Cozumel News December 17th, 2014: Mexican Diver Breaks Record in Cozumel, New PROFECO Module, Another Attraction in Cozumel, Merchants Dissatisfied with Remodeling, The “Guadalupe-Reyes” Holiday Safety Program Started, Sculpture Unveiled of Ramón Bravo, Ramón Bravo Sculpture Immersed, Maritime Freight Tariffs Increase, Cozumeleños May choose Planetarium Name, End of Turtle Season and Aurita’s Corner.
Mexican Diver Breaks Record in Cozumel
On Monday, December 15th, Alejandro Lemus, set a new national record for static apnea. He remained submerged for six minutes eight seconds in a special pool of a hotel on the south side of Cozumel. At a press conference, Lemus expressed frustration at not being able meet his goal of six minutes 58 seconds, as he prepares to try for over eight minutes.
New PROFECO Module
The Federal Consumer (PROFECO) announced that an information module will be installed in the San Miguel passenger pier, port terminal. The service module will be operational on December 19th.
PROFECO will operate an information booth and Consumer Care Service to advise tourists so that they are not victims of fraud by providers in both Cozumel and Playa Del Carmen.
Sara Ruiz Chávez, delegate of the federal agency in Quintana Roo, announced that this is possible with the support of the Port Authority of Quintana Roo.
She called for responsible businesses to respect and offer good prices to consumers. She invited consumers to report abuse. The channels for complaint are the PROFECO office in Plaza del Sol and the electronic portal www.denuncias.profeco.gob.mx. Cozumel.
Another Attraction in Cozumel
The cenotes and underground rivers of the island are sites that have not been promoted for tourism. The area of the Riviera Maya in the state of Quintana Roo, southern Mexico, is considered the Mecca of the cave diving world. In that area, the three longest underground rivers in the world are located. Cozumel is only about 18 miles from this point and there are few who know that it has an intricate network of underground rivers and caves submerged beneath its surface.
Christopher González Vaca, Office Manager of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp) in Cozumel, said that this is an alternative tourist market that we have untapped in Cozumel.
One example of biodiversity is the cenote Aerolito. In this body of water was discovered recently by specialists from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). They found a species of sea star that was completely unknown to science. Almost every day somewhere in Cozumel, there are cenotes dives by divers who enjoy this activity or conduct research.
The cenote, Aerolito, is within the estates owned by the Municipal Port Authority of Cozumel, SA de CV (Apim). The Aerolito is a special place. It is the jewel in the crown of Cozumel in cave diving, said the director of the Conanp.
Researchers have studied and mapped out the locations in Cozumel. This tourism alternative does not depend on whether or not the port is open for navigation. They are unique and independent sites that can be marketed throughout the whole year.
Merchants Dissatisfied with Remodeling
Employees and traders say downtown Cozumel is affected by the remodeling of the park “Benito Juarez”. They feel that they have lost significant revenue in peak season cruises. They noted that while the boardwalk recorded a large presence of tourists during the week, those who are located on Fifth Avenue and surrounding streets have no sales.
Mayor, Efren Fredy Martin Marrufo, urged patience, he said that those who today feel hurt by the remodeling of the park and the surrounding streets will translate into higher profits in the future. “It’s not a superficial work … it is thorough and must work in coordination with multiple agencies, such as Telefonos de Mexico, Federal Electricity Commission and the Committee on Water Supply and Sewerage”
Few tourists are visiting the craft shops on Fifth Avenue between Calle Adolfo Rosado Salas and 2. The remodeling that started in September at the cost of 95 million pesos invested from the Federation, is ongoing. It is estimated that work will finish in March. Local merchants look empty and employees doze at the entrances or inside of the stores.
The “Guadalupe-Reyes” Holiday Safety Program Started
In order to safeguard the integrity of tourists and locals, the City of Cozumel with support from various sectors of the three levels of government , military, emergency bodies and voluntary groups, launched the holiday operation called ” Guadalupe-Reyes. . ” This operation started December 12th and will end on January 6, 2015.
The official ceremony for the start of this holiday rescue plan, was headed by the Secretary General of the Commune, Edwin Argüelles González , who noted that the Municipal President, Fredy Marrufo Martin, is sparing no effort or actions necessary in safeguarding the life, physical integrity and property of the families in Cozumel and tourists visiting the island.
Likewise, he thanked all sectors, institutions and stakeholder groups, for their important contribution in this operation. He listed each of the participants, as the Naval Sector, Federal Police, Port Captain, Public Security, Transit and Tourist Police, Department of Tourism, Civil Protection, Fire Department, Lifeguard Corps, Mexican Red Cross and Green Angels.
Also assisting are various private clinics, the Hyperbaric Chamber, Islamed, Cozumel Medical Center and Medical San Miguel, in addition to voluntary groups, National Emergency Commission Radio Aid 33 Emergency Group Cruz Ambar, Phoenix Rescue Group and the Union of taxi drivers “Adolfo López Mateos “.
