Sol y Mar Magazine Edición 71 by SOL Y MAR MAG

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

Contenido Content 18

The Amazing Adventures of Eli Martinez.

The Catch of a Lifetime (Part Two).

112 86

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

Florida Fisherman and Park Champion to Receive national Award. The Catch of a Lifetime.

124

Los Bienes Raíces siguen impresionando a todos.

126

Corona Virus Questions and Answers.

ol y Mar Magazine es la primera y única revista digital bilingüe en el mundo que incluye información sobre turismo, pesca, industria marítima, hostelería, recreación, pesca deportiva y propiedades frente al mar, que ofrece a nuestros lectores una variedad de diferentes temas de interés en cada una de sus ediciones. Sol y Mar Magazine se puede encontrar fácilmente en los principales buscadores de Internet por texto o por palabras clave, así como en nuestra página web: www.solymarmagazine.com. Sol y Mar Magazine se envía a decenas de miles de personas e instituciones, de las cuales el 89% se encuentran en el sur de la Florida y el resto en distintos países de todos los continentes. La edad promedio de nuestros lectores oscila entre 20 y 65 años de edad. Si desea ampliar su negocio, especialmente en el poderoso mercado hispano, le sugerimos anunciarse en nuestra revista. ¡Bienvenido a bordo de Sol y Mar Magazine! www.solymarmagazine.com

ol y Mar Magazine is the first and only digital bilingual publication in the world that includes information about tourism, fishing, waterfront properties, maritime industry, restoration, recreation, sport fishing and innovations among other things that are entertaining, informative and interesting to that appears in the advertiser’s own website and also (his/hers)our reader, who (will enjoy) a wide variety subjects and knowledge of different topics in our publication that addresses each of its editions. Sol y Mar Magazine can be easily found in the main Internet search engines by text or by key words, as well as on our web page: www.solymarmagazine.com. Sol y Mar Magazine is sent to tens of thousands individuals and institutions, of which 89% are located in southern Florida and the remaining to another countries in all continents. The average age of our readers is between 20 and 65 years old. If you want to expand your business, especially in the powerful Hispanic market, we suggest you advertise in our magazine. Welcome aboard Sol y Mar Magazine! www.solymarmagazine.com

PEDRO DÍAZ Presidente y Editor President and Editor info@solymarmagazine.com www.solymarmagazine.com Cover Photo Pat Ford

Back Cover Photo: Captain Jimmy Nelson Fishing with Luiza Director de Arte: Mario Carpio info@mariocarpio.com Visit us at/ Visitenos en:

Prohibida la reproducción parcial o total de los artículos, fotos y anuncios aparecidos en Sol y Mar Magazine sin la autorización o el consentimiento del editor. Sol y Mar Magazine no se responsabiliza por el daño causado por las opiniones, expresiones, entrevistas, reportajes, artículos, declaraciones, ideas, imágenes, fotografías y anuncios publicados en las páginas de esta revista, ni asume tampoco responsabilidad alguna por los servicios o productos anunciados en sus páginas.

La publicidad no es un gasto, sino una inversión de su propio negocio para atraer a posibles compradores, espectadores y usuarios. La publicidad tiene el poder de convencer al consumidor, por medio de la comunicación de ideas, palabras e imágenes, de comprar un producto y contratar un servicio. ¡Anúnciese ahora en Sol y Mar Magazine por un precio módico!.

The partial or total reproduction of any of the articles, photos or advertisements featured in Sol y Mar Magazine, absent the Editor’s express authorization or consent, is prohibited. Sol y Mar Magazine is not responsible for any potential damage caused by opinions, expressions, interviews, documentaries, articles, declarations, ideas, images, photographs or ads published on the pages of this magazine, nor does it assume any responsibility for the services or products advertised in its pages.

Publicity and advertising are not cost; they are an investment in your business that will attract possible costumers. Publicity and advertising have the power to convince potential customers by means of ideas, words and images to purchase your products and contract for your services. Advertise now in Sol y Mar Magazine at a very reasonable price. SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

