Beautiful Beaches. Skunk Water?

[KnuckleDragger]

We were on cruise last year in mid July that had a port of call in Cozumel. We went to a beach that gets rave reviews on this board. While everything from the front door to the waterline met my expectations based on the raves--the sea itself was disgusting. Almost all of the sea floor was covered with a thick vegetation and the water stunk big time. Think stagnant pond.

 

We will be in Cozumel next week. I'll happily pay the $40 taxi ride and return to the beach to enjoy the great service, good food and nice beach if I knew the water situation was not typical. Was this incident an isolated act of God? We did embark and disembark between a couple of hurricanes.

[Calicruisefamily]

What beach was it ? I am going there in Dec and would like to know.

Thanks,

Cali :)

Voyager W. Caribbean 12/16/06 "Our First AFT 1688"

Voyager E. Caribbean 11/05

S.S. Azure Seas Baja 11/90

[Cozumel-Ian]

All the beaches on Cozumel's south-western coast almost always have great water - the sort of sparkling turqouise you dream of.

 

However, very occasionally human intervention or weather can cause isolated patches of 'sargazo' a type of local brown seaweed/grass. It's harmless but does make the water look muddy and not so inviting.

 

Let me stress - this is rare, but is perhaps what Knuckledragger experienced. If it was there last July I doubt very much that it's there now.

 

I'm no biologist, but I believe that it sometimes grows when rains bring nutrients off the land that wash out in particular spots. Sea currents must also play a part and I imagine this is one of the things construction and the illegal filling of mangroves can affect too.

 

But don't let it worry you, it's very unlikely you'll see any... crystal clear Caribbean water is what we specialise in..!

 

Ian