In the morning or August 21, 2007, category 5 hurricane Dean, the third strongest hurricane in the Atlantic basin on record, came to shore and hit the Costa Maya with its full force. The official center of the 20 km-wide eye made landfall 9 km south of Mahahual, i.e. only 500 yards south of our house. While the hurricane devastated Mahahual and especially the coast north of Mahahual and destroyed more the 90% of the houses, our house survived the hurricane with only minor damages and our property seemed almost like an oasis in the surrounding destruction. For more information check http://www.mahahualbeachhouse.com.
Sattelite view of Dean at landfall. Dean was a fast-moving hurricane, which partially explains why storm-surge damages - considering its strenght- were limited. The storm surge in Mahahual did not reach 6 feet above normal. Especially at the south side of the center (the "good" side), strongest winds quickly came from inland- counteracting waves and surge. The northern Costa Maya (Rio Indio, Placer, Uvero) was less lucky and essentially all houses in the proximity of the beach were either completely destroyed or damaged beyound possible repair.
Panorama view (canon photostich) of our beach before (Jan 2007) and after hurricane Dean (Sep 2007). Today (2010) our beach has almost reverted to its original status, except it will take several years for newly planted palms close to the water line to become sizable trees. For more information check http://www.mahahualbeachhouse.com.
After Dean, Sep 1, 2007, as soon as I could get time off work and an airline ticket I went to visit Mahahual. The following pictures were taken en route to Mahahual and then in Mahahual within a few days of arrival. This is the first picture I took- showing Hwy 307 between Felipe Carillo Puerto and Limones. Storm damage from Dean was noticable as far north as Tulum and increased farther south. Closer to Limones more and more trees were broken or uprooted and increasingly stripped of leaves. Also many houses showed heavy damage; stickhouses often levelled and palm-thatched roofs with holes or blown away.
Hwy 307 between Felipe Carillo Puerto and Limones; toward Limones trees broken and increasingly stripped of leaves
Hwy 307 between Felipe Carillo Puerto and Limones; most houses and huts along the road are damaged- here is a house that still has a roof
Los Limones- the village sustained severe damage during Dean. The fruit stands at the topes at the south end of the village still work...
Los Limones- view from south end of village toward the center
banana plantation south of Limones- plants are down but not destroyed; jungle in background heavily damaged and essentilaly stripped of leaves
banana plantation south of Limones- plants are down but not destroyed; jungle in background heavily damaged
Road Cafetal-Mahahual; km 5- all trees stripped of leaves
road Cafetal- Mahahual; mangrove swamp at km 15; mangroves here lost a lot of leaves, but are not severely damaged
Road Cafetal-Mahahual; km 40- all vegetation stripped of leaves; overall the typical dark green color of the landscape is replaced by brown and grey
Road Cafetal-Mahahual; km 40- all vegetation stripped of leaves
Cafetal- Mahahual road, km 50- provisional power line
last 10 high voltage power masts down- amazingly, after only 9 days, line already repaired with temporary wooden poles
New wood poles as temporary replacement of downed high power line. In the center remnant of downed light tower visible.
Paved road between Mahahual military checkpoint and Xcalak, km 10; all vegetation stripped of leaves
after km 10 in direction Xcalak most wind damage by westerly winds (from inland)
Paved road between Mahahual military checkpoint and Xcalak, km 15; all vegetation stripped of leaves
horse ranch at Punta Herradura access road; because of damage to fences and barns, horses roam freely
former coconut plantation headquarter at Punta Herradura- build after 1955 -now totally destroyed
beach road at Punta Herradura; road here is intact
Beach road north of Punta Herradura. Here ther road was partially washed away, but repaired with a bulldozer
beach road at punta herradura; beach heavily eroded
beach road at punta herradura; view of El Castillo
beach erosion in El Castillo area
El Castillo from south- all large palapa structures gone; new provisional palapa roof on neighbor hut after Dean (using Zekate from Castillo palapa)
El Castillo from south- all large palapa structures gone
El Castillo restaurant- remnants
El Castillo
El Castillo new trackt
El Castillo new trackt destroyed
pink house at Paytocal- only minor damage
garage at Paytocal- damage by wind from west (inland)
Paytocal (Stephane's house)
road through mangroves- trees stripped of leaves
road through mangroves at Paytocal- trees stripped of leaves
most sheet palms still standing
houses near Maya Palms- mostly only minor damage
Luna Floja - destroyed beach houses not visible; magnificent Ceiba tree down
near Maya Palms; wall blown over- strong wind came from the west and not from the sea
Maya Palms- trees in inner yard heavily destroyed
Kabah-Na; heavy damage to roofs
First view -our house (never saw it from here through the trees before)
Our house and "our jungle"; only sheet palms still standing
First view of house after arrival (Darvey is waiting)
First view after arrival; Larissas rock garden seems still intact
balcony roof "ruffled", with holes (palm leaves missing), but not destroyed
destroyed vegetation south side of house
House inside- perfectly clean; we got no saltwater into the house. Only driving rain left waterstains on window sills
house survived surprisingly well- only palapa roof over balcony damaged and rainpipe to cistern broke off
view from beach
Porch with rescued beach table. Darvey found it in the middle of the beach road. Amazingly, only 3 small tiles broken. Our shutters did protect the windows very well.
view from north
bugainvilla -with new leaves
our "jungle" -gone...