The Amazing Adventures of Eli Martinez By Pat Ford

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

’ve traveled all over the world, catching fish and taking photographs, but when I’m looking for a new adventure, I call Eli at SDM Diving. Eli grew up in and is still based in San Juan Texas, about 20 minutes from the Mexico border. In his early days he worked in his family’s construction business and rode bulls in rodeos in his spare time. Then one day he got hurt…fractured his pelvis and took 3 months off to heal. During that period of inactivity one of his friends convinced him to get his SCUBA certification, which changed his life. His certification led to a diving vacation in Cozumel where Eli saw his first shark. That encounter led to a trip the Bahamas where he went on an official ‘shark dive’ and it changed his life. He became obsessed with sharks. His research taught him more about sharks than most people could ever imagine and he just couldn’t get enough time in the water with them. In 1999, at age 30, Eli decided to try to make a living setting up tours for photographers that wanted to swim with and photograph/video sharks. He brought groups to Guadeloupe Island for great whites, Isla Mujeres to swim with bull sharks, to Bimini to swim with hammerheads and dolphins, and Tiger Beach to swim with 15’ tiger sharks. My first trip with Eli was in 2013 to tiger beach. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was getting myself into, but it seemed like an amazing adventure and it most certainly was more than I expected. We left out of Palm Beach, spent a week on a live-aboard dive boat and spent over 4 hours a day under water playing with sharks. On each dive Eli would bring down a bucket of dead fish and the guests would form a circle around him, kneeling on white sand in 30’ of crystal clear water. Lemon sharks and reef sharks would show up immediately and eventually two massive tiger sharks appeared. Eli would literally play with these massive creatures and the photo ops were endless and fantastic. This trip was so exciting that Hunter Ledbetter and I booked another trip to Bimini to do the same thing with great hammerheads.Again we were on a live-aboard and kneeling in 30’ of water. This time we were surrounded SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

by bull sharks, which admittedly give me the jitters, and several very large hammerheads. It was the same pattern: Eli in the center playing with the sharks and us taking photos. It was interesting to see how relaxed the sharks were. There was no feeding frenzy. They all were relexed and friendly, swimming casually up to Eli to get a free snack. No aggressive behavior whatsoever. The only glitch was that, like the tigers, they seemed to gravitate towards me. On more than one occasion a 500lb plus hammerhead swam right up to me and I had to push it away with my camera…one of the tigers did the same thing and it was a bit unnerving. I was perfectly content to be an observer and didn’t much want any personal interaction, but no harm no foul. Eli’s shark expeditions expanded to whale sharksin Isla Mujeres, to makos off Cabo, to basking sharks inScotland to Orcas in Norway. I’m really not fond of cold weather much less the thought of jumping into the icy waters of Norway. But Eli continued to expand his warm water trips beyond just sharks. He put together tours to Isla Mujeres to chase sailfish on bait balls in January. I’d done that several times myself but over the years the migration became so irregular that it just wasn’t worth the risk of picking out a week a year in advance and hoping the sails would show up, so he started researching the striped marlin migration in Magdalena Bay, Baja, Mexico. He went to the tiny fishing village of Puerto San Carlos and hooked up with GabinoCarabiea. Together the put together a plan to chase the striped marlin baitballs in pangas and it turned out to be magic. I first made the trip to Mag Bay in November, 2018 and just returned from my third. Again Hunter and I flew to Cabo San Lucas, drove 5 hours north to Puerto San Carlos and met Eli and the rest of his group at the Hotel Alcatraz. Each morning we would drive to the beach where the locals launched their boats. Gambino has now expanded his operation to include 5 boats, each carrying up to 6 snorkelers. It’s 20 miles from the launch site to the mouth of the bay and the bait balls can be anywhere from 15 to 30 miles farther SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

out into the Pacific. It’s really not hard to locate the marlin concentration… dozens of super-sportfishing boats chug up from Cabo to catch striped marlin. The record for releases on bait in a day is an unbelievable 300 and it’s not unusual to release over50 a day ranging from 75 to 150 lbs each. Find the Cabo boats and you find the marlin. The only problem can be the weather. Almost every morning is calm so the 50 mile run isn’t too bad, but literally every afternoon around 2 pm the wind picks up, sometimes to almost 20 mph. More than once it’s been a brutal 3+ hour run to get home. Some days it just too windy to even try for the marlin, but Gambino usually can find some humpback whales migrating south along the coast which is almost as exciting! This last trip I got to swim with a blue whale, a bryte’s whale and a pod of humpbacks, but nothing gets me as excited as swimming with a dozen marlin that have a bait ball pinned to the surface.

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

The Catch of a Lifetime (Part Two)

By Dr. Martín Aróstegui

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

n hour went by, blind casting into the dark ocean and retrieving my squid fly and all of a sudden my rod bent down and the fly line stopped cold in my hand. A few jerks of the rod and whatever was pulling on the other side let go. A few seconds of excitement and anticipation gave away to the cold reality that whatever bit my fly had let go. No hook up. I had missed the bite! This was a roller coaster of emotionsmonotony followed by sudden exhilaration then a sinking feeling of defeat. I immediately pulled the fly out of the water for inspection. Bouncer and I looked at the fly very carefully. No bite marks, no teeth marks. This could very well have been a swordfish bite or one of many other predators that hunt in the depths at night. Wanting to believe that I had had a swordfish bite, another thought entered my mind. If this was such a bite then I had missed what likely would be my only chance. Now my mind was playing tricks with me. What were the chances of getting another bite? One in a million I thought.

