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coastal erosion, fighting mother ocean, high tides, kuna indians san blas islands, linda the task at hand, pacific ocean high tides, spring tides
El Matal – Ecuador — What will remain after this weekend’s full-moon high tides?
Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time. – Paulo Coelho
Tapping into her sensitive powers of observation about her surroundings, Linda of The Task at Hand often trusts her own predictions instead of the local weather forecasts. When not penning poetic salt-of-the earth stories about her life, Linda’s specialty is varnishing boats. An unexpected change in weather can ruin her meticulous work. Enjoy her post about the subtle weather-forecasting hints here: SCHOOLED BY SUMMER .
High tides affect many areas – Bahia de Caraquez- ECUADOR – February 2014
This past week Linda inquired about my friends at nearby Playa el Matal, where Mother Ocean chomped away the shoreline during the January and February (2014) spring tides. Everyone at El Matal is preparing for the third battle against tides that will barrel ashore beneath this weekend’s full moon. We are hoping there will be no need for new posts titled like the one written in February: It’s Devastating
Coco Beach Village/El Matal Ecuador
Goodnight Moon – Pre-dawn at Playa San Miguel Costa Rica
Each evening when I gaze up at the waxing moon, a heavy sense of foreboding washes over my spirit. I think about the combination of high tides, storms at sea, the direction of winds, and how they affect the fierceness of the waves, especially when they reach the shore at high tide. Like those who live near the ocean, I am aware of the seriousness of the tides that will arrive this weekend.
This full moon brings an extra-high sea, and those who live at or near sea level will surely be participating in sea-watch vigils around the globe, including Panama’s Kuna Indians on the San Blas Islands.
REPUBLIC OF PANAMA
A 2010 report from the National Geographic illustrates the Kuna’s dilemna, and other sources have covered the Kuna’s story: (Reuters: Rising Sea Drives Panama Islanders to Mainland -SEAN MATTSON –CARTI SUGDUB)
I will wonder about those who were rattled by this week’s earthquake in Mexico, Guatemala and other peaceful seaside towns along the Pacific Coast…
La Libertad, El Salador
I will also be thinking of my friends who live along Nicaragua’s coastal areas…
Strong waves – Nicaragua – Ka-BOOM!
…Emma keeps us informed about Jamaica’s coastal problems. I asked her this past week about the upcoming spring tide. Here are her words and a link to her post about Jamaica’s coastal concerns:
“… Coastal erosion is still taking place, though, mainly due to storms, and our very strong trade winds. The south coast, where we live, is always very windy with waves two meters high at the moment. Here’s a link to an article I wrote six months ago that is about adapting to climate change and is of course still so relevant – for you in Ecuador and for our islands:”
She’s recently shared the story about possible desecration to their pristine Goat Island. (SELLING OUT PARADISE)
While watching this weekend’s high tides here in Ecuador, I will be also wondering what’s happening at Playa San Miguel, where I previously lived on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast:
The Power and Movement of Water – Playa San Miguel Costa Rica – Image by Lisa Brunetti
Those of you who live along coastal areas – please keep us posted this weekend with high-tide updates from your part of the world.
Playa San Miguel- Guanacaste- Costa Rica
View of El Matal Ecuador
A post about El Matal’s preparations for the weekend battle will be coming tomorrow.
Z
(P.S. – Thanks for your feedback on Staying Well; I can write this present post with the aid of images from Playamart files, but I am unable to reply during the daytime hours to most of the comments, thanks to a fickle/stubborn internet! I am usually unable to open new posts as well. Thank you for your continued patience!
I did not mean to imply that all red wine contains traces of MSG – only that I noted MSG symptoms after drinking a particular brand (from Chile) and was shocked when I my query pointed me to the MSG-AuxiGro connection!)
“It got me!”
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s “Fighting the Good Fight” – the next post about preparations at Playa El Matal.
Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Your beach/water images are beautiful. It is a shame that seas are rising and causing damage though.
Linda’s post is lovely; a reminder to all of us to be aware/to notice our natural surroundings and weather. Let’s hope we all keep safe and dry over the next few days; the weather in the North of NZ is already bad enough.
hola, amiga
it’s late night here (1 in the morning,) and when i read the reports about the typhoon bearing down on okinawa, i realized that it could be much much worse here. i would not want to live where hurricanes and typhoons were yearly threats.
and how come some people are still denying global warming. Good comments and photos
Z, I felt like I was on vacation as I scrolled through your pictures and words of description. I love the moon shot, but I also love the vivid colors of the market scene, replete with the woman in the tangerine colored blouse and red print scarf. Muchas gracias. BTG
Some really stunning images here, Z, especially Midnight Moon, Costa Rica. Good luck weathering the storms.
Paul Coelho’s quote reminds me of the old adage that things happen in threes. Let’s hope the impact isn’t as devestating as predicted. Wishful thinking. After having ties to these lovely coastal places, Lisa, I can see how upsetting it is to see the changes take place and feel helpless.
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I’ll try to keep you posted. Winds in Nicaragua are fuerte! The ferries are running, but maybe not for long.
ooh; i never liked to ride that rockin’ ferry on windy days! that lake can get quite ugly!
z
Thanks for the mention, and best wishes through the tides. From my window, it looks like we have about an extra foot or foot and a half of tide, but there isn’t anything unusual about that. It rises and falls with the lunar cycle and the winds, but the variation isn’t much. Subsidence and storms are more problematic when it comes to rising water and erosion. I don’t know this for certain, but I suspect that the nature of our coastline – a long, gentle slope for miles offshore – makes a difference, too.
Now, off to see what else is happening in your world!