March is here! Spring Break, Semana Santa, the weather warms up, and tourist season really kicks off for another year. What's not to love about this place? In previous years, March would be the time that things started moving again around town. Some businesses which had been closed for the slower winter months would be opening again. People would start roaming the beaches and visiting the bars and restaurants again. This winter was different. The weather was warmer than usual and we had a ton of people in town, almost all throughout the winter months.

Rocky Point just continues to grow as more and more people are discovering our little paradise. It wasn't very many years ago that Summers here were very slow as well. Now days, other than holidays or special events, the Summers are the busiest time of the year. Heat, humidity, and all. I strongly suspect that, as we're "on the map" more and more, winters here will be getting busy as well. Good for the town. Good for businesses and rentals. But, somehow, I will miss the quiet times here. There was something very nice about having a couple months during the year when you knew or recognized most of the people that you ran into, simply because the full-time local people were not diluted by tourists. Such is the way of progress and, weighing one against the other, progress wins and I am happy that we're busy. It's still easy enough to get out to a lonely deserted beach whenever I choose to do so.

This month promises to be a very busy one. Things will start out with Spring Break kicking off this weekend. Both ASU and UA Spring Breaks coincide this year so we expect to be very busy, but for a shorter period of time. Spring Break brings in a lot of young people and there are some very busy "party" spots around town, but it really isn't a reason to change plans if you were hoping for a trip without noise and chaos. Sandy Beach usually stays pretty calm and you can avoid the parties pretty easily if you would like. Semana Santa weekend on the other hand - not so much. 

Speaking of Spring Break, can you hear the sound of silence in the media this year? Honestly, this is the first year that I can remember that a big, bad, warning of some sort about the evil dangers of Rocky Point and Mexico has not come out just before Spring Break (and most US holidays). Are we finally being accepted as the safe vacation destination that we are? Maybe too early to tell, but I'm happy that we seem to have passed the test for this year's Spring Break anyway. 

If you come to town on Semana Santa, you should know what to expect and you should want to be here. It can be great and a memorable, fun time, but a quiet, relaxed weekend, it ain't. Loud music everywhere (usually Banda), lots of traffic, people everywhere. And, good luck getting a place to stay if you haven't already booked something. It's a really exciting experience, but probably not for those who lack patience or who are looking for a laid back day at the beach and a nice romantic meal. For you folks, best to come the week before or after Semana Santa. The busiest days for Semana Santa this year should be from Thursday, March 29 through Sunday, April 1.

Whale season this year seems to have been a bit less spectacular than last year. In reality, it is probably more "normal" and last year was exceptional. I don't pretend to understand how it all works, but it's not too late to see them, and if you go out within the next couple weeks, you probably will. It really is spectacular and something that I highly recommend. The huge schools of dolphins and large variety of other sea life that you will encounter on those cruises alone would be worth the trip, but those huge whales. Well, those are the bonus that you won't soon forget.

Busy has become the norm around here and our team has been busier over this winter than we have been any year in the past. That seems to be the case all over town as well as projects, big and small are starting up and re-starting up. The number of new Real Estate agents in town is staggering. Those of us who were here through the downturn, remember knowing just about every other agent in town. That's certainly not the case any more as the hot market has drawn more and more people into the business. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing overall, but it's safe to say that most new agents don't have much experience here, so choose your agent carefully. Of course, if you're looking to buy or sell at the Sonoran Resorts, we're always your best choice!  

 

Enjoy your month, come to Rocky Point if you can, and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask. Let me put my experience and expertise to work for you, and remember, as always, I've been here full-time for about 10 years and I am more than happy to help you with whatever you need, whether Sonoran Resorts related or not. 

 

Just give me a call or send me an email any time and I will do my very best to help you. If I can't help you myself, I'm sure that I can point you in the right direction and help find you someone who can. 

    

President/Volunteer

Tourist Assistance Unit Advisory Committee

602-774-1777

www.touristassistancerockypoint.org

[email protected]

Puerto Penasco, also known as Rocky Point, is a huge tourist destination for Arizonans - particularly students on Spring Break - because it is a short drive for those looking to catch some rays and lay on the beach.

So in order to keep drivers safer, the Arizona Department of Transportation has teamed up with the Sonoran government to minimize accidents along Route 8 to Rocky Point.