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

I went back to the back of the boat, picked up my fly rod and started casting again. Sometimes lessons from the past can be very helpful. Having completed eight marathons in my younger years taught me how to endure pain, as well as the value of patience and perseverance while under adverse conditions. Another hour went by casting and retrieving my fly in the deep dark ocean. All of a sudden, a spectacular strike almost yanked the fly rod out of my hands. I set the hook and the fly line started to go out so fast that I could hardly manage clearing the line. Once on the reel, the backing started to disappear in front of my eyes. I yelled-I am hooked up, but Bouncer already knew that and was starting to retrieve one of the baits we had out for Martini. I yelled again-this fish is going to strip me! A few minutes later the fish finally slowed down until I could actually start gaining line. I recovered a lot of line and just when I thought that the fish was close, it went on another blistering run but not as long as the first one. As I fought this fish, my mind was racing with thoughts of this great swordfish I had at the end of my line. Ignorance is bliss. At the same time Bouncer’s mind was also racing. He first thought of a large tuna or maybe a shark. As the fight went on he narrowed it down to a shark or maybe the coveted swordfish but probably the shark. If I had his experience I would probably also put the shark as first choice. I never thought about these other possibilities. To me it could be only a swordfish. The fight had lasted over 30 minutes and after a few more runs now I had the upper hand. I kept on pulling the fly rod up while palming the reel to manually add more drag. As I gained more line Bouncer shouted “It’s got a bill” I looked into the glare of our Hydro Glow light and could see this beautiful swordfish still shaking it’s head as I pulled it closer and closer to the boat. Was this fish really there? Bouncer pulled the fish in the boat and then I knew it was for real. We measured the swordfish right away. The fish was 46 inches long, 92

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

just short of legal size. We took a number of photos and then released it. Martini slept through the entire fight and didn’t wake up until after we had released the fish. I think that Bouncer understood that this was a very special catch a lot sooner than I did. I did get a hint because Bouncer would not quit jumping up and down until one of Martini’s rods went off. Martini promptly woke up, picked up his rod and fought another beautiful swordfish, which we also released. The publicity of this catch motivated a number of anglers to attempt to catch another swordfish on fly. Some anglers had close calls and even some bites but no other fish was caught until recently. Catching another swordfish on fly in Florida may be even more difficult now. A few years ago the National Marine Fisheries Service approved the use of commercial buoy gear for swordfish in the Florida Straights. These permits allow for each commercial fisherman to set up to 35 buoy devices with two J-type hooks each. This practice has practically eliminated all the small swordfish that used these waters as nursery grounds. Small swordfish are not legal to keep, but once gut hooked on buoy gear with J-hooks are condemned to certain death. I hope some day the NMFS sees the wisdom of stopping commercial fishing for swordfish in our waters. This is the only way that Martini’s children will have a chance to catch a swordfish in South Florida. Now that many years have passed, I realize what a special catch this was. Bouncer and I teamed up to develop a strategy, organize equipment and choose the perfect time to catch a swordfish with a fly. Since that night, Bouncer, Martini and I have caught many other outstanding fish including a number of world records, Martini received an IGFA Lifetime Achievement Award , Bouncer was inducted into the IGFA Hall of Fame as a Legendary Captain and I was inducted into the International Fishing Hall of Fame but no individual catch surpassed the swordfish we caught on a fly. Indeed this was “The Catch of a Lifetime” 94

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

La captura de toda una vida (Segunda Parte) Por Dr. Martín Aróstegui

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

asé una hora, lanzando a ciegas al océano oscuro y recuperando mi mosca de calamar y, de repente, mi vara de pescar se jorobó y la línea de mosca se detuvo en frío en mi mano. Unos pocos tirones de la vara y lo que tiraba del otro lado se soltó. Unos segundos de emoción y anticipación revelaron la fría realidad de que cualquier pez que había mordido mi mosca se había soltado. Sin conexión. ¡Me había perdido la mordida! Esta fue una montaña rusa de emociones: monotonía seguida de un regocijo repentino y luego una sensación de derrota me hundía en la incertidumbre. Inmediatamente saqué la mosca del agua para inspeccionarla. Bouncer y yo miramos la mosca con mucho cuidado. Sin marcas de mordidas, ni marcas de dientes. Esto bien podría haber sido una mordida de pez espada o uno de los muchos otros depredadores que cazan en las profundidades durante la noche. Ante la idea de que había tenido una mordedura de pez espada (Emperador), otro pensamiento entró en mi mente. Si esto era un mordisco, entonces había perdido lo que probablemente sería mi única oportunidad. Ahora mi mente me estaba jugando una mala pasada. ¿Cuáles eran las posibilidades de conseguir otra mordida? Uno en un millón, pensé. Regresé a la popa del bote, recogí mi vara de mosca y comencé a lanzar de nuevo. A veces, las lecciones del pasado pueden sermuy útiles. El haber completado ocho maratones en mi juventud me enseñó a soportar el dolor, así como el valor de la paciencia y la perseverancia en condiciones adversas. Pasé otra hora lanzando y recuperando mi mosca en las profundidades del océano oscuro. De repente, un golpe espectacular casi me arranca la vara de las manos. Anzuele al pez enseguida y la línea de mosca comenzó a salir tan rápido que apenas pude despejar la línea. Una vez en el carrete, el respaldo comenzó a desaparecer frente a mis ojos. Grité: estoy enganchado, pero Bouncer ya lo sabía y estaba empezando a recuperar uno de los cebos que teníamos para Martini. Grité de nuevo:

