lifestyle, travel This is Cozumel
Travesia Maya
Choppy training.
  Cozumel teams have started training for the 2011 Sacred Mayan Canoe Crossing between the mainland and the island, which will take place May 19-21.

The trainees got their first taste of choppy seas yesterday, when a north front brought wind to the west side of the island where they train early in the morning.

Although only in their third week of training, the novices and experienced canoers handled the challenging conditions well.

The recreating of the ancient sacred Mayan journey - or travesía sagrada Maya - has become a much anticipated annual event in Cozumel, since the first reenactment of the crossing in 2007.

This will be the fifth year the cultural event has been held and organized by Xcaret tourist park and local authorities in Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.

It includes crossing from Xcaret to Cozumel as well as crossing back to Playa del Carmen.
 
Cozumel events
Paddle power.

The organizers say the sacred Mayan journeys used to be made for trade and as a form of pilgrimage to visit Cozumel, regarded as the home of Ix Chel, the Mayan Goddess of Fertility and the Moon.

Mayans from all around the Yucatan Peninsula used to cross to the island once a year from harbors such as Ppolé and Xamanhá, today known as Xcaret and Playa del Carmen.

Cozumel canoe crossing
Event takes place May 19-21, 2011.
  In Cozumel, they would receive a message from Ix Chel delivered by a priest, which was taken back to the mainland and guided how the communities should live.

The route re-enacted covers a distance of approximately 30 miles (50 km) back and forth.

It involves about 6 to 7 hours of rowing in a channel that has a depth of more than 1,000 feet (300m) and currents of 2 to 4 knots in places.

See more photos in our Cozumel Facebook Album, learn more about the history of the Maya and the canoe crossing at the Sacred Mayan Journey website or visit our tourist information section for more about Cozumel events.

Related News:

Goddesses, Chocolate And Canoes May 27, 2010.

A Sacred Mayan Journey (2009) May 13, 2009.

Feature: Sacred Mayan Journey (2008) Oct 16, 2008.

Pilgrims Paddle To Cozumel (2008) May 14, 2008.

Sacred Canoe Crossing (2007) June 6, 2007.

Magical Spring Clean May 23, 2007.