Hurricane Rina has degenerated into a tropical storm which is kind of disappointing after all these days of anticipation. We are still in for some nasty weather but nothing to worry about. The storm proper should arrive tonight.
The island flew into action yesterday. Many hundreds of boats were moved into sheltered Laguna Makax in the middle of the island and the town boarded up most of its windows. I helped until we were out of plywood and after that there was little anyone could do but wait. Most of the tourists have left and most businesses have closed up for the duration, so the place is quiet between sporadic outbursts of torrential rain. At firsts the streets ran murky despite all the rain last week but now the water flows as clear and sparkly as a mountain stream. This town is clean.
Desesperado is upsidedown and weighted with lumber and blocks at the excellent and friendly Paraiso Marina whose owner Frank and manager Kevin have been nothing but charming and helpful to me since my arrival here.
Throughout my trip people have said “Oh the hurricanes are very dangerous” and of course that is true but they have never worried me because there is always warning and even then they miss most of the time. In this case we have been waiting for a week and the storm has weakened and veered off and become an anticlimax. I have the great advantage over other vessels that I can run straight for land and haul out singlehanded (this is no accident, it is my main reason for building a weird boat) so hurricanes have never worried me. It is lesser storms with less warning that bother me, but so far so good.
I have a cheap hotel room, just moved there this morning after the last one repeatedly flooded.
I have been trapped on Isla Mujeres so long now I can barely remember life on the trip far from restaurants and people who speak my own language. I almost wish I’d gotton stuck on some random beach or islet and had a more difficult and intense experience. It certainly would have been cheaper.
Grillabongquixotic's Blog 
I know you must be feeling a bit let down now that the anticipated hurricane experience has disintegrated. We, however are relieved. I found a webcam site for a camera on top of the Hotel Beach Palace that looks from Cancun toward Isla Mujeres, and was up watching as it got light. I was sort of looking forward to watching the howler come ashore. I wondered if I could see your vessel, or bits of it, flipping by the camera.
Anyway, hope the weather now takes a turn for the better, as well as your outlook on life. Looking forward to whatever you decide to do from now on.
Love!
I thought this was an almost deserted island full of women prancing about under palm tree 😦 f’in tourism industry! Go to Cuba! Most of the cost is deserted. You’ll probably almost die 😉
Carry on sailor!
lol
What can I add to the above comments.
Apart from not watching for airborne shards of proa on Mexican webcams, I also hope the weather improves. I’m glad you have a solid base of friendly boat-nerds and vegetable dishes myself – sorry about the apparent absence of lithe-limbed exotic tanned beauties – although had the shores been brimming with them you’d probably be dead already.. (Joke crumpetina! We all know this man is made of finer stuff)
Enjoy the clean, tourist-free coastline while you can. Remember – that random islet of intensity might have hosted the full-on hurricane! xxx