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Initial relief effort and photo essay
This trip was put together quickly as the first phase of the Hurricane Dean Relief Fund initiated by Loco Gringo and funded by your kind donations. Gary Walten and Scott Brown drove down to Mahahual on Sunday, August 26, with the dual purpose of contributing to the recovery effort and evaluating the condition of of the town. There will be much more to come from our relief fund in the near future as this recovery will be an ongoing precess for some time. Among the other Costa Maya areas effected by hurricane Dean are Xcalak, El Placer, Uvero, Limones, Chaccoben and the town of Bacalar. On the Mahaual access highway we saw many Federal Electrical Commission (CFE) crews working to restore pole power to the area 
One of several twisted, mangled or blown away signs on the highway before the entrance to Mahahual 
Miraculously unscathed, the Mahahual lighthouse still stands arrow straight facing the sea 
In the distance to the north, the shattered remains of the cruise ship pier 
The Navy base was destroyed and is now a temporary collection of tents, equipment and military personnel  
The long task of cleanup and rebuilding has begun 
The military and civilians work side by side cleaning the beach and debris in town 
Their positive spirit to get the work done is irrepressible 
The tangled swings of a barely standing beach front cantina hint at the ferocity of Dean's eye wall winds 
Many of the small businesses by the beach were stripped clean by these winds or were totally blown away 
The Hotel Mahahual still stands as do most of the cement block buildings - all are in need of extensive repair and cleanup 
Traffic is diverted when the Governor arrives to speak to the people  
Governor of Quintana Roo, Félix González Canto (in the white baseball cap), is introduced and promises government aid to rebuild Mahahual, at the same time providing jobs to locals involved in the effort. Bravo Governor Félix González Canto! 
Some aspects of life have already returned to normal, but the police and military oversee all to insure stability  
On Friday, August 24, we went shopping in Playa del Carmen and purchased canned goods consisting of refried beans, tuna and salsa, all with easy open pop-tops, and a large cooler full of fresh tortillas. We individually bagged the food stuffs for easy distribution directly to the people. We also collected and donated large bags of shoes and clothing. Once we arrived we discovered that there was a Relief Distribution Center located a couple blocks behind main street in Mahahual so we dropped everything off there (photos below). This is also a community kitchen of sorts where meals can be prepared and served free of charge to locals and relief effort volunteers.  
Much work remains as we organize another relief trip with a larger truck of goods. For updates please bookmark and revisit these pages over the coming days.
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