The Challenge
A new upscale resort and private marine development hsa a direct entrance/exit channel to the sea. Shifting sand bars and siltation of the basin become a continuous issue, and maintenance dredging is required.
Our Solution
Desarrolladora La Ribera, S. de R.L. de C.V., La Ribera, Baja, Mexico, developers of the area’s new Costa Palma private beachfront resort community and marina, recently took delivery and received training in the operation of a 10-inch Wolverine Class Dredge, designed and manufactured by DSC Dredge at its Greenbush, Michigan, USA, facility.
Baja Peninsula Mexico is a mountainous desert landscape that reaches down on three sides to the aqua-blue waters of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean. The region is best known for its natural beauty, age-old Sonora cactus, the Baja 1000 off-road race, colonial Spanish architecture towns and, of course, all kinds of water sport activities. The state of Baja California Sur is home to a microcosm of the world’s nationalities. Close to the southern tip of the peninsula and a short hop from Los Cabos is the East Cape of Baja, one of the most sought-after destinations for sports fisherman, as well as water sports enthusiasts from around the world. Within this region lies a 1,000-acre beach frontage tract of land that is being developed into a community within itself. Costa Palmas will consist of upscale home sites, a golf course, beach club, resort hotel and a deep-water-access marina capable of mooring vessels of 100-ft-plus in length. As with most marinas with a direct entrance/exit channel to the sea, shifting sand bars and siltation of the basin become a continuous issue. Maintenance dredging plays an important role in the health of the channels and marina.
The Costa Palmas project in the East Cape is a bold undertaking. By its completion the owners hope to have an upscale community complete with residences, a Robert Trent Jones II 18-hole golf course, a Four Seasons Resort, a full service Costa Palmas Marina and the Costa Palmas Beach & Yacht Club. The main attraction upon which the whole project depends is the beautiful water of the Baja peninsula and its fishing opportunities. Marinas require maintenance dredging to stay in service. To accommodate their dredging requirements, the developers of Costa Palmas turned to DSC Dredge’s Michigan Division. DSC was able to provide the ideal equipment necessary to keep the marina basin and entrance channels free and clear from silt buildup and drifting sand – a new Wolverine 10-inch cutter suction conventional dredge, which has been christened “Corta Dora.” Known for many years as a workhorse piece of equipment, the Wolverine dredge is ideally suited for the application required within this community.
The Wolverine Class dredge can dredge up to 25 feet below the surface and offers a 10-inch discharge configuration, which allows particle clearance of up to 6 inches. The cutterhead, designed with six cast-steel smooth blades, is attached to a variable-speed, reversible, hydraulic cutter motor manufactured by Kawasaki. It is powered by a 440-horsepower Caterpillar C13 ACERT diesel engine. The dredge pump, a J30 Metso Minerals/Thomas Simplicity series, is rated for 200 feet of total discharge head at 4,200 gallons per minute. Five hydraulic winches, rated with a 4,500-pound line pull capacity, are used to swing the dredge, lift the spuds and lift the ladder. The Wolverine’s time-tested design, simplicity of operation and ease of maintenance will keep this dredging operation running smoothly with few concerns for years to come.
About Costa Palmas:
Costa Palmas is a 1000-acre (400-hectare) private beachfront resort community located 45 minutes from Los Cabos International Airport on the East Cape of the Baja Peninsula. Thoughtfully and sensitively designed and situated along a two-mile stretch of swimmable beach, Costa Palmas introduces an elemental form of luxury hospitality, set among organic farms on an international marina. The community is home to Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, a Robert Trent Jones II 18-hole golf course, 18 acres of orchards and farms, and its own beach and yacht club. For more information about this project, visitwww.costapalmas.com.
