Can we go to Coz yet?

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Temperature check at the entrance to playa ferry terminal...there is absolutely no one here other than me, the guard and a few builders walking around. Bag drag really it bag drag. No porters in sight. Nothing open.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

It’s sort of ‘ultra luxurious’.....if it weren’t for the fact that so many people have suffered..

 

[ggunn]

Mayor of Cozumel evidently posted that though the beach clubs are open , you can’t go in the water (evidently state wide )

Does anyone see the reasoning behind that? I don't think the virus can survive in salt water and I haven't heard that it can be spread though water.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Some porters just showed up to meet the ferry arriving at playa. So I think you just need to be here close to departure time or you are dragging all of your crap down to the jetty yourself.

 

[BRT]

I should add that there were guards getting dressed in PPE at the temp checking station...so I wonder if they were more focused on the incoming flights from the US...

They used the cameras on us going out too.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

3 x temp checks getting onto the ferry, but there is no real distancing going on here. If you are a bit itchy about it, you may feel uncomfortable. Most people are wearing masks and men I. White coats asked everyone to put one on when they took tickets. If you don’t have one, you aren’t getting on and they won’t give you one.

the only people not wearing them on the ferry appear to be the guys coughing all over the place...

that’s it for my playa/ferry update. I’ll post updates ref the reef tomorrow afternoon .

I’m out.

 

[ChuckP]

Does anyone see the reasoning behind that? I don't think the virus can survive in salt water and I haven't heard that it can be spread though water.

Save the hair and brain power - don't try to put any sense of reasoning with anything here. The mayor responds directly to someone that there's no beaches period, a few hours later a police page says it's ok........................................

 

[cozcharlie]

Does anyone see the reasoning behind that? I don't think the virus can survive in salt water and I haven't heard that it can be spread though water.

While that quote above was from mayor, the following article is from governor. He is worried about what I had said they would be worried about in a couple of posts —the land interaction on the beach, not so much the water.


[Government officials reiterate Quintana Roo beaches are still shut - Riviera Maya News]

Lack of social distancing is definitely a valid concern , but it is also ridiculous to try to bring in non-diving tourists with closed beaches (and a lot of divers come with non-diving spouses and children ). You will wind up with some angry wives and upset children who will never come here again

My guess is Cancun open but beaches closed will probably start making weird news headlines pretty soon

Once again they have a valid concern about crowded beaches (just look at a bunch of other beach locations that had issues after opening up). I don’t see an easy solution given that Mexican beaches are public land. The Governor discusses some alternatives in the article including individual access but not groups. No easy answers

 

[cozcharlie]

No questions at gate. On board now. Probably about 20-25 percent full. Btw. First class way more crowded than coach. Almost full in first

Mayor of Cozumel evidently posted that though the beach clubs are open , you can’t go in the water (evidently state wide ) I know they are trying to prevent locals giving it to each other while socializing on the beach , but It is ridiculous to open up for tourists and say they can’t go in the water unless on a boat or diving

Just following up on airport. No real issues at Cozumel airport. In addition to normal customs and immigration, we had to fill out the medical tracing card Ministry of Giraffes received in Cancun. Unlike Cancun, Cozumel actually collected it. It asked about your recent travel history , asked if you had been in contact with anyone with Covid (or had it yourself ), and then ran through a yes/no checklist of symptoms.

You had to list your flight number , seat number and email and phone. Makes perfect sense to ask all those questions. Question is will they actually be able to follow up if necessary The form was collected by a random guy after immigration but before customs (guy was next to the dog smells your carryons for contraband ).

One other thing different in Cozumel airport was immigration guy seemed to only take people one by one, even if they were couples. They might have had a thermal temperature screener working from a distance. While I was waiting in immigration line I saw someone with equipment in a roped off area past the immigration booths by the windows facing the runway , but I forgot to look that direction when I went through immigration (I was looking at the dog to my left, forgot to look to my right to get a better look at whatever was there )

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Where are you staying cozcharlie?