100

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

101

¡Este pez va a llevarse toda la línea! Unos minutos más tarde, el pez finalmente disminuyó la velocidad hasta que pude comenzar a ganar línea. Recuperé mucho sedal y justo cuando pensé que el pez estaba cerca, se alejó en otra carrera vertiginosa, pero no tan larga como la primera. Mientras luchaba para capturarlo, mi mente corría con pensamientos sobre este gran pez espada que tenía al final de mi línea. La ignorancia es grata. Al mismo tiempo, la mente de Bouncer también estaba corriendo. Primero pensó en un atún grande o tal vez en un tiburón. A medida que avanzaba la pelea, lo redujo a un tiburón o tal vez al codiciado pez espada, pero probablemente al tiburón. Si tuviera su experiencia, probablemente también pondría al tiburón como primera opción. Nunca pensé en estas otras posibilidades. Para mí, podría ser solo un pez espada. La pelea había durado más de 30 minutos y después de algunas carreras más, ahora yo tenía la ventaja. Seguí tirando de la vara de mosca hacia arriba, mientras palmeaba el carrete para agregar manualmente más resistencia. ¡A medida que ganaba más línea, Bouncer gritaba “Tiene un pico! Miré hacia el resplandor de nuestra luz Hydro Glow ypude ver este hermoso pez espada todavía moviendo la cabeza mientras lo acercaba más y más al bote. ¿Estaba este pez realmente allí? Bouncer sacó el pez en el bote y entonces supe que era real. Medimos el pez espada de inmediato. El pez tenía 46 pulgadas de largo, poco menos que el tamaño legal. Tomamos varias fotos y luego lo liberamos. Martini durmió durante toda la pelea y no se despertó hasta que soltamos el pescado. Creo que Bouncer entendió que esta era una captura muy especial mucho antes que yo. Conseguí una pista, porque Bouncer no dejaba de saltar arriba y abajo hasta que una de las varas de Martini sonaba. Martini se despertó rápidamente, tomó su vara y luchó contra otro hermoso pez espada, que también liberamos. La publicidad de esta captura motivó a varios pescadores a intentar capturar otro pez espada con mosca. Algunos pescadores tuvieron avistamientos cercanos e incluso algunas picaduras, pero no se capturaron 102

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

103

otros peces hasta hace poco. Atrapar otro pez espada con mosca en la Florida puede ser aún más difícil ahora. Hace unos años, el Servicio Nacional de Pesca Marina aprobó el uso de equipo comercial de boyas para el pez espada en el Estrecho de Florida. Estos permisos permiten que cada pescador comercial instale hasta 35 dispositivos de boyascon dos anzuelos tipo J cada uno. Esta práctica ha eliminado prácticamente todos los pequeños peces espada que utilizaban estas aguas como zonas de cría. Los peces espada pequeños no son legales para mantener, pero una vez que se enganchan las tripas en un equipo de boyas con anzuelos en J, están condenados a una muerte segura. Espero que algún día el NMFS entienda la importancia de detener la pesca comercial de pez espada en nuestras aguas. Esta es la única forma en que los niños de Martini tendrán la oportunidad de pescar un pez espada en el sur de Florida. Ahora después de muchos años transcurridos, me doy cuenta de lo especial que fue esta captura. Bouncer y yo nos unimos para desarrollar una estrategia, organizar el equipo y elegir el momento perfecto para atrapar un pez espada con una mosca. Desde esa noche, Bouncer, Martini y yo hemos capturado muchos otros peces excepcionales, incluidos varios récords mundiales, Martini recibió un premio IGFA Lifetime Achievement Award, Bouncer fue incluido en el Salón de la Fama de la IGFA como Guía Legendario y yo fui admitido al Salón Internacional de La Fama De Pesca IGFA, pero ninguna captura supero al pez espada que capturamos con mosca. Definitivamente , esta fue “La Captura de Toda Una Vida”.

