| Media Luna has undergone a complete
facelift over the last eight years.
I first wrote about Media Luna for Planeta in 2002; since
then Media Luna has become a State Park and protected natural
area. It is operated and managed by the local ejido system,
El Jabali. Media Luna has become a gold mine for the ejido.
As many as 3,000 daily visitors come to the park over the holidays
where they spend thousands of pesos on entrance fees, food,
water toys, and drinks at stands operated by citizens of the
ejido. On a normal day, several parked buses at the entrance
as well as over 200 cars in the parking lot. The park has quickly
become a major attraction for people looking for an inexpensive
means of family outdoor entertainment.
Although the quaintness and mystique of Media Luna has been
lost among the crowds, I continue to love this location as my
favorite freshwater dive spot and getaway. The purpose of this
article is to update perspective travelers about Parque Estatal
de la Media Luna so they can better plan a trip to this park.
I suggest one reads my first article, “Diving in Media
Luna: Exploring an Ancient Lake,” for an idea of the diving
conditions and driving directions.
A short strip of the road leading to Media Luna has been paved.
For the most part the road is still dusty and bumpy. On wet
days, the road is muddy and can be slippery in spots. One does
not need a four-wheel drive vehicle but be sure to take your
time and enjoy the orange fields and other agricultural scenes
as you make your way to Media Luna.
One of the first things you will notice is that the entire park
area has been fenced off. There is new a fee to pay for entrance
into the park. It used to be free. The basic entrance fee is
only 20 pesos per day. If one wishes to scuba dive, the fee
is 70 pesos. The camping fee will depend on the number of campers
in the group. It is no longer possible to drive to the boardwalk
that leads to the main dock. Now, one must park in the parking
lot and carry equipment the quarter mile or so to the lake.
An alternative is to pay one of the young boys in the parking
lot to carry your equipment. They are seen standing around with
dollies and wheelbarrows. The average tip is about 30 pesos,
one way, for them to carry your equipment.
There are new restrooms with a controlled drainage system that
no longer puts the sewage into the channels. The restrooms are
better maintained than before. Several attendants are available
during the day. Changing areas and showers are also available.
Changing into a swim suit at the shoreline is no longer recommended
due to all the people that will be staring at you. Bring your
own toilet paper in the evening and do not forget to take small
change for tips during the day.
It is easy to find the way to the main dock due to the new brick
sidewalks. Just follow the sidewalks from the entrance and you
will end up at the boardwalk that leads to the lake. The sidewalks
are an improvement that is especially appreciated on wet days.
New concrete block stands have replaced the old thatched roof
shacks that sold goods to visitors. These buildings will be
the first thing you will see once you pass through the entrance.
There are over fifteen stands that sell just about everything
one needs while picnicking. Tacos, beer, and sandwiches are
some of the most popular items. One benefit of the new structures
is improved drainage. Waste is no longer dumped onto the open
ground where it could leach into the underground water system.
Of course, the sanitation has also improved as the dirt floors
were replaced with concrete floors
A boardwalk was constructed along the shoreline adjacent to
where there used to be campsites. The boardwalk is sturdy and
convenient for swimmers and divers and connects to the main
expanded dock. There is also a floating dock in the lake that
is approximately fifty meters from the main dock. A floating
rope has been stretched between the main dock and the opposite
end of the lake. Swimmers use the rope as a guideline.
Several cabins have been built in the park. The cabins are rented
at a reasonable price. They sit about 200 meters from the lake.
They do not have restrooms but are located close to the new
restrooms. I still prefer to stay at the Hotel Media Luna. It
costs about the same as the cabins and is much cleaner and many
times more convenient. The food at the hotel is better than
at the lake plus the dive shops are at the hotel’s location.
A new camping area was established along the irrigation channel
near the entrance. People used to camp under the huge evergreen
trees next to the lake. The idea of moving the camping to outside
the tree canopy was to give the understory a chance to grow
back to its natural state. Unfortunately, people are still camping
under the canopy resulting in compact soils that do not allow
the area to recover. A matter of fact, campers are allowed to
put up their tents anywhere they wish.
The biggest change has been the management of the park area.
Actually, there never was any consistent management prior to
becoming a state park. Before, there were few visitors and most
everyone seemed to appreciate and respect the natural surroundings.
Today, there are abundant visitors and respect for the natural
surroundings seems to be lacking. Part of this appears to be
the lack of control and enforcement of the rules established
by the State of San Luis Potosi. The enforcement responsibility
was turned over to the ejido system. Sadly, the ejido is not
properly prepared for such a responsibility.
The ejido system in Mexico was reenacted during the presidency
of Lazaro Cardenas (1934 – 1940). The ejido system is
based on a government that promotes the use of communal land
that is shared by everyone in the community. Approximately 60
percent of Mexico is comprised of ejido lands. An interesting
point is that close to 90 percent of parks and reserves are
ejido lands. The ejido leadership is made up of local citizens,
mostly farmers, who take turns running the ejido. Their main
interest is with profits, not the natural systems that used
to make Media Luna so unique.
