Category Archives: Nature and the Environment

Mazatlán: “The Perfect Storm of Environmental Degradation”

Panelists

The prognostic today from an incredibly prestigious panel of Mexican biologists gathered in the Art Museum to celebrate Son Playas’ third anniversary: Mazatlán is in a “via crucis” or “perfect storm” regarding its natural environment. Beaches here will continue to erode and disappear due to over-building, damming of rivers, relocation of sand, destruction of mangroves and internationally rising tides. Already beaches are impassable in various places. There are obvious irregularities to federal laws, as well as even state and local ones. These experts say that Mazatlán seems to be following the same environmentally and economically destructive path as Acapulco, rather than learning from it. If this path continues, tourism will be greatly curtailed, as there will be no more gorgeous and seemingly endless beaches. While the 100+ towers under construction in the city are hoped to benefit the local economy, the unplanned-for growth and lack of coordination between the three levels of government (federal, state, and local) is causing a trajectory toward the opposite.

Panelists

This article will focus on the main points and learning gained from the panel today, but first allow me to congratulate Raquel Zapien and her team at Son Playas on their third anniversary. Son Playas is one of a very few journalistic outlets in Mexico dedicated to environmentalism, and Mazatlán is blessed to have this resource. Their reporting has served a hugely needed role in our community. Today, Saturday 28 May, was also a blessing, as their anniversary brought together this prestigious panel, a capacity audience, all-day cultural programs, as well as an exhibition of thirty sustainability and environmental organizations—governmental, private and non-profit—all in one place. What a huge gift to be able to learn about so many different organizations and opportunities all in one place!

If, like me, you get frustrated by the fact that local “federally protected environmental areas” are so frequently developed and cemented over, you may find some of the main points below interesting.

Points Made by the Panel:

  1. A lack of coordination between the three levels of government—federal, state and local—is a huge contributing factor to environmental degradation in Mexico.
  2. Even though the city likes to say, “the municipality has no power; that was a federal (or state) decision,” per law municipalities have control over the “suelo” or “ground.” Municipalities pass zoning and usage laws and can prosecute irregularities, thus curtailing federal or state permits. We need to remember that municipalities benefit financially from the use of beaches.
  3. There has not been a census of the beaches in Mexico, so there is no official count of how many there are.
  4. There are few if any systems of control and vigilance for environmental laws, and no incentivization to comply.
  5. I have always been told that as non-citizens we should not participate in political activities, protests, or voice our concerns over development. Today we were told that as foreigners we may not be (or maybe you are) legal citizens (tener ciudadanía), but we are residents (ciudadanos). Those of us who own property are also property owners. Thus, there are two reasons why we are legally able to voice our concerns, particularly about events which affect our lifestyles as residents or our property values as owners.
  6. The federally mandated right of all Mexicans to have free and open access to beaches provides excellent leverage to those seeking environmental sustainability, as does protection of endangered species.
  7. Every resident in Mexico has the right to transparency on the part of the government. Yes, this made most in the room chuckle. But we were assured that this is the law. We were told that federal projects are on the federal transparency site, as are many of the projects in Mazatlán as well. If we go to city hall or the municipal archives and ask for building permits, etc., we are entitled to see them. Sheila Arias stood up from the audience to tell us she would help anyone who needs public information.
  8. Sinaloa does have earthquakes, and the building of such tall towers on the beach is a disaster waiting to happen.
  9. 40% of the species fished in Sinaloa are in danger of extinction.
  10. Municipalities can pass and enforce laws to keep our beaches clean. Some cities prohibit the introduction of cans and single-use plastics to the beach, others require that beach visitors return with everything they brought to the beach. Cities have power.
  11. “Natural disasters” are not natural but man-made, caused by us building where we shouldn’t, taking what we shouldn’t, destroying and degrading the protections nature offers.
  12. The key to environmental sustainability is in the people, the residents of a location. We need to use our voices to make our desires heard, to ensure that government acts on our behalf. We need to plan to prevent disasters.
  13. Any new building project requires a public hearing, input from the public. We should all be making sure these happen, that our voices are heard.
  14. Corruption everywhere is rampant. One of the best remedies is the court system: suing those projects that are built “irregularly.” We were assured there are lawyers who help with this pro-bono.

