With two boats now operating round the clock to dredge sand from two sandbanks in area waters near Isla Mujeres and Cozumel and pump it onto the Cancun shoreline, restoration work has speeded up. The sand on beaches in the Punta Cancun area has been replenished and the heavy machinery has moved towards the south where work is currently underway between Hotel Le Blanc and the Flamingo Resort. Beach Project Coordinator Edgar Ordoñez Durán announced that as of December 2, 1,248,000 cubic meters of sand had already been pumped onto the beaches and that work is advancing at an average of 100 meters per day.
A Cancun Hotel Association spokesman informed Royal Resorts that it should take approximately seven to 10 days for the dred
gers to reach The Royal Sands (weather permitting) from their present position near Flamingo Resort, and a further 10 to 12 days for them to advance as far as The Royal Islander. These are estimates and we are waiting for official confirmation from the project engineer who is visiting all the hotels to inspect the beach and give staff instructions before work begins.
In other beach news, work has also begun on the concrete barrier between Punta Cancun and Islote Golondrinas. Over 300 meters long and comprised of over 13,830 concrete blocks weighing approximately 16,245 tons, the sea wall will reduce coastal erosion and sand loss.
After the initial delays, work is now advancing much more quickly, in fact local press reports published on December 4 citing one of the project engineers mention that the project could largely be finished in Cancún at the end of the month. However, the official completion date remains February 10, 2010.
Stay posted for more news and photos as work progresses.
