Tropical Storm Franklin Bypasses Belize — WHEW!

Late Sunday and definitely Monday preparation had started…Tropical Storm Franklin was heading through the Caribbean and northwest along the Central American coast.  Northern Belize was in the dreaded CONE OF UNCERTAINTY.

With only a year between us and unexpectedly powerful Hurricane Earl, preparation began.  Boats were moved or pulled from the water, beach furniture and loose items cleared from outdoor space – a ban was put on alcohol sales and the country’s National Emergency Management team issued a Tropical Storm Warning.  (See pictures from yesterday)

But late afternoon yesterday, the path shifted more aggressively northward.  And last night – around 9pm, Franklin made landfall in Pulticub, Mexico.

What?  You haven’t heard of it?  I hadn’t either.  It’s a village of 37 people in Quintana Roo.  85 miles from San Pedro town, Belize; only about 25 miles north of Mahahual – the town frequented by many cruise ships and called the “Costa Maya Port”.  (Pulticub is about 80 miles south of Tulum and 150 miles south of Cancun)

Pulticub’s address is “The South end of the Sian Kaan Biosphere at the end of the paved road”

A relatively near miss – but a MISS!  And since we were on the south side of the storm, the ocean rise was mitigated.

Very grateful.  This morning, you can tell that the water came up higher than usual last night — there is beach erosion in spots.  The wind is blowing from the south – still up and into this storm.  (Cool wind monitoring on this site)

The weather still looks to be a bit stormy for a few days in the forecast but our island is breathing a bit sigh of relief.

And on a positive note, the sargassum that was coming in fast and furious for the last week or two has washed away.

So…back to our regularly scheduled programming.