Regular readers of this blog know that I am very concerned about the “irregular” building in the Delfin area of our city: apartment buildings and homes right on the beach with no setback, and private piers appearing in the Escopama Estuary. During the Q&A period I asked the panel about this, specifically what we private citizens and residents could do. Below is the recording of that answer.

Expert’s answers to my questions about development in Estero de la Escopama

Summary of the experts’ responses to my question about building on federal lands in Delfín and Estero de la Escopama:

Dr. Abril Montijo, CIAD:
It’s a lack of political will, but there are mechanisms for citizen participation, including protests. She just heard about two upcoming opportunities. IMPLAN and the municipal government will hold two events in June. One will be a workshop to help people understand the diagnostics conducted, and the other will be an open meeting. We all need to attend and make our voices heard. Our government is combatting corruption, but there are so many realities that make us doubt that. We probably can’t destroy towers already built but we can prevent more from starting. Please attend the meetings and speak up.

Dr. Omar Cervantes, President Pro Playas:
In theory the towers must have a permit, and those are public information. That is the place to start: verify who did it, did they have permission. It’s called “Uso del suelo.” Could be that they are not following what they were approved for. Someone would need to denounce them. Other places people have filled in the ocean and the waterways; that’s illegal.

Dr. Esteban García Peña, President Oceana México:
How did they give those permissions? SEMARNAT and the Secretary of Federal Maritime Zones and the municipal government, all three must give permission. El Químico is an open person; talk to him to verify if the buildings have these permissions. What is happening with environmental planning in our country? We have laws that regulate development, especially in federal zones, but the sticking point has been an abuse of the words “por excepción”…  The law agreed to only give permissions to those who are going to respect the environment. But nowadays, politicians give so many “by exception” permits. They will agree to have a developer plant a few trees on the street as compensation for destroying a wetland. He is sure those buildings in Delfín were built under this laxity. These out-of-control towers create wind tunnels, impede the flight of birds, impede access to the beach by the people, and erode the beaches.

Omar:

The politicians follow through on what pleases them. The exception, as Esteban said, is the chain around our necks. Meet the Químico and talk to him. They are political points.

Terrific Long Weekend from MZT

A couple of blue-footed boobies. They love to touch beaks; could it be a boobie kiss?

I recently had the enormous pleasure of spending two nights of rustic camping at an unbelievably gorgeous spot: Isla Isabel, Nayarit. It is a mini Galapagos three hours’ boat ride from San Blas, which is about a three hour drive south of Mazatlán. I went with a few biologists, an astronomer, an ornithologist and a few friends; eight people in all. The trip was incredible!

Watch till the end: a family of blue-footed boobies will greet you.

On the boat on the ride to the island we were able to jump into the Pacific with our snorkels and masks and swim with whale sharks! We were cautioned not to touch them, but mine came right up to me and stayed beside me, touching me, for a good 30 seconds while she ate from the plankton in the channel. Heaven on earth!!! Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow. All photos are available as prints; contact me privately and thank you for supporting my efforts!

Swimming with whale sharks

Also on the journey to the island we saw dozens of humpback whales, either courting, which is when you see the males hitting each other with their fins, or with their babies. While my long-held dream of catching one fully breaching went unfulfilled, I took many photos of them spewing and of that wonderful tail in the air pose.

Humpback whales with their babies

Arriving to the island I was struck by the clear blue water and the volcanic rock. The first thing we did after setting up our tents was put on our swim suits and jump into the “pozos,” naturally occurring swimming holes that surround the island. They were terrific! The waves crash into them keeping things fresh, and if you have a mask and snorkel you can see loads of fish, star fish, crabs, etc.

Swimming in the pozos or volcanic rock pools surrounding Isla Isabel

The island is well known for “Las Monas” or nearby rock outcroppings. We were able to snorkel around them from our boat. There are also a couple of nice sandy beaches.

