Basura: The beauty of night sky at ‘Windows to the Sea’

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” — Buddha

We stayed overnight at Ventanas al Mar a few years ago. The name is Spanish for Windows to the Sea; it is located on the undeveloped east side of Cozumel, Mexico. Cozumel is an island nine miles off the Yucatan Peninsula, in the state of Quintana Roo. The west side of Cozumel faces Playa del Carmen. On clear nights, one can see the lights of Playa del Carmen, across the channel.

The south end of Cozumel is across from the north end of Akumal. Akumal is from the Mayan for Place of the Turtles. Akumal Bay is lush with turtle grass, and therefore the bay attracts many sea turtles. It is not uncommon on the Yucatan to see Mayan words as well as Spanish ones – and there’s English strewn about sometimes too.

A Mexican woman asked me, “Do you know the difference between Cancun and Miami?” Then she told me, “Everyone in Cancun speaks at least a little English.” This may apply largely to Cozumel, also, especially where the tourists go. Cancun is close enough to Cozumel that some tourists fly to Cancun, take a bus or taxi to Playa del Carmen, and ride the ferry across the channel to Cozumel. Cancun is from the Mayan too, for nest of snakes. Cancun is an enormously popular tourist destination, known for nightlife, and the old Mayan name should not be held against it.

Those folks who live out the country have the benefit of dark skies, which we in the city don’t have. One year, because of of this, we went to Ventanas al Mar. The east side of the island is undeveloped, and has no electrical service. There are some beach clubs on the east side. They bring in ice so they can serve their visitors cold beer and Margaritas. Ventanas is located a short walk from Coconuts, a prototypical beach bar, known for the book of Polaroids photos on hand, featuring gringas in beach wear – or more accurately, young women, mostly American girls, posing topless.  

The room we had at Ventanas al Mar was comfortable, nicely furnished, and featured sliding floor to ceiling door windows, which led out to a small balcony with enough room for a couple of Adirondack chairs. The hotel had 8 to 12 rooms, but there were only two other couple staying there during our visit.

We’d scheduled our visit to coincide with a new moon, to maximize the darkness for star gazing. Of course, there was no ambient light due to the lack of electrification on what is called the wild side of Cozumel. Because it is the windward side, the Caribbean Sea is challenging, perhaps dangerous, and the snorkelers and divers drawn to Cozumel for the incredible clarity of the water and abundance of marine life usually stay on the lee side. Because of the steady breeze, few insects are in evidence, and those big sliders don’t need screens.

It’s about 12 miles from downtown San Miquel. Excellent breakfast was provided. Excellent dinner, at a perfectly reasonable price, was available – or, of course, there is Coconuts. We ate our dinner at Ventanas, and enjoyed the food and service. Room prices were inexpensive, and according to the website, still are (ventanasalmar.com). There are lots of photos on the website. We don’t usually rent a vehicle in Mexico, and took a cab to the hotel. It turned out that the manager was going into town the next day, and offered us a free ride back, saving us the fare for the return trip. The beach area was uncrowded, with lovely vistas.

The stars of the night were the stars. We found ourselves staring out at the sky from our room, or from our Adirondack chairs on the balcony. We left the sliders open all night. We’d wake frequently, and usually go out onto the balcony for a bit, completely awed by the beauty of the night sky. We’d sit in the Adirondack chairs, feet on the balcony railing, and stare at the stars. When fatigue would become too much, we’d hit the sack, but with the sliders still open to hear the surf. We could still gaze at the night sky from our pillows. Often one of us would awaken, and drift out to the balcony for twenty minutes or so, trying not to disturb the other. Sometimes we’d both awaken and go out. Even from the bed the view was spectacular.

We live in the city. Our night skies are polluted with ambient light from street lights, business lights, lights from homeowners, and other sources. We never get a good look at the night sky from our home. Many times I’ve enjoyed a late night soak in the hot tub in our back yard, hoping to see meteor showers or other astronomical events, but never have been satisfied with the darkness. I know that Wilderness State Park, near the Straits of Mackinac, has an annual Dark Sky Night, in which artificial light is not used.  

We’ve talked of re-visiting Ventanas al Mar, and coinciding our time there with a full moon. Maybe next year.