104

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

105

106

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

107

108

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

109

110

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

111

Florida Fisherman and Park Champion To Receive National Award By Dr. Martin Aróstegui

Dr. Marty Arostegui’s work protecting this national treasure will have lasting impacts for our country and future generations of divers, fishers, boaters, and other national park visitors. 112

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

113

he National Parks Conservation Association is proud to announce that Dr. Martin “Marty” Arostegui of Coral Gables, Florida will receive NPCA’s 2021 Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award. Dr. Arostegui is a longtime NPCA member and lifelong angler who holds more world records from the International Game and Fish Association than anyone else in history. He is also a dedicated marine conservationist, and one of the most informed, passionate voices calling for a marine reserve to protect wildlife at Biscayne National Park. With more than sixty years of fishing experience in the region, Dr. Arostegui has watched Biscayne National Park’s coral reefs and marine wildlife fall into sharp decline. Decades of overfishing and overuse, combined with stressors like coral bleaching, coral disease, and pollution have taken a serious toll on the park. Many reef fishspecies in Biscayne are overfished, with someliterally on the verge of collapse. Intensive fishing and the impacts of fishing gear on reefs have also contributed to the decline of Biscayne’s coral reefs, which provideimportant habitat to wildlife like lobsters, reef fish, and sea turtles. Today, there is less living coral reef in Biscayne than ever recorded. Dr. Arostegui is not letting Biscayne National Park decline further without a fight. Over the years, he has been a constant fixture at public meetings and events rallying for more protections for Biscayne’s waters. He has shared his unique perspective on Biscayne and fishing at every opportunity in letters, speeches, and beyond. His work offers firsthand evidence of the urgent need to protect the waters at our country’s largest marine national park.

114

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

115

In 2019, he led NPCA staff and reporters from The Miami Herald on an expedition into the park’s waters, highlighting areas of decline. This led to a front-page feature story featuring Dr. Arostegui’s perspective, followed by in-depth video interviews with him and a later Miami Herald column highlighting the threat. Thanks to Marty, millions of people in South Florida know what’s at stake for Biscayne National Park. Most recently, Dr. Arostegui has been a vocal supporter of NPCA’s litigation against the Department of Interior and National Park Service regarding the agencies’ failure to implement measures to protect the park’s marine wildlife and habitat NPCA’s annual Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award was established in 1986 to honor individuals who go to great lengths to advocate and fight for the protection of our national parks. Named for Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a life-long advocate for Everglades National Park, the award recognizes the outstanding efforts of an individual or group that result in the protection of a national park or proposed site in the National Park System. Statement of Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association: “The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award is one of the highest honors the National Parks Conservation Association bestows, granted only to a select few people who have gone to extraordinary lengths to protect our parks. There is no doubt that Marty is one of those few. “He has earned our sincere gratitude and admiration for his countless hours of dedicated advocacy for Biscayne National Park, from the side of his boat to the halls of Congress. His work protecting this national treasure will have lasting impacts for our country and future generations of divers, fishers, boaters, and other national park visitors. 116

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

117

“It’s fitting that this honor, named for another iconic park advocate from South Florida, should be awarded to Dr. Marty Arostegui.” Statement of Dr. Melissa Abdo, Sun Coast Regional Director for the National Parks Conservation Association: “It’s hard to picture Biscayne National Park and the waters of our beloved Biscayne Bay without also thinking of Marty Arostegui. For as long as I have known him, Marty has put his heart and soul into protecting the waters of Biscayne for future generations. “Marty has stood with the National Parks Conservation Association in our years-long fight to protect iconic coral reefs and beautiful marine wildlifeat our country’s largest marine national park. Marty is also active in pressing for protections for the wetlands and swamps of the Everglades. He recognizes that how we treat the land in South Florida in turn impacts our waters which in turn impacts all Floridians. He is a leader, trusted partner in our community, and good friend. “He feels at home on the water, and

118

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

always generously shares his wisdom from decades out on the water with those around him.When Marty speaks of the need for conservation of Biscayne, you absolutely feel the truth in his words. I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Marty.” About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.5 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www. npca.org

