Spring Break is tame in Cancun 'cause of Wilma

[HurricaneJoe22]

Spring Breakers Find a Mellower Cancun

By JULIE WATSON
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) - The sugar-white sand beaches are back after being swept away by Hurricane Wilma five months ago. But there are no stages for wet T-shirt contests, and MTV won't be hosting its spring break beach party.

Instead, the first wave of winter-weary college students who converged on Cancun found that construction workers nearly outnumbered revelers this week in Mexico's spring break capital of beer and bikinis.

With nearly half its hotels still closed, Cancun has plunged down the list of destinations for spring breakers from the United States. The Caribbean resort fell from No. 2 last year to No. 8 this year for travelers booking trips through CheapTickets.com. Miami was the top destination.

Tourism officials say they expect about 25,000 visitors in Cancun this season, compared to 40,000 last year. Many spring breakers have moved farther south to the Maya Riviera or to Acapulco, the Pacific playground of the 1950s that has been steadily rising in popularity because of its all-night discos.

``Obviously it's not going to be the same this year,'' said Cancun Tourism Director Jesus Rossano.

Many of those who did make the trip found themselves sitting against a backdrop of lumber piles and cement blocks or next to pools lined with brown palms that appeared to have just gotten a buzz cut. Instead of blasting music, the sound of hammers pierced the air.

``It's not near as nice as I expected,'' said MacKenzie Horras, 22, an elementary education student at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. ``Some of the pools are dirty or don't have water.''

But while some of the hotels were clearly out of business for some time to come, others were fully functioning beyond their damaged facades. The Oasis hotel, popular with spring breakers, showed few signs of being hit by a major hurricane.

All, however, agreed Mexico's party resort has slowed down a bit.

Stephanie Streit, who was sunbathing with Horras on the beach, said her friends who'd come the year before described a much wilder place.

``Out of control was the term I heard most used,'' said Streit, 22, a psychology major at the University of Northern Iowa. ``But it's pretty tame.''

``I heard boobs and beads,'' said her friend, Crystal Whitney, 21, referring to the wet T-shirt contests and beaded necklaces worn by revelers who flock to the all-you-can-drink discos. ``But I haven't seen much of that.''

The Mexican government hoped to use spring break as a way to show the world how the country's prime resort had bounced back.

President Vicente Fox's government poured $19 million into rebuilding the beaches, hiring a Belgian company that dredged sand from the ocean floor and dumped tons of it over rocks and concrete exposed by the hurricane.

With winds reaching 150 mph, Wilma roared ashore Oct. 21, then stalled over Cancun for nearly 40 hours. It toppled trees, demolished homes and left much of the city of 700,000 under brown, foul-smelling flood waters.

Rebuilding began almost immediately and continues around the clock, especially in the hotel zone, a 15-mile spit of coast where glamorous resorts line the Caribbean on one side and posh shops and smaller lodges face a lagoon on the other.

Some of the most popular discotheques, like Dady'O and Coco Bongo, packed people in as in years past. But many bars - which once drew thousands with big-name rock bands and over-the-top contests aimed at giving people reasons to get naked in public - were closed.

Cheryl Scott, 45, said when she realized she was taking her 11-year-old son to Cancun during spring break, she feared it would be a disaster.

``You hear the 'woo-hoo' and the 'yee-hah' and you know where they're coming from,'' said Scott, who lives outside Fort Worth, Texas. ``But it's not been an issue at all. It's safe, normal and he hasn't seen anything I wouldn't want him to see.''

``I'm not an old fuddy duddy,'' she added. ``But this is my speed: My son is making sand castles and I'm drinking strawberry daiquiris.''

Many students also said Wilma did not ruin their vacations.

``Looking at the ocean all day is a lot better than staring at a cornfield,'' said 22-year-old University of Nebraska at Lincoln student Ben Hansen.

[MiamiensisWx]

Typical... the article is making it sound like Wilma was not a big deal in Mexico when there was really catastrophic damage. Who agrees?

[thunderchief]

the fact that the place is still badly messed up 5 months afterwards doesnt look like its "not a big deal" in any way.

[MiamiensisWx]

I agree, thunderchief!

[CrazyC83]

I think Katrina changed the way the media sees hurricanes.

It was the worst Mexican hurricane since at least Gilbert (1988) and the costliest hurricane in Mexican history (damage >$5 billion US in Mexico).

They also probably are judging by the fact that only 8 people died in Mexico, which was remarkable for its strength and slow motion.

[southerngale]

I'll spend a day in Cancun when I take my Caribbean cruise in early May. I'll take plenty of pictures.

I hope they are spared from any more hurricanes this year. I hope we're all spared!

[MiamiensisWx]

Amen, Kelly!

[Hybridstorm_November2001]

I second that. Cancun, and everyone down there, has been through more than enough. If there has to be landfalls; then let them happen some place else, or better yet nowhere at all.

[ROCK]

South Padre was packed this spring break. #1 reason, Cancun was rebuilding....

[richtrav]

I heard it was a bit slower than what they expected on South Padre this year (high price of gas?). I can only imagine Cancun looks horrible. Heck it looked bad just 40 miles south of Brownsville from Emily last August

[Extremeweatherguy]

As I have said on many other threads...I was just in the Cozumel area last Friday. The damage is still very severe and nearly every tree is down (except for the newly planted palms in the tourist areas). There was also extensive damage to the main pier and to the old port (which has been virtually wiped away). Supposedly (according to a local) there was a 21 foot surge on the Island when Wilma came ashore and they had 68 hrs. of hurricane force winds (at times up to Cat. 3/4 strength)! Could you imagine! It is also amazing to still see entire buildings and homes roof-less or wall-less 5 months later. Many hotels in that area will not re-open until this Summer.