Sculpture Unveiled of Ramón Bravo
Jean Michel Cousteau, son of oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, asked Pedro Joaquín Delbouis, President of the organizing committee for Scuba Fest, to organize a tribute and manufacture a sculpture of the Mexican Cousteau, referring to Ramón Bravo. He asked that the sculpture be an equal to the one that was immersed in the waters of Cozumel in 2013 with the image his father.
The statue of Ramón Bravo was unveiled by his daughter Deborah Bravo. He was the most famous diver of Mexico, who was also a journalist, writer, sportsman and conservationist.
Jean Michel Cousteau described his friend, as a wonderful man, a lover of nature and the sea whom the family members know as the Mexican Cousteau during the opening of Scuba Fest 2014. Anecdotes of his life were recalled in Isla Mujeres, Chetumal and Cozumel, where he fought alongside his friends to preserve the natural beauty of Quintana Roo.
The fame and reputation of Ramón Bravo was international. His name was synonymous abroad with diving in Mexico and the Island of the Swallows. Bravo Prieto died on February 21, 1998. The figure was created by artist Sergio Peraza Avila. Scuba Fest this year’s third birthday.
Ramón Bravo Sculpture Immersed
On Thursday, December 11th, the Ramón Bravo sculpture was placed under the sea of Cozumel in an underwater ceremony. Formerly a ceremony took place on the mainland, opposite the refuge of flora and fauna of the western coast of Cozumel, where the Mayor highlighted the commitment to nature conservation and underwater beauties as honoree, Ramón Bravo who has been immortalized precisely for the care environment and seas.
The underwater ceremony with immersion of the bust of the “diver most beloved of Mexico” was officiated by Father Hubert Reiner LC, Ministry of Tourism of the Prelature of Cancun-Chetumal, and by led by the daughter of the honoree, Deborah “Sirenia” Bravo , scientist, researcher and oceanographer .
She was accompanied by Mayor, Fredy Martin Marrufo, and Pedro Joaquín Delbouis, Committee Chair of “Scuba Fest 2014, “special guest Jean Michel Cousteau; artist and creator of the bust Sergio Peraza, among others, according to a press release.
Maritime Freight Tariffs Increase
On December 10th the company Ferries del Caribe, SA de CV began implementing an increase of 6.5% in some levels of their freight rates for shipping . The high cost of diesel was given as the reason for the increase. The rate increase does not apply to family vehicles, Plan and Cozumel Quintana Roo Plan.
Cozumeleños May choose Planetarium Name
The people of Cozumel may participate, in January, in picking the name and logo of the planetarium that is being built on the island. The work is 60% complete and has an investment of 59 million 600 thousand dollars. It is scheduled to open the first quarter of 2015.
The planetarium is built holistically, to cinemas, with capacity for 95 people; musicology of Mayan culture, with capacity for 150 visitors; the auditorium for 190 people; the observatory; Water Museum, terraces, walkways, parking, library area and service remain around the sacred tree of the Maya: A YAAXCHE. The planetarium is built on a plot of 9000 square meters; the building will occupy 5048 square meters and the rest will be green areas
End of Turtle Season
The official close of the season of arrival of turtles has ended. Citizens and authorities, through the Municipal Committee for the Protection of Sea Turtles in Cozumel, reported the release of 165,198 offspring of the species “Chelonia mydas” (green) and “caretta caretta” (loggerhead). They marked 273 thousand nests, so far this year.
Congratulations to all the volunteers and personnel of the turtle projects that made this another successful year.
AURITA’S CORNER
I want to take this opportunity to apologize for the delay in publishing this edition of The Cozumel Sun. As I reported last week, a section of my roof and the second floor railing were collapsing and last minute emergency construction was necessary. I was half way done with decorating for Christmas, and had to stop and relocate all the furnishings in the affected areas to other parts of my home. It was a two-week nightmare. The dust created by the sand and cement, tearing down a roof and cement railing was very unmanageable, even though we worked daily from sunup to sunset trying to stay ahead of it. Never the less, we have done as much as money allows for this month and will resume the madness after January 6th.
Thanks to the generosity of three good friends, I collected $2,000 pesos and three blankets for my Finca Family. I purchased the electrical cable. Then thanks to Buccanos, I purchased the cement and sand needed to complete their room. Another wonderful person donated 70 floor tiles, so we need only to match them and purchase the additional tiles for their flooring. I have some cash left to put towards what we still need, the toilet and sink, the remaining floor tiles, and a food basket for Christmas. I have one week left until Christmas, if you can help in any way, please lend a hand!
I will be publishing another edition of The Cozumel Sun in the next few days announcing an exciting new advertising policy. I will also be updating you on The Helmets for Cozumel Project I was honored to be a part of. There are free helmets heading for Cozumel thanks to a wonderful reader from Michigan! Thank your for your understanding and patronage!
