Travellin’ to paradise, past and present, Isla Mujeres Mexico

UltraMar at Puerto Juarez on the mainland

Living on an island in the Caribbean Sea, there is only one way to get there – by boat. Be it a passenger vessel, car ferry, or private yacht, we all have to cross the water. Okay, one or two lucky people have small private planes that are permitted to land on the seldom-used, almost-defunct airport. But the rest of us peasants cross by boat; big boats, little boats, private boats, or commuter boats.

Ultramar boats are getting bigger all the time. 

Every couple of years, we see a new addition to the fleet of passenger ferries bringing people to this little piece of paradise. 

The vessels are getting bigger and bigger to accommodate the increase in visitors. 

The newest multi-level arrival can transport 650 visitors to Isla Mujeres with each sailing.

Posted on Recuerdos de Isla Mujeres!

Before the UltraMar started business, the only passenger service to the island was provided by Ausencio Magaña and his family members. Their fleet included the La Carmita, a banana-shaped boat that rolled and wallowed in the seas, creating havoc with the tender stomachs of landlubbers and tourists. The preferred place for locals to ride was in the stern, well away from any seasick travelers. 

2002 Caribbean Miss

The next Magaña ship was La Novia del Mar, and then the popular La Sultana del Mar. A fourth boat, La Dama Elegante, was equipped with a six-foot (2 metres) by two-foot (60 cm) glass insert for viewing the sea life. A sunken shrimp boat, the Blanca Beatriz, was rescued from near Isla Contoy and refurbished. Although that vessel was primarily reserved for circumnavigating the island with sightseers.  

In 2002, our first trip to Isla was on the Caribbean Miss owned by the Magaña family.  

This modest craft held forty people and a bit of cargo. I have never been sea-sick, but the combined diesel fuel vapours and the slight rolling motion pushed my tolerance to the limit.  

2005 UltraMar passenger ferry

When we returned in 2005, the first UltraMar catamaran was in service with interior seating for sixty people.

2009 saw the arrival of a larger catamaran for UltraMar with upper deck seating and a capacity of 200 passengers. 

Three larger boats holding up to 265 people arrived in 2011 with flashy blue underwater LEDS lighting up the nighttime crossings.

Flashy underwater LEDs on the UltraMar boat

Still not enough to deal with the thousands of visitors, UltraMar put a ship called the Bo Hengy into service for a short time. The company didn’t even have time to paint the new boat in the distinctive blue and yellow corporate colours before it was put to use.

Spring break for many schools in Canada, the USA, and Mexico is coming soon. The lineups will be huge, but with the new, larger ships in service, hopefully traveling back and forth to the mainland won’t be a problem.

Although if you live on the island, hiding out at home is the best solution during the crazy time of year. When you have sand, sun, margaritas, and cold beer all within easy reach, there is no need to leave home.

Hasta Luego, Lynda, Lawrie, and Sparky

Murder and mayhem. 

Revenge and romance.

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

The End of an Era – Magaña scheduled passenger ferry service suspended

Magaña boats January 2006

Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women, is a small island floating in the Caribbean Sea. Boats have always been an integral part of its history. 

Dating back to the 1550s, the days of the Spanish explorers, and first the settlement on Isla, fishing pangas, and large sailing ships were the main mode of transportation. Later, as technology advanced, and more people discovered Isla Mujeres private yachts, passenger ferries, car ferries, and tour boats became part of the rhythm of island life.  So, when the original passenger ferry operators recently announced that they were suspending service, it signified the end of an era. 

Magaña boats out of service May 2016

The two passenger ferries are now tied up at their family wharf in the lagoon, and the employees have received their final wages. The bigger party boat, the Caribbean Princess, is still plying the waters between the mainland and Isla, bringing day-trippers from the hotel zone in Cancun, but the regular hourly departures from Isla and Cancun are finished. A victim of economics and stiff competition from the newer, sleeker UltraMar flotilla.

Larger, newer UltraMar boats the competition 

When we first visited the island in 2002, the Magaña boats were the only option, and I must admit, even though I don’t typically suffer from seasickness, riding the Caribbean Miss was a smelly, stomach-churning experience as the vessel rolled through the waves, while clouds of smoky diesel fumes infiltrated the passenger area.  We gladly switched over to the more stable, catamaran-style UltraMar service when it became available.