[HurricaneHunter914]

Not to be raining on your hopes but you guys should know that over the past few years a trend for cyclones in south Florida and the northern gulf has been increasing it may change because of La Nina but La nina is only temporary. Hopes won't cause a hurricane to veer away from the coast. Instead of hoping, prepare for the worst this year and don't let your gaurd down.

[Jim Cantore]

I think Katrina changed the way the media sees hurricanes.

It was the worst Mexican hurricane since at least Gilbert (1988) and the costliest hurricane in Mexican history (damage >$5 billion US in Mexico).

They also probably are judging by the fact that only 8 people died in Mexico, which was remarkable for its strength and slow motion.

and 60 inches of rain in cancun

[gatorcane]

Not to be raining on your hopes but you guys should know that over the past few years a trend for cyclones in south Florida and the northern gulf has been increasing it may change because of La Nina but La nina is only temporary. Hopes won't cause a hurricane to veer away from the coast. Instead of hoping, prepare for the worst this year and don't let your gaurd down.

Amen to that it's coming for Florida (especially South Florida) and the GOM for the next couple of decades at least IMHO. So stop building along the beach and if you do have very strict building codes is all I have to say to those million dollar bombshells waiting to happen

[Hurricaneman]

Spring Breakers Find a Mellower Cancun

By JULIE WATSON
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) - The sugar-white sand beaches are back after being swept away by Hurricane Wilma five months ago. But there are no stages for wet T-shirt contests, and MTV won't be hosting its spring break beach party.

Instead, the first wave of winter-weary college students who converged on Cancun found that construction workers nearly outnumbered revelers this week in Mexico's spring break capital of beer and bikinis.

With nearly half its hotels still closed, Cancun has plunged down the list of destinations for spring breakers from the United States. The Caribbean resort fell from No. 2 last year to No. 8 this year for travelers booking trips through CheapTickets.com. Miami was the top destination.

Tourism officials say they expect about 25,000 visitors in Cancun this season, compared to 40,000 last year. Many spring breakers have moved farther south to the Maya Riviera or to Acapulco, the Pacific playground of the 1950s that has been steadily rising in popularity because of its all-night discos.

``Obviously it's not going to be the same this year,'' said Cancun Tourism Director Jesus Rossano.

Many of those who did make the trip found themselves sitting against a backdrop of lumber piles and cement blocks or next to pools lined with brown palms that appeared to have just gotten a buzz cut. Instead of blasting music, the sound of hammers pierced the air.

``It's not near as nice as I expected,'' said MacKenzie Horras, 22, an elementary education student at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. ``Some of the pools are dirty or don't have water.''

But while some of the hotels were clearly out of business for some time to come, others were fully functioning beyond their damaged facades. The Oasis hotel, popular with spring breakers, showed few signs of being hit by a major hurricane.

All, however, agreed Mexico's party resort has slowed down a bit.

Stephanie Streit, who was sunbathing with Horras on the beach, said her friends who'd come the year before described a much wilder place.

``Out of control was the term I heard most used,'' said Streit, 22, a psychology major at the University of Northern Iowa. ``But it's pretty tame.''

``I heard boobs and beads,'' said her friend, Crystal Whitney, 21, referring to the wet T-shirt contests and beaded necklaces worn by revelers who flock to the all-you-can-drink discos. ``But I haven't seen much of that.''

The Mexican government hoped to use spring break as a way to show the world how the country's prime resort had bounced back.

President Vicente Fox's government poured $19 million into rebuilding the beaches, hiring a Belgian company that dredged sand from the ocean floor and dumped tons of it over rocks and concrete exposed by the hurricane.

With winds reaching 150 mph, Wilma roared ashore Oct. 21, then stalled over Cancun for nearly 40 hours. It toppled trees, demolished homes and left much of the city of 700,000 under brown, foul-smelling flood waters.

Rebuilding began almost immediately and continues around the clock, especially in the hotel zone, a 15-mile spit of coast where glamorous resorts line the Caribbean on one side and posh shops and smaller lodges face a lagoon on the other.

Some of the most popular discotheques, like Dady'O and Coco Bongo, packed people in as in years past. But many bars - which once drew thousands with big-name rock bands and over-the-top contests aimed at giving people reasons to get naked in public - were closed.

Cheryl Scott, 45, said when she realized she was taking her 11-year-old son to Cancun during spring break, she feared it would be a disaster.

``You hear the 'woo-hoo' and the 'yee-hah' and you know where they're coming from,'' said Scott, who lives outside Fort Worth, Texas. ``But it's not been an issue at all. It's safe, normal and he hasn't seen anything I wouldn't want him to see.''

``I'm not an old fuddy duddy,'' she added. ``But this is my speed: My son is making sand castles and I'm drinking strawberry daiquiris.''

Many students also said Wilma did not ruin their vacations.

``Looking at the ocean all day is a lot better than staring at a cornfield,'' said 22-year-old University of Nebraska at Lincoln student Ben Hansen.

Its going to be a bad year for revenue there