Tom Herrmann, a spokesman with the Arizona Department of Transportation, told KTAR News 92.3 FM the two governments are working together to better prepare first responders and educate drivers on safe driving practices.

The Sonoran government will also launch a safety corridor on March 5.

The corridor will help officials clear the two-lane road after accidents more quickly and attempt to avoid secondary accidents and prolonged road closures.

There will also be safety messages along Route 8 to remind drivers about safe driving issues, Herrmann added.

Herrmann said the idea first came out of a different meeting between transportation and Mexican officials last year.

Municipal Government Collects Over 7,000 Tons of Garbage through Peñasco Limpio Program   

A total of 7,845 tons of garbage have been collected through the program Peñasco Limpio implemented by the Municipal Government through the Directorate of Urban Development and Ecology, Public Services and ZOFEMAT, with the purpose of improving the urban image of this city.

 

The Director of the municipal office explained that during the past 14 weeks, since the start of this cleaning program, there have been 1,207 trips to the local landfill to dispose of trash collected by 2 full-time cleaning crews who have been working in 13 different sectors of the city. The crews were equipped with 6 dump trucks, 2 backhoes, a garbage truck, and large crews to get the job done in a short time. Street by street, area by area, the continue to work, beautifying the city.

 

City representatives announced that work will continue and new areas will be added, cleaning streets, driveways, and common areas of trash, weeds, rubble, branches, and even large items such as discarded furniture, or auto tires and parts

 

They also thanked the crews and the public for their efforts to help with the transformation by bagging trash, picking up around their homes, and making sure to respect the newly cleaned areas. The Mayor and members of the city as well as ZOFEMAT have invited the entire population of the city, both residents and tourists, to continue to help keep our city clean and a place that we can all be proud of. 

  RockyPoint.com

Now in its 10th year, Rocky Point has been the host to an annual baseball clinic for the cities young people. The clinic is sponsored in part by Seaside Reservations.

Troy Pierce is the one who started everything. After a Pro baseball career, Troy was in the process of building up his own business here and in Arizona. At the time, the city of Penasco approached him, and asked him to put on a small clinic. "The very first clinic, there was only 3 of us. I had not done anything like this before" said Troy. "The city knew that I had played baseball in Hermosillo for the Naranjeros, they wanted me to do a small clinic for kids. During the clinic I had such a great experience with the kids. I had not played for a long time, being engaged back in baseball is great because it is my first love."

Through the years Troy has put together a team to keep the clinics going. He has gotten a lot of help from other former pro athletes. Among them Pete Hartmann.

"There is no way we could do this without the help of the community. Each of us has a part to play. It is all about the kids. We have had kids come to play in sandals. We want them to follow their dreams, to have the right tools. This year, for example, we were able to get 200 pairs of new cleats donated for the clinic" says Pete.

This year, the clinic has been opened to anyone who wants to participate - they don't need to already be on a little league team. "We may get kids from teams in Los Mochis, Sonoyta, San Luis, Agua Prieta, and also from Magdalena." says Troy.

The kids take the field

The day starts with everyone lined up along the base lines in Rocky Points City Baseball Filed. The stadium has been fully remodeled in the last year, it all looks great.

After warm ups, the pros divide off with the different age groups, and begin defensive and offensive drills.

Helping out this weekend are a number of young players from the US, volunteering their time as well.

The pros give pointers on what each kid can do to improve in their catching, throwing, and hitting.

"I just great that we get to work with kids who really want to learn. In the States, it's more like Mom and Dad are really pushing them. Here, the kids actually really respond...they do what you ask of the!" Says Diamondback DJ Ramirez.

Troy has a network of people from his years playing ball. This clinic has had the participation of people from both sides of the border who wanted to help out, and make sure the clinic has a bigger impact every year. Among those here to help are Arizona Senator Catherine Miranda, Bobby Magallanes, Coach of the Cleveland Indians, Fernando Hernandez Rubio, Director of Sports for the state of Sinaloa, and many more.

This evening after the clinic, there will be a game at 7pm with many of the players, also at the City Baseball Stadium.

Troys organization is called the Foundation Mexico en las Grandes Ligas. For more information, or to get in touch, please visit them on Facebook.

