it) I am just pouting and spewing because i am so sad right now.

Here's hoping mother nature takes some pity. At least before we get there, sigh.
Thanks everyone for the continuing updates and pictures, appreciate them, really. Keep it up.

KIM

[ryberg]

Just a reminder that the beach will most likely change all on its own, and perhaps significantly, between now and May or now and July...