There is some degradation of the natural areas but they can
be reversed with proper management. The following is a short
list of avoidable and reversible situations.
The lush aquatic vegetation I discussed in my first article
has been reduced by nearly fifty percent. Aquatic insects and
fish need this vegetation. Swimmers cause the vegetative degradation.
Swimmers kick and walk on the fragile vegetation, mainly water
lilies, causing broken stems and damaged roots. Restricting
swimming in these areas would greatly reduce the damage.
Vegetation along the shorelines has been trampled down and the
soils compacted. This increases erosion and reduces the visibility
of the water due to runoff. Restricting footpaths along the
shorelines would eliminate this problem.
Overcrowding is a major problem, especially around the holidays.
Packing too many people into the park has resulted in a total
loss of control. Visitors build camp fires and set up their
tents where-ever they wish to. The natural vegetation is nearly
gone. Many of the ecosystems that supported riparian animal
life have been destroyed by human invasion.
A new type of algae bloom has been seen over the last two years.
Divers, some who have been diving Media Luna for over 30 years,
have never before seen a bloom like this.
Turtles were once abundant throughout Media Luna. Today, a diver
is lucky to see a single turtle.
Fish populations are changing as the aquatic environment changes.
Fish that were dependent on the water lilies are declining while
non-native fish (i.e. Tilapia) are growing in numbers.
The one action that would benefit Media Luna most is an established
set of environmentally sound rules. Rules do not do any good
if they are not enforced. The ejido has this responsibility
now but does not enforce already established rules. The state
of San Luis Potosi has a responsibility too. They funded Media
Luna’s facelift and the park is a state protected natural
area. Maybe the state should be responsible for educating the
ejido about environmental standards and enforcement. The key
to survival of this preservation is enforcing rules.
It is important to understand that the priority of the ejido
is profit. The ejido realizes the fact that the aquatic plants
and fish could all disappear and people would still pour into
the park to picnic, camp, and swim in the constant 82 degree
Fahrenheit lake. Profits go into the ejido for various community
projects. Limiting the number of visitors makes no sense to
them because it would reduce profits. Primarily, the ejido is
made up of poor farmers. They see income from Media Luna as
a means to climb a little out of poverty or at least provide
a better life for their families. Most are not university educated
and have never traveled more than fifty miles from home.
The good news is that Media Luna exchanges its water every few
hours. The springs supplying water are healthy and even expanding
in some places. The natural cycle of lake water means a quick
recovery.
As I previously mentioned, I still love Media Luna, especially
the diving and the people. Fewer swimmers results in better
visibility so weekday and winter diving are the best times to
scuba dive in La Media Luna. The average visibility is 30 feet
or more. It is important to keep in mind that diving at La Media
Luna is an altitude dive (1,000 feet or 300 meters) so be prepared
to adjust your dive plans.
A Few Suggestions
Scuba Diving – There is a PADI certified training center
only six miles from Media Luna. Centro De Buceo is located along
Highway 70 where one turns south and onto the road to Media
Luna. Ossiel Martinez owns and operates the shop. Both English
and Spanish are spoken at the shop. Ossiel is a Master Dive
Instructor and offers a wide range of courses. Next to his shop
is Hotel Media Luna. Ossiel's father operates a shop at the
hotel that specializes in taking tourists on “Introduction
to Diving,” trips.
Where to Stay
There are a dozen or so hotels in Rio Verde. We usually stay
at the hotel next to the dive shop (Hotel Media Luna). Rates
are around $50 (540 pesos) a night. Sure, there are other hotels
but from our experience, you may need to bring your own toilet
seat if you stay at one of them. Saul, his father, and their
family, manages Hotel Media Luna. The rooms are always clean
and the service (including an on-site restaurant) is always
friendly. The rich smell of freshly brewed coffee leads one
straight to the restaurant. Breakfast costs four to five dollars
while other meals are around eight to ten dollars. For less
than $10 (120 pesos), you can camp on the hotel grounds next
to one of the swimming pools. Toilet facilities and showers
are available at the hotel’s dive center.
Another option is to camp at La Media Luna. The cost for a group
is less than fifteen USD’s per night. There are many vendors
at the camping area selling food and drink and just about anything
you may need. One specialty is corn-on-the cob, known as elote.
The locals add mayonnaise, shredded cotija (white cheese) and
a choice of spices to their elote. Elote tastes great after
a dive. Vendors close their shops around 6 pm and reopen the
next morning, sometime between 9 am and 11 am.
Enjoy the Food
There are an abundance of restaurants in Rio Verde. Our favorite
is La Cabana. It is located on the west side of town along Highway
70. They offer a good variety of authentic dishes. The owner
and chef, Adrian, speaks great English. The grilled platter
that consists of a variety of meats, onions, and sausage is
very good. If you are more adventurous then try the cabreto
(baby goat) at an evening meal. A nice addition is a tall glass
of Michelada, a refreshing spiced-up beer.
La Media Luna is not for tourists in search of beaches and all
night crawling bars. Instead, it is for the adventurous visitors
who seek rural Central Mexican culture and a rare scuba experience.
It is all about economical family fun and exploration.
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