Akumal’s 50th Anniversary

50th Anniversary Poster

Fifty years ago, before there were roads along the Quintana Roo coast, a wealthy Mexican diver bought miles of coastline from a coconut plantation and founded a small dive resort on the pristine bay. He first found this string of bays lined with drooping coconut palms and sugar white sand because of the wreck of a Spanish galleon, El Matancero, which had sunk on the reefs offshore.

Don Pablo Bush Romero is famous not just for founding Akumal but as the founder of CEDAM (Club de Exploraciones y Deportes Acuáticos de México) a club that led expeditions to the bottom of the cenotes of Chichen Itza, the wrecks off the Caribbean coast of Mexico and even the final grave of Jean Lafitte. The club was based on the idea that any could join but no one could profit, everything discovered belonged to the people of México. From all accounts he was a Hemingway kind of man, big game hunter, raconteur, adventurer, a man’s man – and no doubt a delight to women as well.

Last weekend we went over to Akumal for the big 50th anniversary celebration. Don Pablo’s daughters still own a good portion of Akumal and it is through their and their father’s generosity that Akumal is the home of the world renowned ecological center, CEA (Centro Ecológico Akumal.)

The town has always been centered around diving, it is how Mimi and I found it some 15 years ago. The reefs off the coast are beautiful and full of life, the cenotes clustered along that stretch of coast offer incredible fresh water dives and it is a a day trip to the deep water walls of Cozumel. It’s also a great place to have a good time and a good meal in an incredible Caribbean setting.

People who came to Akumal in the 1980's & 1990's

After our aborted attempt to drive over on Thursday night, we had a clear sunny drive on Friday. I even made it in time for my noon dentist appointment. Which was good because my dentist is an avid diver and he was off at 1pm for the reefs of Akumal. Two of our dentists competed in the underwater treasure hunt on Saturday, sadly neither of them won but they had a good time.

We went that evening to CEA to watch a movie produced by Myrna Bush about the founding of Akumal and its development.

It was fascinating and the place was jammed. People overflowed out both sides to the patio and the beach, it only started clearing out when the inevitable politicians got the mic.

I got to see a lot of old friends from when we first started coming to Akumal in 1994. They called up everyone from the 1980′s and 1990′s for a picture, can you spot Mimi and I?

Then there was music and dancing at the bandstand across the way. We watched for a bit and then joined a lot of friends for dinner at Cueva de Pescador nearby, we also had a few of their famous margaritas.

Cuba swimming to me

Saturday we all went snorkeling in Yal Ku lagoon, a fantastic inlet where fresh water from the underground rivers flows into the ocean. It’s a nursery for dozens of types of reef fish, and the best part is that it is only a couple blocks from our condo.

We also did some snorkeling in Half Moon Bay in front of our condo. For me, the most exciting part was I got Cuba to swim! Our rescued beach dogs will have nothing at all to do with the water but I kept hoping that Cuba would like it. I took her down alone and with Paula’s help we encouraged her and before long she was bounding into the water and swimming to me. What a champ!

That night we went to the party at Lol Ha, the restaurant/bar/resort owned by the other Bush sister, Laura. An open bar, a great buffet, tons of old friends … it was a fantastic evening on the beach of Akumal bay. I didn’t take my camera along, so no pictures which is probably good.

On Sunday, MImi was playing in the volleyball tournament with the Turtle Bay Cafe team and we all trooped to the beach to cheer her on. It was a gorgeous day, the bay and the beach were jammed with people enjoying the celebration. There was a fishing tournament which was won by Wendell Day and a huge Marlin. There were beer booths and food booths and families picnicking and kids playing. It was wonderful. Down at the far end of the beach, the volleyball was hot and action packed. I watched a good deal of it from about 3′ of water floating in the Caribbean. Perfect front row view and cool, I had to get out to take pictures, that was the only rub.

Then we had to make a decision. We had planned to return to Mérida that night but Sunday night was another big party at our local beach bar, La Buena Vida. It’s owned by a good friend and it’s our favorite spot so we decided to stay another night. A full day of sun and water and then another night of friends and drinking did us in. I think those Brits have a picture of Stephen and I dancing that night, I may have to kill them.

It was exhausting and fabulous and the most fun I’ve had in a long time.  I’ve put together another slide show but there is also a link to the gallery at Picassa so if you have a slow connection that will work better.

Here’s a link to the album if the slideshow does not load.