The rock outcroppings were great for snorkeling

We chose to go in March as the boobies are nesting then. And boy, did we see boobies! Loads of my favorite blue-footed variety, as well as the brown- and red-footed boobies. The babies are cute and fluffy, with blue eyes to match their feet. Mom and Dad both tend to the nest and the offspring. On the whole the boobies were very friendly and curious. I suppose because Isla Isabel is a nature preserve, they do not seem to feel threatened by human presence. I kept my distance from the nests, however, using a long lens to get the close-up shots.

Nesting of the blue-footed boobies

I especially loved to watch the boobies fly. Their wings are apparently jointed in the middle, and as they fly they bend them vertically in the center, up and down. When they come in for a landing it is downright comical: their big round eyes look surprised or scared, their huge blue feet stick out in front of them as if to say, “Watch out! I’m coming in! Aaaahhhh!” The folding of their wings up and down at ninety degree angles is a sight to behold. In addition to my photos, I will share with you a beautiful video filmed by my dear friend Omar Calvario.

Humorous landings of the boobies with their double-jointed wings.

Wait for it! It’s worth watching the landing! Video by Omar Calvario.

During our stay the frigate birds were also nesting. As with the boobies, both parents take care of the nest and the babies. Sadly, we witnessed at least three babies fall from their nests. The biologists told us that once the baby falls to the ground, the parents abandon it. It was heart-wrenching to refrain from giving these fallen birds food or water, to preserve the natural order. They were soooo cute and very forlorn. The male frigate birds develop bright red gullets during mating season, which they inflate like balloons. They then release the air in those inflated red gullets slowly to make their mating call, which sounds like a guttural vibration or “tap tap tap.” At first I thought they were snapping their beaks together.

Nesting frigate birds; red gullets are the males

Isla Isabel is also covered with iguanas; they are everywhere. Between the huge quantity of birds, the smell of guano, and having to watch your step to avoid iguanas, I really felt that we were visiting the Land that Time Forgot. It seemed to me to be the time of the dinosaurs—a time long ago before humans ruined the natural environment of Pachamama. Below are photos of a couple of tropic birds.

Tropic birds in flight

A final blessing of our trip were clear, cloudless skies! We went during the new moon, hoping to photograph the Milky Way. We were blessed with two nights for photography. My only disappointment was that there was a sailboat off the island, exactly toward the galactic center, and it had a bright light on top of its mast. As it was inevitable, I choose to think it adds to the beauty of the photographs. I was also able to capture photos of the nesting frigates, who nest in the trees, with the Milky Way overhead. My dream had been to capture nesting boobies with the galactic center, but as they nest on the ground this was a bit more problematic. I guess I’ll just have to make another trip.

The Milky Way and galactic center as seen over Las Monas, the beach,
the small fishing port, and a frigate bird nest, all Isla Isabel.

I came home with numerous cuts, scratches, bruises and splinters. Ten days later I am still removing splinters from various spots on my body. Isla Isabel is not high-end luxury travel. I fell in love with the place and can’t wait to return. I am fearful, however, because the Mexican government is building a terminal in San Blas that will have daily ferry service to Isla Isabel as well as the Islas Marías. While they say the trips offered will be eco-touristic, it frightens me that these gorgeous nature preserves may soon be ruined. I am guessing that ferry service may make the islands more accessible as day trips, which could be nice. If you want to go, I urge you to do so soon, before it’s too late. We went with:
SARTIAGUIN TOURS Y EXPEDICIONES, Calle Valentín Canalizo, 63740 San Blas, México, Tel. 311 117 1123, e-mail: emiliosartiaguinc@hotmail.com.

If you enjoy my reporting and the photography, please help us continue it by purchasing a print. They make terrific gifts and look great in your home or office. Contact me at thrudiseyes@gmail.com or via WhatsApp +52-669-122-8962.

Excellent Getaway!

I don’t know about you, but Greg and I have been really feeling Mazatlán’s growing pains lately. The traffic has gotten horrendous, especially on the weekends. Remember when we used to say you could go anywhere in town in 20 minutes? Not anymore. Yes, if you live downtown and just walk around there, you’re ok. But there is much more to Mazatlán than those dozen blocks. The noise has also gotten nearly untenable. I LOVE parties, music, and people having fun. It’s one of the best things about this beautiful town: the joy of its people. But when a motorcycle, RAZR or auriga blaring awakens you from deep slumber at 3 or 4 am every night of the week, and your dinner guests can’t have a decent conversation on your terrace, well, not so much.