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

119

120

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

121

122

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

123

Los Bienes raíces siguen impresionando a todos

n tiempos de crisis como los que estamos viviendo es impresionante ver como sigue moviéndose el mercado de bienes raíces, en el último mes más estable, pero aún apuntando hacia arriba las ventas, seguimos con un inventario reducido a pesar que ya se están efectuando muchos desalojos después que no se renovara la moratoria que estuvo vigente por más de un año. Los inmuebles que hemos visto desalojar quedan en muy malas condiciones, no están listos para la renta inmediata ni para la venta, necesitan un trabajo Por Yohara Hernández de reparación para que sean atractivos a los nuevos Licensed Real Estate Broker inquilinos o compradores, o sea otra inversión más yoharahdez@gmail.com para ese dueño de propiedad que ya ha perdido miles Foto Cortesia: Magdalena, La Pelua de dólares en renta por la falta de pago. Esta es una situación incómoda económicamente. Ahora se están viendo las consecuencias que va dejando esta pandemia a largo plazo: los arrendatarios arrastrando una deuda con el banco si tenían la propiedad aún financiada y además tienen que seguir invirtiendo en ellas ya sea para venderlas, que es una de las decisiones que están tomando muchos después de este estrés tan grande que han tenido y las grandes pérdidas o para volverlas a rentar. Otra consecuencia de esta crisis es el encarecimiento de las rentas y los requisitos que cada vez son más estrictos, sin dejar de mencionar todos los depósitos de seguridad que se exigen, y desde el punto de vista de un arrendatario después de este caos, y es entendible… 124

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

En el caso de los dueños de casa que no han pagado sus hipotecas, ya se les va acercando la hora de ponerse al día con sus bancos y acordar un plan de pago de esta deuda acumulada por más de un año, pero en este caso como he dicho, los bancos siempre están bastante colaboradores y ofrecen múltiples opciones solo hay un detalle que muchos no tuvieron en cuenta cuando pusieron su casa en forbearance: ¡IMPUESTOS Y SEGUROS! Los impuestos a la propiedad son pagaderos anualmente al igual que el seguro y el banco los colecta mensualmente a todos los que financian su propiedad, al no pagar esta deuda se va acumulando también, pero a diferencia de la deuda por el préstamo de la hipoteca estas sumas hay que pagarlas, no se pueden negociar o liquidar de a poco. Esto a muchos les ha tomado de sorpresa este detalle y no han guardado para liquidarlos lo cual los pone en un gran aprieto. En conclusión seguimos viendo un movimiento positivo ya con una tendencia más a estabilizarse para el siguiente trimestre. Si todo fluye correctamente con los desalojos veremos muchas más propiedades a la venta que ayudarían a aliviar la presión de estar compitiendo por comprar una casa, porque ¡a mayor inventario, mejores ofertas!

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

125

Corona Virus Questions and Answers

By Dr. Martin Aróstegui

What is the status of corona virus cases in the USA? The beginning of winter has resulted in an increase in the number of daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths brought about by infections with the Delta variant. Many experts predicted this outcome as a result of people having to be mostly indoors due to weather. We know that indoor transmission is much higher than outdoors. This situation may continue throughout the winter months. Unvaccinated persons make the great majority of hospitalizations and deaths. A new variant has been spreading throughout the world and it has been deemed a variant of concern and given the name Omicron. What is the latest update on the Omicron variant? In early November, scientists in South Africa noted a rapid increase in corona virus cases in a province. They noticed that the virus seemed a bit different. Upon further study they reported a new variant that had 50 or more mutations and that at least 30 mutations came from the areas of the spike protein, which the virus uses to attach itself to human cells and antibodies from prior illness or immunization use to identify the virus and attack it. Towards the end of November, it appeared that the new variant was more transmissible than the Delta variant. The news of this variant caused grave concern among many scientists from all 126

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

over the world and soon there after it was named the Omicron variant. Scientists have great concern that the Omicron variant may be more transmissible than the Delta variant. They are also concerned about the variant’s ability to evade defenses brought about by prior infection and immunization. Finally, we do not have enough information to know if this variant will cause more severe disease in the population. Preliminary assessment is that this variant may cause less severe disease but it is too early to know for sure. This uncertainty brought about travel restrictions imposed by a large number of countries in order to prevent persons from South Africa and other African countries from traveling to the countries imposing the travel bans. As of early December, many countries have reported the presence of the Omicron variant within their borders. Some countries are reporting rapid spread of the Omicron variant. The first line of defense against this new variant has been to recommend that all unvaccinated persons seek a vaccine as soon as possible and that all persons eligible for booster shots get them as soon as possible as well. Pfizer has reported that the booster shot increases antibodies that can fight the Omicron variant. Other simpler preventive measures such as mask wearing indoors, adequate ventilation and social distancing are also highly encouraged. What is the latest information on boosters? Medical experts and the CDC have recommended boosters for all adults after six months of either Moderna or Pfizer second shot or two months after Johnson and Johnson single vaccine shot. Research has shown that vaccine effectiveness decreases over time specially in older adults. The appearance of the Omicron variant has made the need for boosters more necessary. Preliminary evidence strongly suggests that having a booster will increase the level of antibodies that can protect against infections from the Omicron variant. Elderly persons and individuals with decreased immunity definitely need the booster shots and should get them right away.Persons with decreased SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