Repainted in 2012, nicknamed the Barney-Boats

Over a period of ten years, the UltraMar has added more and larger ships to its fleet, while the older Magaña transportation company retained its original vessels.  The once familiar white, blue, and red ferry boats were repainted in 2012 with what was light-heartedly referred to as the Barney-Boat colours of purple and green. It was an attempt to ‘jazz up’ the image of the aging ships and attract more customers.  Sadly, the new colours didn’t improve the ride or the service.

Sultana del Mar from Recuerdeos de Isla Mujeres  

But the most fascinating ship owned by the Magaña transportation company is the Sultana del Mar.  

We have written about her before, as islanders such as Vivian Reynaldo, Dan Kane, Abby and Neil Fox, and Captain Javier Velázquez Euan have shared their personal stories about traveling to Isla Mujeres back in the day.

Mario Burgos Sánchez

There are more stories about the Sultana del Mar posted on the Facebook page Recuerdeos de Isla Mujeres. Islander Cuauhtémoc Zufita Landero in collaboration with our local historian Fidel Villanueva Madrid, has been adding fascinating narratives about Isla’s past.  

A Google translation works fairly well, translating the Spanish to English, but we still struggle with the finer details of the stories.  

Of particular interest to me is the story about Mario Burgos Sánchez, Carpintero de Ribera, the master carpenter who built the hull of the Sultana del Mar with ‘good wood, the right tools, and his hands.’

The Sultana del Mar was a grand old dame that is currently a sinking wreck. Slowly, month by month, she is sliding further beneath the waves, taking a piece of island history with her. 

Sultana del Mar , May 2016,  L.Lock photo

It is the end of a simpler time. A time when life was slower, unhurried.

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky, and Thomas

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

Or

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

Missing! Five Islanders and the Anastacia

Anastacia before it went missing.  Isla Fiesta 

They are husbands and fathers, brothers and sons, uncles and nephews, cousins and friends, and they are missing. 

On Wednesday, March 30th, five friends left Isla Mujeres on a 32-foot boat, the Anastacia. They were headed toward Cozumel to fish for sharks. 

They have not been heard from since.

Waiting for news

At the fishing coop where the Anastacia berths, the families wait, faces pinched by worry and love, seeking comfort from each other.  

Eyes brim with tears that quickly spill with the arrival of more friends, affectionate hugs, and soft words of solace. An upset child, picking up the unsettled mood, tugs at the sleeve of his mother, plaintively asking: When is papi coming home? 

But each new day is a morning filled with hope and optimism. “Today is the day we will find them!” 

The search coordinating committee is made up of many islanders including Jorge Fernando De La O Pino papa to Jorge De La O, the captain of the Anastacia.  

Javi, Marla, Jorge Sr., and Jill

Other members are Marcelo Cupul Ku, Rogelio Digurnay Perez, Marcelino Cupul Avalos, Javier Martinez Cen, Marla Bainbridge Martinez, Wilberth Ancona Argaez, Julio Sosa Chuc, and Thelmo Burgos Uc. Jill Hardekopf is also helping out with her American contacts.  

Most of the committee members have taken a leave of absence from their businesses, allowing them to devote time to finding their family members. In the case of Jorge Sr., the opening for his new restaurant has been delayed indefinitely.  Javier Martinez Cen (Javi) and Jorge Jr. have been as close as cousins since birth. For him, and all of the other families, this search is intensely personal.

Currents Mexico, Cuba, US

The search grids are based on suggestions from highly qualified experts from around the world and experienced members of the community, fishermen, captains, and mates who know the currents and wind patterns. From early morning to late at night, coordinators make phone calls to authorities seeking assistance, asking permission, planning for the next day’s search grid, raising money to pay for the massive amounts of fuel required, and answering hundreds of emails and Facebook posts.  

All through the day, optimistic words of hope are spoken.  Never give up!  We will find them. Each sunset is the beginning of a night filled with very little and restless sleep, exhausted brains spinning with questions. Where are they?  Are they okay?  What can we do next? Where should the search focus tomorrow?

Huachisan III crew searching in Cuban waters

Deline García Canto talks with pride about how his papa, Juan de Dios García Povedano (Huacha) and crew aboard the Huachisan III have been given permission to search in Cuban waters.  

They are tired, worried, and a long way from home, but still searching for their friends. The Mexican government has initiated the request for assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and is still waiting for the reply.  

Also out searching

The navy, the harbor master, and the UltraMar passenger ferry have all assisted. Mexico News Daily, with a readership of 20,000 expats, carried the story a few days ago, as did a TV station in Houston because Jorge De La O lives there part of the year.  A GoFundMe campaign has raised thousands of dollars to assist with the cost of fuel for the search boats; more is needed.  

