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Photo by Bill Kaliher
The resort caters to everyone, but is designed specifically for those with disabilities. |
Mexico’s Freedom Shores Resort
A taste of fully accessible tropical heaven
The tropical breeze washing over me from Laguna de Terminos is perfect. A quarter-mile from the Gulf Laguna de Terminos is the largest lagoon in Mexico. The bridge to the island and Freedom Shores Resort stretches in the distance. I can almost hear the white sand scrunch beneath my feet.
Most call the water blue, and my pictures prove they are correct, but at times the water is emerald green. The sheen stays in my memory. The water is as tepid as if Jeeves the butler drew it up to match my tastes 10 minutes ago. No wonder the paraplegic lady I encountered on my first stop said, “You’ll be dipping in seventh heaven. It’s so nice.”
Bill Bussear and his wife, Thelma, envisioned a tropical paradise and created it on the shores of Isla Aguada, Campeche, Mexico. More amazingly, they sculpted the natural lushness into a resort and RV park for people with disabilities.
While exploring Catemaco, Mexico, three years ago, I heard about Bill, who spared no expense in building a first-class retreat for RV enthusiasts and people with disabilities. This year I visited his resort twice, but due to his hospitalization, have yet to meet him.
The results of a diving accident left the young Marine a quadriplegic in 1961. According to friends and customers, Bill escaped the VA system and headed to Mexico around 1962. Even today, Mexico is not the easiest place for people with disabilities to navigate, but Bill tackled a wilder Mexico and overcame obstacles I found difficult, strenuous and at times even frightening. Without a doubt, Bill pioneered quadriplegic travel in Mexico and now is pioneering the concept of a beach playground serving the disabled.
Fine dining, relaxation and boating and fishing on emerald green waters are part of the Freedom Shores experience.
The resort caters to everyone, but is designed specifically for those with disabilities. On my first stop the number of French Canadian RVers overwhelmed me. Motorhomes filled every available spot, and activity rivaled the busiest beehives. The Canadians had one of the largest caravans I’ve seen traveling Mexico. With Bill absent and the staff plenty busy, I decided to explore elsewhere and visit the resort later.
The most tranquil setting possible greeted me on my return trip. I had time to enjoy the water and the giant palapa — thatched-roofed, open-sided structures. What a seaside setting to linger over a drink, and appreciate the shade from half-century-old Canary Island Pines. I’d have time to write if other activities didn’t draw me away. I immediately headed for the restaurant to enjoy the labors of their first-rate chefs. I love Mexican food, but when traveling for extended periods, the craving for more Americanized cuisine often looms large. My habit on the Mexican Gulf Coast is to enjoy shrimp one or two meals a day, a luxury I can’t afford in the States.
However, at Freedom Shores, I ordered arrachera, a Mexican-style steak. The chefs grilled it perfectly for the American palate. With steak, fries and a large lemonade, they squelched my hunger for American food.
A couple entered the restaurant when I did and invited me to join them. Kim and Lula were a delight. They had lived an active life filled with hiking, jogging and tennis, until Lula flew over her bike’s handlebars and broke her neck eight years ago. At Isla Aguada, a beach wheelchair made it possible for her to easily enter the water and swim. A local fisherman and his son easily lifted Lula and her chair onto the boat, but Kim says in the future they’ll go in the beach wheelchair so she can better maneuver when investigating the islands.
This was the couple’s third year vacationing at Freedom Shores. On their last two visits, many others with disabilities were vacationing and they enjoyed the interaction. This trip, the resort was quieter, so the duo often had the place to themselves. The visits, explorations and activities must have imparted a greater desire for adventure. Lula’s brother was flying in. The three planned to rent a car and explore the Yucatan Peninsula on their own.
The three of us spent hours discussing Mexico, disabilities and the lesser-known sites on the Yucatan. I know the Yucatan backward and forward and craved an opportunity to go with them. The area around Freedom Shores offers many opportunities for adventure, including Mayan tours, snorkeling, fishing, sunset cruises and exploring the mangroves.
Keep in mind, a quadriplegic designed the entire complex to ensure easy access to everything in the resort. Additionally, the staff is trained to aid those with disabilities. The Web site explains in detail how to reach the island via air. — Bill Kaliher