So, for our anniversary, I was looking around for a quiet, romantic place the two of us could celebrate and enjoy some peace and quiet—something close to home. Boy did I ever find it! We have fallen in love with Toninas Ecological Boutique Hotel.

Toninas is on the beach in Celestino Gasca, just over an hour north of Mazatlán on the toll road (just north of Las Labradas and south of Cruz de Elota). What attracted me to make the reservation were its proximity, apparent serenity, the modernity of its finishes (I’ve stayed in eco-lodges that were glorified campsites), and the beauty of its architecture and environment. Each of these surpassed our expectations. And, a big bonus, we feel we have found new and extremely interesting friends in Camila and Enrique, the owner/managers. Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow.

Arriving at the resort, we unpacked our luggage into Bungalow Cardenal and of course headed straight to the beach. Yes, we live on the beach, but we couldn’t wait to see this one. To our delight, even though it was 3:00 in the afternoon, there were two oyster divers just leaving the water and packing up to go home. Sell us some oysters? Sure! Saul was happy to shuck us a dozen. OMG! They were HUGE and oh so sweet!!!! I paid him 100 pesos for the pleasure and enjoyed them raw that evening and again the next day in an omelet.

Heading back into our home for the next three days and two nights, we took our time to check it out. What first jumped out at me were the wonderful lamps made my local artist Luis Valenzuela. These absolutely gorgeous light fixtures are made with recycled materials—driftwood and rope! I also very much enjoyed the international artwork on the walls. I learned that Enrique and Camilla both worked in the foreign service and were stationed in such places as Paris, Beirut, Beijing,Bogotá, London and Hanoi. They met and fell in love in Rabat, Morocco. No wonder the artwork in the cabañas is so eclectic!

The architecture of the cabañas and the main communal palapa that I had admired online did not disappoint. Our one-bedroom rock and stucco bungalow with terrace had a direct view of the ocean and sunset from the sliding doors in the living room and the window in the bedroom. It was very well built by local contractor, Manuel Valenzuela. Comfy couches lined the natural wood walls. The kitchen is part of the great room with the living and dining area; our dining table was bar-height with stools. Our bedroom had two double beds and plenty of room to put luggage and our things. The best part of the cabaña, however, is the bathroom! Unlike so many eco-hotels, this one has running water (hot and cold – both with great pressure) and a flush toilet right there, in your unit. Best of all? You open the glass shower door to step outside into your own private rear patio garden, where you can shower amongst the flowers and under the sun or stars! Your excess shower water irrigates the plants.

While our cabaña had an awesome dining area, we ate both our breakfasts out in the palapa. The large central palapa has quite a few seating areas, including easy chairs and cocktail tables, dining tables and chairs, hammocks and hammock chairs. It overlooks the pool and jacuzzi as well as the beach. There is a walkway leading down from the pool and palapa area to another couple of smaller palapas also overlooking the beach (where we enjoyed sunset drinks), and a short staircase from them down to the beach itself. From the property it is an easy walk to restaurants, to the fishing boats or into town. Restaurants are also more than happy to deliver.

Below is a video of our interview with Enrique and Camila, the two terrifically talented and interesting young people who run Toninas. If you’re wondering if they enjoy what they do, just look at their smiles!

AMENITIES
Toninas is an ecological resort. The toiletries are all high quality, eco-friendly products from Däki Natural. There is a huge garrafón of drinking water in every cabaña, so no need to use those horribly polluting plastic water bottles. Each cabaña has a compost box, which delighted my soul. The three-part swimming pool is absolutely gorgeous, with a jacuzzi, wading pool and lap pool. The two of us put it to very good use! Water for the saltwater swimming pool is taken from the ocean, filtered to purify it, and eventually returned back to the ocean cleaner than it left; a win-win for everyone! Before construction of the pool began, Enrique and Camilla met with the local fishermen and received their blessings. In a nod to creature comforts, there is wifi throughout the property, mini-split air conditioners in the living and bedrooms, a Smart TV in the bedroom, a generous refrigerator and terrific induction stove in the kitchen, and as mentioned above, very hot running water. 