Locals and expats have come together to provide basic needs for the five families, waiting without a source of income, for the return of their husbands and fathers.  The search committee is working remotely with the specialized, volunteer Search & Rescue team from the USA.  Their arrival has been delayed, awaiting documentation.

Isla Mujeres is a strongly knit community of locals and foreigners, all pulling together to bring the five men home safely, hopefully with an interesting adventure story to tell their children. But the social media network is slowly picking at the threads of the community, bit by bit, picking and unraveling the fabric of the island.  

Social media is a curse and a blessing. It is an instant form of communication. And an instant form of condemnation and criticism.  Why didn’t they do this?  Why don’t they do that?  I could do this better. Not taking into account the tangled regulations involved with three separate countries, Mexico, the USA, and Cuba, which haven’t had a diplomatic relationship with the USA from 1960 until just this year. Permissions are required to cross, enter, or fly over airspace and oceans.  

And not taking into account the personal toll on the families, as each new rumor is bandied about as “the truth” while family members are left to wonder: Why wasn’t I told?  I am sitting right here five feet away from the coordinators.  Why didn’t they tell me my son was okay?  

And then it’s revealed to not be the truth, but just a fast-moving rumor spreading like wildfire through the internet, searing the hearts of those waiting for news.

Dawn of another day of hope!

Maybe today is the day that they will find them!  

Be strong, stick together, and work toward a common goal. It’s what makes Isla Mujeres such a special place in a complex world.

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky

Please feel free to share our blog post. 

Isla Mujeres Mystery series

OR

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

The annual computer tax in a salty environment!

UltraMar docks at Puerto Juarez

“Oh, that can't be good,” a friendly voice said, “I see that you've bought a new computer.”

“You have no idea, Jeanette,” I sighed as I watched our purchases being loaded onto the Ultramar passenger ferry. 

 

“This is our sixth computer in six years. I guess it's the price of living in paradise.”

Six in six years!

We live on the windward side of Isla Mujeres, the east side – the salty side. A combination of humidity and salt blows into our house 24/7, 365 days a year. We thrive in this warm, moist environment, but the climate is hell on electronics. The previous computer lasted a grand total of seven months, and hopefully, we can get it repaired under warranty. The closest repair depot for a Samsung is Fort Worth, Texas, plus we are responsible for the cost of shipping there and back. There is also a repair depot in Mexico City, but we are having our challenges reaching it. Lawrie is working on it, and he is persistent, very persistent.

When we bought the Samsung seven months ago, we decided that we should attempt to protect it from the salty winds. We shut it down every night, tucking it away in a drawer. As it turns out, this was the absolutely worst thing we could do, locking in the daytime accumulation of moisture. Another friend suggested that we leave our computer running 24/7 to dry it out, thereby possibly extending its operational time. He said he has several televisions located in the open air at his bar. They are never shut off and have lasted for years. Okay, it's worth a try. Any bets on how long this computer lasts?

English language & Spanish language keyboards

Besides replacing the computer, for a lot more money than we would have paid if we purchased it in the USA or Canada, we were now blessed with a keyboard designed for the Spanish language. Finding the @ sign for inputting our email addresses was a big challenge, necessitating a quick text to a friend asking for help. The new keyboard has upside-down (to us) question marks, exclamation marks, and two keys for the letter N. The extra key has the accent over the “ñ”, putting ten letters on the middle row of keys instead of only nine. For a touch-typist, like me, it is disconcerting to have an additional key that my fingers have no memory of. Then Lawrie remembered we had a spare keyboard, designed for the English language, that we had bought a few years ago in Canada. We plugged it in, and we're good to go. No more hunting for familiar symbols amongst the plethora of Spanish accents and characters.

I can always take more sunset photos

In the meantime, we started the usual reloading of programs, favourites, and files. I lost a few of my photographs as I hadn't backed up my files onto Google Drive for a couple of weeks, but other than that, we are so accustomed to computer meltdowns that it's not a big deal anymore. Just frustrating. 

I really need to learn how to do recovery backups, but I keep procrastinating. Tomorrow, mañana, soon.

Pirate-themed birthday Barlito's at Marina Paraiso

Most of my recent photographs are replaceable; shots of sunrises, sunsets, local people and animals. A few were one-time events, like the over-the-top pirate theme birthday party at Marina Paraiso for a sweet little three-year-old. 