127

immunity should consult with their physicians about a new treatment specifically designed for immunocompromised persons that can be given by intramuscular injection. Boosters are now recommended for children 16 and 17 years of age. Boosters are not yet recommended for younger children. The Delta variant has been pretty terrible on unvaccinated persons and some vaccinated persons that sustained breakthrough infections. How can we prevent from getting infected? The most important thing to do is to get fully vaccinated and get a booster when eligible. Unvaccinated persons are 5 times more likely to get a corona virus infection than vaccinated persons and 13 times more likely to die from covid-19 as compared to vaccinated individuals. In my opinion, this data in very convincing in favor of getting vaccinated. I also continue to recommend the wearing of a very good mask when being indoors among persons whose vaccination status you don’t know and practicing social distancing indoors and outdoors in places with large numbers of people present. I have two children ages eight and sixteen. I worry about getting them vaccinated. What do you recommend? Lets start by reviewing corona virus statistics in children. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 731 children ages 0 to seventeen years of age have died as a result of the virus in the USA. During this same period of time, 8,300 children have been hospitalized and many of these required treatment in intensive care units. Most children that get covid-19 infection have mild infections but it is not accurate to think that they are immune to severe disease and complications. Most experts and the CDC recommend that children get vaccinated as soon as possible. All vaccine trials showed that the risk of vaccine side effects is much less than the risk of infection for children. 128

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

Vaccine doses for children 12 to 17 are the same as adults. Vaccine doses for children 5 to 11 years of age are a fraction of the adult dose and have proven to be safe and effective. Vaccination will protect children and decrease the chances of children passing on the disease to parents and grandparents, who are more susceptible to severe disease. This is specially important now that we are threatened by new dangerous corona virus variants. I recommend that you consult with your pediatrician about your child’s vaccination so you may get specific recommendations from your child’s doctor. I want to remind all of the readers of Sol y Mar Magazine that this pandemic is not over. The virus continues to infect many people daily and that at least 1,000 persons are dying daily from this virus. We need to stay the course with mask wearing, social distancing, improving ventilation and getting vaccinated. Doing these things will help us stay healthy and protect vulnerable members of our families.

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

129

Preguntas y respuestas sobre el Corona Virus

Por Dr. Martin Aróstegui

¿Cuál es el estado de los casos del Corona Virus en EE. UU.? El inicio del invierno se ha traducido en un aumento en el número de casos diarios, hospitalizaciones y muertes provocadas por infecciones con la variante Delta. Muchos expertos predijeron este resultado como resultado de que la gente tiene que estar mayormente en interiores debido al clima. Sabemos que la transmisión en interiores es mucho mayor que en exteriores. Esta situación puede continuar durante los meses de invierno. Las personas no vacunadas representan la gran mayoría de las hospitalizaciones y muertes. Una nueva variante se ha extendido por todo el mundo y se ha considerado una variante preocupante y se le ha dado el nombre de Omicron. ¿Cuál es la última actualización de la variante Omicron? A principios de noviembre, los científicos de Sudáfrica notaron un rápido aumento en los casos de virus corona en una provincia. Notaron que el virus parecía un poco diferente. Tras un estudio adicional, informaron de una nueva variante que tenía 50 o más mutaciones y que al menos 30 mutaciones provenían de las áreas de la proteína de pico, que el virus usa para adherirse a células humanas y anticuerpos de enfermedades anteriores o uso de inmunización para identificar el virus y atacarlo. Hacia fines de noviembre, parecía que la nueva variante era más transmisible 130

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

que la variante Delta. La noticia de esta variante causó gran preocupación entre muchos científicos de todo el mundo y poco después fue nombrada variante Omicron. A los científicos les preocupa mucho que la variante Omicron pueda ser más transmisible que la variante Delta. También les preocupa la capacidad de la variante para evadir las defensas provocadas por infecciones e inmunizaciones previas. Finalmente, no tenemos suficiente información para saber si esta variante provocará una enfermedad más grave en la población. La evaluación preliminar es que esta variante puede causar una enfermedad menos grave, pero es demasiado pronto para saberlo con certeza. Esta incertidumbre provocó restricciones de viaje impuestas por un gran número de países con el fin de evitar que personas de Sudáfrica y otros países africanos viajen a los países que imponen las prohibiciones de viaje. A principios de diciembre, muchos países han informado de la presencia de la variante Omicron dentro de sus fronteras. Algunos países informan de una rápida propagación de la variante Omicron. La primera línea de defensa contra esta nueva variante ha sido recomendar que todas las personas no vacunadas busquen una vacuna lo antes posible y que todas las personas elegibles para las vacunas de refuerzo también las reciban lo antes posible. Pfizer ha informado que la vacuna de refuerzo aumenta los anticuerpos que pueden combatir la variante Omicron. También se recomiendan encarecidamente otras medidas preventivas más sencillas, como el uso de mascarillas en interiores, una ventilación adecuada y el distanciamiento social. ¿Cuál es la información más reciente sobre refuerzos? Los expertos médicos y los CDC han recomendado refuerzos para todos los SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