MEALS
Toninas supplies pool towels as well as a stocked kitchen: coffee, the coffee maker, a blender, dishes, cutlery, glasses and cups, pots and pans, bowls, knives. Greg and I took ingredients for our breakfasts that we prepared there and very much enjoyed leisurely mornings. While Enrique has plans to have a restaurant on site, currently you need to order in, go out or cook. Thus, be sure to take the food, snacks and drinks that you want. Celestino has quite a few markets and of course sells beer, but if, like us, you want some special wine, champagne or whiskey, best to bring it with. 

Our bungalow did not have wine glasses or a bottle opener; I’m confident that Enrique and Camila will happily supply both if you need them. They have scoped out the good restaurants in town and are happy to share their recommendations with you; be sure to ask. Greg and I do not recommend La Esmeralda, which, sadly, is right on the beach north of the property. Pescado zarandeado is popular here, as are ceviche, shrimp, aguachile, and oysters. Just a note, though: here they make zarandeado with mayonnaise and mustard, quite different than what we are used to in Mazatlán.

The couple is intent on promoting local talent and ecologically sustainable development. They told us all about the wonderful couple who have formed a marine turtle sanctuary, and the awesome group of empowered, joyous women who run the restaurant Celestina. 

ACTIVITIES
We spent three days and two nights just chilling: beach walks, morning and evening swims, leisurely conversations, reading, sunset cocktails, and some wildlife and astrophotography, of course. The beaches here are very nice. Toninas is on a bay, but a very open one, so the surf is strong. I took some photos of the cool dunes and rock formations on the beach, as we don’t see that here in Mazatlán. If we had stayed longer, I would have hired a panga to take us down to Las Labradas. I’ve always disliked that bumpy road leading to this world heritage zone and arriving by boat would be quite enjoyable. If you like to mountain bike, I’d urge you take your bicycles as Enrique has mapped a few wonderful routes. Greg wished his knee was healed as there’s a lot of good place to run. I’m guessing you could also go horseback riding; we saw quite a few horses. In season the Celestino community releases baby turtles, thanks to the turtle sanctuary. You can also arrange to go fishing, there is incredible bird watching, and Toninas has a couple of stand-up paddle boards (SUPs) and kayaking.

The first night of our stay was the lunar eclipse, the so-called “Super Flower Blood Moon Eclipse” of 2021. We were very grateful to set our alarms to wake us up at 2:30 am, as it was a thrill to watch the moon gradually darken, until it turned red and the Milky Way splashed brightly and completely across the sky from west to east! As the morning dawned, the Milky Way dimmed, and the moon regained her sheen. What a night to remember! And of course, being as it is so quiet there, we had no problem sleeping a few hours after the celestial show was finished. A few days later I had the pleasure to see that the astronomers at NASA published my lunar eclipse with Milky Way shot! Bless you, Toninas!

DETAILS AND PRICING

One Bedroom Bungalow (4 people maximum)


Two double beds, wifi, smart tv, stocked kitchen, dining area, living room, terrace, garden bathroom, air conditioning. 

Prices:

• 2499 pesos/night during the week, 3094 weekends with 2 night minimum

• High season Jul 15-Aug 22 and holidays: 3094 pesos/night during the week, 3500 weekends

Two Bedroom Bungalow (8 people maximum)

Same as the above but each bedroom has two double beds and there are two private bathrooms.

Prices:

• 4700 pesos/night during the week, 5794 weekends with 2 night minimum

• High season Jul 15-Aug 22 and holidays: 5794 pesos/night during the week, 6700 weekends

Double Room (4 people maximum)

Toninas also has an option of a simple room for 4 people maximum with mini fridge, stovetop, coffee maker, bathroom, terrace and ocean view. You will be renting just one of the rooms of the two-bedroom bungalow.