 The dessert tables were crammed with cupcakes, goodies, and cookies; everything in a pirate theme. The birthday cake had a skull and crossbones, underneath a treasure map made from sweet, yummy icing. A number of the guests and their adult escorts were decked out in pirate outfits. Whoever planned this event did an amazing job.  Lucky for me, Tiffany Yenawine Wareing had photographs of the party.

Now, I am hoping that since we have paid our computer tax for 2014, and just maybe, this one will last until, dare I say it? - 2016. Hah! Silly me.

Hasta luego

Lynda, Lawrie, Sparky and Thomas the Cat

Murder. Mayhem. Revenge. Romance.

Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

The Adventures of Thomas and Sparky

The other side of paradise ....circumnavigating Isla Mujeres

The three crazy friends on their new yacht!

Salty turquoise water sprays over the side of the boat, soaking my hair and shirt, coating my skin with fine grains of sea salt.  

It feels great. We (let me amend that), Lawrie is now a proud boat owner in partnership with Richard Grierson and Chuck Watt.  

It's a twenty-six-foot panga, a local style of fishing boat.  Currently named El Quinto Sol (the fifth sun, not son), it will eventually be renamed to something more suitable for the guys.  All week, they have been bantering around names for the vessel. Personally, I am leaning towards Los Tres Amigos Locos. The Three Crazy Friends! 

Two car ferries, and the Thor Heyerdahl school-ship

I admit, the panga is a great way to see the island from a different perspective, up close and personal from the water. On Sunday, the six of us took it out for its first shakedown cruise.  After a few minor tweaks and fiddles with the fuel lines, we backed out of the mooring slip and into Maxak Lagoon. Then, pointing the bow north, we slipped along the western side of the island, past several marinas with a variety of boats: yachts, work boats, runabouts, and half-sunken wrecks.  

Interesting use for a ladder.

Powering along parallel to the shoreline, we slid past the Thor Heyerdahl, a topsail schooner that is used as a live-aboard training ship for young adults and teenagers from Europe.  

Then we passed the two car ferries docked near the naval base, and a large sailboat registered in Panama that had a quirky arrangement utilizing a regular ladder to access their dinghy and the swim grid.  

The north-western side of Isla 

The western side of the island is more familiar to us as we usually see it from the car ferries and the Ultramar passenger boats.  

The beaches in front of the Posada del Mar and IxChel were both busy with the Sunday crowd of day-trippers, baking on the beach in a variety of colourful bathing suits.  

We anchored in the shallow waters of North Beach for a short time while Chuck took a dip in the ocean, primarily to see why one of the motors kicks up when put in reverse. Apparently, there is a small piece - a metal pin - that is missing. It's an easy fix now that they have identified the problem.

Anchored beside the big guys at North Beach.

Pulling up the anchor, we motored around the northern point of Isla, into bigger waves, bouncing us around too much for me to focus the camera, and wouldn't you know it - we spotted a pod of dolphins cavorting in the waves, hunting for their lunch. I couldn't dig the camera out of my waterproof bag fast enough. They whizzed past and disappeared into the surf.  I completely missed that photo opportunity.

A bit wet when we were on the east side of Isla

However, it was still very interesting to see familiar sights from a different angle.  Houses and buildings that we walk or drive past on a regular basis look completely different from the water side.  

At the southern end of the island, the waves were coming at us from two directions as we cut through the swift current that runs along the island, past Cozumel.  And then we were around the southern tip, and into calmer waters.

Calmer, Punta Sur back to the west side

Brilliant sunshine, light winds, sea salt on our skin; it was a glorious afternoon.  As we headed back to our marina berth, we decided we should dock at our favourite island beach bar, the Soggy Peso, and pop in for an icy cold drink.  Sunday afternoon in high season! What were we thinking?

There was not a seat, a stool, or a place to perch anywhere inside the bar or on the lawn, so we took our cool beverages down to their private beach and sat on the loungers.  

Beach bums at the Soggy Peso Bar & Grill

Huh! Different perspective again - sand between our toes, palm trees rustling in the breeze, the beautiful blue water to look at, and a soft lounger to sit on. Not bad.  I could do this again.

When we returned home, I downloaded the photographs and discovered that a number of them had a hazy spot or two. Dried sea salt obscured the lens in a few spots. Next time I will take my waterproof camera and a cleaner for the lens!

I can't wait to see what the guys name the boat.

Hasta luego
Lynda, Lawrie, Thomas, Sparky, & Chica

The new yacht! 

Murder. Mayhem. Revenge. Romance.

Isla Mujeres Mystery Series

Death in the Vineyards Mysteries

The Adventures of Thomas and Sparky