131

adultos después de seis meses de la segunda inyección de Moderna o Pfizer o dos meses después de la inyección única de Johnson and Johnson. La investigación ha demostrado que la eficacia de la vacuna disminuye con el tiempo, especialmente en los adultos mayores. La aparición de la variante Omicron ha hecho que la necesidad de impulsores sea más necesaria. La evidencia preliminar sugiere fuertemente que tener un refuerzo aumentará el nivel de anticuerpos que pueden proteger contra las infecciones de la variante Omicron. Las personas de edad avanzada y las personas con inmunidad disminuida definitivamente necesitan las inyecciones de refuerzo y deben recibirlas de inmediato. Las personas con inmunidad disminuida deben consultar con sus médicos sobre un nuevo tratamiento diseñado específicamente para personas inmunodeprimidas que se puede administrar mediante inyección intramuscular. Ahora se recomiendan los refuerzos para niños de 16 y 17 años. Los refuerzos aún no se recomiendan para niños más pequeños. La variante Delta ha sido bastante terrible en personas no vacunadas y en algunas personas vacunadas que sufrieron infecciones irruptivas. ¿Cómo podemos evitar la infección? Lo más importante que debe hacer es vacunarse por completo y recibir una dosis de refuerzo cuando sea elegible. Las personas no vacunadas tienen 5 veces más probabilidades de contraer una infección por el virus de la corona que las personas vacunadas y 13 veces más probabilidades de morir de covid-19 en comparación con las personas vacunadas. En mi opinión, este dato es muy convincente a favor de vacunarse. También sigo recomendando el uso de una muy buena máscara al estar en interiores entre personas cuyo estado de vacunación desconoce y practicar el distanciamiento social en interiores y exteriores en lugares con gran cantidad de personas presentes. 132

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

Tengo dos hijos de ocho y dieciséis años. Me preocupa vacunarlos. ¿Que recomiendas? Comencemos revisando las estadísticas del Corona virus en los niños. Desde el comienzo de la pandemia, 731 niños de 0 a 17 años han muerto como resultado del virus en los EE. UU. Durante este mismo período de tiempo, 8,300 niños han sido hospitalizados y muchos de ellos requirieron tratamiento en unidades de cuidados intensivos. La mayoría de los niños que contraen la infección por covid-19 tienen infecciones leves, pero no es exacto pensar que son inmunes a enfermedades graves y complicaciones. La mayoría de los expertos y los CDC recomiendan que los niños se vacunen lo antes posible. Todos los ensayos de vacunas mostraron que el riesgo de efectos secundarios de la vacuna es mucho menor que el riesgo de infección para los niños. Las dosis de vacuna para niños de 12 a 17 años son las mismas que para los adultos. Las dosis de vacuna para niños de 5 a 11 años son una fracción de la dosis para adultos y han demostrado ser seguras y eficaces. La vacuna protegerá a los niños y reducirá las posibilidades de que los niños transmitan la enfermedad a sus padres y abuelos, que son más susceptibles a padecer enfermedades graves. Esto es especialmente importante ahora que estamos amenazados por nuevas variantes peligrosas del virus corona. Le recomiendo que consulte con su pediatra sobre la vacunación de su hijo para que pueda obtener recomendaciones específicas del médico de su hijo. Quiero recordarles a todos los lectores de Sol y Mar Magazine que esta pandemia no ha terminado. El virus sigue infectando a muchas personas a diario y al menos 1,000 personas mueren a diario a causa de este virus. Necesitamos mantener el rumbo con el uso de mascarillas, distanciamiento social, mejorando la ventilación y vacunándonos. Hacer estas cosas nos ayudará a mantenernos saludables y proteger a los miembros vulnerables de nuestras familias.

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

133

134

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

135

136

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

137

138

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

139

140

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

141

142

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

143

144

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

145

146

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

147

148

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

149

150

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

151

152

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

153

154

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

155

156

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

157

158

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

159

160

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

161

162

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

163

164

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

165

166

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

167

168

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

169

170

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

171

172

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

173

174

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

175

176

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

177

178

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

179

180

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

181

182

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

183

184

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

185

186

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

187

188

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

189

190

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE

191

Back Cover/Contraportada: Captain Jimmy Nelson Fishing with Luiza

192

SOL & MAR MAGAZINE