Prices:

• 2200 pesos/night during the week, 2800 weekends with 2 night minimum

• High season Jul 15-Aug 22 and holidays: 2800 pesos/night during the week, 3200 weekends

CONTACT

Toninasmexico@gmail.com, +52-667-489-8883

Mon-Sun 9 am – 7 pm

Camila and Enrique both speak English very well (and French and a few other languages)

Get Your Pajaritos Now!

One of the most enjoyable local fishing traditions in Mazatlán is when the pajaritos run. In English these delicious fish, normally fried up whole here, are called ballyhoos, flying halfbeaks or spipefish, closely related to needlefish. They are called “flying fish” in our local parlance because they glide over the surface of the water at up to 60 kph/37 mph.

The fishing boats glowing on the bay and reflecting on the beach as they catch pajaritos

Last night the boats were all fortunately very close in fishing, and you could easily watch them come in to unload and sell. The energy was palpable and festive; the fishermen make good money for just a few hours’ work. It was a fun family scene, far tamer than in non-pandemic times but still a lot of excitement. You can maintain your social distance and get down to the boats to buy your fish. Click on any photo to enlarge it or view a slideshow.

Pajarito Season Mazatlán 2021

In May of 2019 I took my tripod and good camera down to Playa Norte to capture the joy and excitement of this event. You can see those photos and read an in-depth story here. This year of course we have a pandemic, and I was not comfortable to take more than a quick masked walk through the area and photos with my cell phone.

Pajarito season can last just a few days or, if we’re lucky, a few weeks. So, head down to your nearest fishing boat mooring and get yours! You can find them on Stone Island, at the embarcadero to Stone Island, and in Playa Norte. It’s best to take your own container—a big bucket or smaller bowl or Tupperware will do. They were again selling for 40 pesos per kg and cleaned ones for 100 pesos per kg. If you don’t want to cook your own, local seafood places have them on the menu now. They are delicious! If you haven’t tried this local tradition, don’t miss it. If you have, I’m sure you’re happy to know the pajaritos are back.

Awesome Opportunity for Nature Lovers!

Protecting Migratory Birds in Mazatlán: A Workshop for Birdwatchers is a new FREE OF CHARGE series of excursions for English-speaking residents of Mazatlán, designed to acquaint us with the incredible biodiversity of Monte Mojino and its upcoming designation as a National Protected Area, the largest by far in the state of Sinaloa at 200,000 hectares in area. It will increase Sinaloa’s protected nature areas by 300%!

Monte Mojino is located in the municipalities of Concordia and El Rosario and is home to an extraordinary range of flora and fauna, including 310 species of native and migratory birds—at least 79 of which are in danger of extinction. Many new species have actually been discovered in the area.

This project, conducted by Conselva, our local award-winning conservation agency, with help from the Packard Foundation and US Fish and Wildlife, will involve five sessions, every other week, January through April 2021:

  • Four excursions:
    • January 28th
    • February 11th
    • February 25th
    • March 11th
  • There will be a final, closing event in April which will include a photography exhibit, when participants will share with the community of Mazatlán what they have learned.

For the four excursions participants will carpool in their own vehicles into Monte Mojino, where they will be guided by local experts and residents of the areas we’ll visit. Sandra Guido, director of Conselva, assures me the trips will be safe. Conselva has worked with the local communities for over twelve years and know the area and its residents very well. 

The goal of all of this is to build awareness of and respect for the natural areas of Sinaloa, as well as enthusiasm for conservation and ecotourism. It sounds like a lot of fun to me and something I don’t want to miss! To register for this terrific free workshop, fill out this form. If you’d like more information please send an email to mazatlanmigratorybirds@conselva.org.

Conselva also has a volunteer opportunity for you:

They will also be conducting a series of birdwatching sessions for youth (15 and up years old). These will be held on Saturdays beginning January 16th. They are looking for people to help engage the kids and help them find birds and wildlife to watch—no need to be an expert birdwatcher. Ability to hike around natural areas within the city limits and ideally some basic Spanish will be helpful. Send an email to mazatlanmigratorybirds@conselva.org if you are willing to volunteer. If you know of young people who would be interested in this, please share with them this link: https://www.conselva.org/aves-2020