For several days, the port of La Paz remained closed due to strong winds in the bay, a measure that, although necessary for safety, generated economic losses for local tourism service providers. According to tour operators, the lack of clear communication and sufficient advance notice by the Harbor Master’s Office made logistics difficult, affecting both companies and tourists.
Nezahualpilli Tovar, member of the Whale Shark Representative Committee in La Paz, explained that, according to the Navigation Law and the Port Regulations, navigation of small vessels must be suspended when winds exceed 25 kilometers per hour. This measure, aimed at ensuring safety, paralyzed activities related to maritime tourism, such as the sighting of marine species, leaving operators and visitors without options.
“They dictate that when the wind is over 20-25 kilometers per hour, navigation must be closed to smaller vessels, not to larger vessels, and we are talking about smaller vessels as all those that are small, that are pangas or that are boats,” explained Nezahualpilli Tovar.
He added that port closures are common during this season, particularly between November and March, due to the climatic conditions characteristic of the region, such as strong winds and swells.
Although the operators were notified in advance of the closure, the reopening of the port on the morning of November 19, without a clear notice, generated confusion. Many guides and boats were not prepared to operate immediately, which further complicated the activities.
“There was notice and notification of the port closure and we were able to do all these logistics with the tourists. Many were notified and many changed their reservations and changed the day they were going to visit Tiburon ballena, Balandra or Espiritu Santo, but they did not give a notification or a prior notice that there was a better chance that the port would open. We more or less have an idea of whether the port will open or close because we are checking different weather forecast applications,” said Nezahualpilli Tovar.
The closure not only meant economic losses during the days of inactivity, but also the accumulation of tourists who were waiting to carry out their activities, complicating the normal operation of the service providers.
Source: tribunademexico