beach from house; lots of sand (in piles after bulldozer cleared a path)
beach from house; most palms are gone and Uva heavily damaged- here was our shaded seating area with table and grill
beach from house; most palms are gone and Uva heavily damaged
beach from balcony; most palms are gone and Uva heavily damaged; first fresh leaves (!)
beach from balcony
jungle
damage to roof
our jungle- damaged
view in direction of Mahahual; Pinas on Lindas property heavily damaged- Palapa leveled
north side of our property; Heinz' palapa gone without a trace
south end of our property
our formerly shaded area- the Uva is destroyed, only two coconut trees still standing
beach from roof (south)
mangroves with Mary J.s hut (was before never visible)
mangroves with Mary J.s hut (was before never visible); note the leaf-less mangroves and savanna for miles and miles up to the horizon
western border of our property (mangroves)
Larissa's garden heavily destroyed
casita
view from roof north; note the first fresh leaves on the Uva
view from roof north
damage to roof over balcony; Darvey removed the solar panels from the palm roof before the hurricane (thus saved them)- part of them are now provisionally placed on the roof teracce
beach from roof (east)
view from roof (north); now we can see some of the houses along the beachroad through the tree tops
view from roof (west)
view from roof in derection of Mary's property (remnant of hut is visible)
Larissas rock garden with agaves did amazingly well; all shells disappeared
few palms remained in one area of the beach; the Sheetpalms did amazingly well
house from north end of property
remnants of Uva , beach side or road (front of house)
Linda A.'s property - Beach palapa is destroyed
"Quintillano's" hut is destroyed
Uva in front of house, some new leaves
erosion of our beach (view in direction of Kabah-Na)
erosion of our beach (view in direction of Kabah-Na); a stripe of 20 m washed out with 1-2 feet of sand lost; all palms washed out
erosion of our beach a stripe of 20 m washed out with 1-2 feet of sand lost; all palms washed out
our beach; view in direction of Mahahual
our beach; palms washed out and on the ground
our beach, view in direction of Mahahual
house from beach; grill in fore ground
Linda's property- remnants of "Quintillianos" hut
first palms re-errected
Our dogs are fine; Darvey took them to Limones during the evacuation
beach with partially re-errected palms
destroyed Uva- former shaded seating area
view of vegetation stripped area behind house
new guano (palm leaves) for roof repair
casita; our "lush jungle" behind the house has been nearly entirely cleared from vegetation; only most of the sheet plams survived
view of our beach from sea (after snorkeling trip to assess coral reef damage)
beach area from porch- some palms already re-errected
abusing rental car as tracktor for pulling/ re-errecting palms
abusing rental car as tracktor for pulling/ re-errecting palms; rope is attached
Magdalena and Kevin on a palm that we already moved back closer to water the line and awaiting for rescue
upright again
upright and secured
moved to high water line and awaiting rescue
Mike T.'s property
Huacho' old house
eroded beach 70 m north of our beach
Mike T.'s porperty
Mike T.'s porperty (view in north direction )
Huacho's old house - now destroyed
Mahahual - destroyed
Mahahual - destroyed; "Nachos" right side of road; all other structures destroyed
mangroves in water close to fisherman pier prevented errosion
downtown from Super Carolina 11 days after Dean- sand already moved back to beach
view of damaged Tequila Beach and of cruise ship piers (wrecked)
Palms in water island in front of Super Carolina miracolously survived
Super Carolina; heavily damaged
virtually all buildings washed away or heavily damaged
site of Kindergarten- no buildings left
virtually no buildings left
only concrete structures survived- also often heavily damaged
rare palapa roof survived
destruction
most buildings disappeared or are heavily damaged
nothing left here
everything washed away into the mangroves
mangroves full of trash from houses and capsized boats
most buildings disappeared- third road parallele to beach
everything washed away
virtually everything washed away
big holes even in concrete structures
remnants
no buildings left
view of wrecked cruis piers
repaired road at navel station
survivor
many buildings flattened
sand partially moved back to beach- downtown Mahahual, 11 days after
11 days after - downtown
11 days after- sand partially moved back
repairs underway
meter-high rubble (cleared by bulldozer)
Balamku
Travel In'
our artificial reef fared well (water still turbid)
soft corals survived
our artificial reef fared well; many fish
found even a life conch
gray angel
view of beach before and after (canon photostitch)
view of house from south; before and after
left panel- view of house from north. right panel view in direction of caretaker casita; before and after
left panel- view from balcony, north direction. right panel view from balcony in south direction ; before and after
left panel, top- view from north (before). left panel, bottom- view from roof in direction of caretaker casita/ mangroves right panel- view from roof in north direction; before and after
house from beach- 2 months after Dean; palm roof over balcony is nicely repaired
beach- 2 months after Dean prognosis for re-errected palms is not good
2 months after Dean- some vegetation is recovering- Uva south of house
two months after Dean- some vegetation recovers- even the bugainvillas; seen is also the new palm roof to protect the windows of the caretaker casita
2 monts after- beach from house- good recovery of Uva and almendra tree
Uva in front of house seems to recover; prognosis for re-errected palms is less optimistic
comparison 10 days and 2 months after DEAN
100 days after
Januar 2010. Good recovery 2.5 years after Dean. However, it will take several years to grow newly planted palms (foreground) into sizable trees. We now plant palms in groups. A major lesson of the hurricane was, that palm groups, compared to single palms, did much better resist the grinding wave action during the hurricane.
Casa del Cielo de las Estrella today (Jan 2010).