A Story of Dramatic Conservation Effort: Saving the Vaquita Porpoise (Phocoena sinus) from Extinction

It has been clear for several years that the vaquita porpoise is in danger of extinction, but only recently has the plight of this species received global attention. The vaquita is the most critically endangered marine mammal in the world and is endemic to the northern Gulf of California, Mexico. Genetic analyses and population simulations suggest that this species has always maintained a small population size, but accidental deaths caused by gillnet fishing gear have been the primary reason for their rapid demise. Between the years of 1997 and 2015, the species experienced a population decline of 92%. Population assessments estimated the population size of the vaquita to be at an alarming number of 60 in 2015, which then dropped to a total of 30 individuals by 2017. Over the past three years there have been dramatic efforts to save the vaquita from what seems like their inevitable extinction, which could be as early as 2018 according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Local fishermen in Mexico's Gulf of California target the critically endangered fish, totoaba, for its swim bladder. The swim bladder is considered a delicacy in parts of Asia, selling for as much as $10,000 per kilogram. It is in these gillnets meant to capture totoaba that vaquita become bycatch and eventually drown. In 2016, the International Whaling Commission approved emergency measures to permanently ban gillnet fishing from the vaquita's range, remove existing gillnets, and suppress the illegal trade of totoaba. However, scientists fear the removal of gillnets is not sufficient enough to save the remaining vaquitas, considering their extremely low population numbers. In response, active measures have been taken in an attempt to help save the species.

In June 2017, Mexico announced plans to use trained dolphins to help corral the remaining porpoises into a protected breeding sanctuary. The dolphins, previously trained by the US Navy to search for missing SCUBA divers, are trained to locate and herd the vaquitas to a marine refuge where they would ideally repopulate in safety. Unfortunately, the use of trained dolphins was not successful. The government then put together a team of marine mammal experts to go into the field and capture as many vaquitas as possible. To help with the conservation of the vaquita, the Mexican government created the Consortium for Vaquita Conservation, Protection, and Recovery to implement an action plan to prevent the extinction of the species. This plan is arguably the most dramatic conservation effort to date, but scientists are skeptical of how successful the program will be.

The rescue plan of VaquitaCPR includes four phases. Phase one involves locating and rescuing individuals followed by an evaluation of their suitability for human care. Phase two involves housing the vaquita in a marine sanctuary where, during phase three, the vaquitas breed in captivity. Finally, phase four is the release of the individuals back into the wild, and the ultimate goal of the entire project.

In October 2017, Mexico announced the successful capture of a six-month old vaquita calf that was quickly released back into the wild because it was still dependent on its mother. This was the first ever capture of a vaquita, and left scientists optimistic that the goal of the VaquitaCPR team was indeed feasible. With a successful capture under their belt, the team of marine mammal experts set out to capture another vaquita, with the hopes of transporting it into the reserved area. 

In early November 2017, the VaquitaCPR team caught a second vaquita, but unfortunately this was not a success story. The mature female was captured and transported to a floating sea pen where veterinarians determined the animal was under extreme stress, and despite life-saving efforts the vaquita died within a few hours. With such few individuals left, the loss of a female of reproductive-age is one of catastrophic proportion. Currently, the VaquitaCPR project has ceased all active measures to capture vaquitas, without ever successfully reaching phase two of their initial rescue plan.    

The unfortunate truth could be that the vaquita porpoise is too stress-intolerant to endure capture and transportation, and this would make rebuilding their population in captivity impossible. Conservation efforts to save the remaining vaquitas will shift to removing all gillnets from their habitat, and a stricter enforcement of the illegal fishing of totoaba. The number of boats setting these particular gillnets in the vaquita's range is minimal, and with the new permanent ban set by the Mexico government, hopefully these mitigations are sufficient to relieve pressure on the species. The success or failure of saving the vaquita from the brink of extinction will be a precedent in marine mammal conservation. 

Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)

Capirotada is a dish with a rich legacy. Also known as Mexican bread pudding, Capirotada is a dessert with as many variations as you can imagine. There is no one definitive recipe, it's open to many broad interpretations. It's always different no matter where you go. But no matter where eat it, you can be assured that you'll find the one ingredient that makes it Capirotada through and through: cheese.

Yes, cheese.

Capirotada is traditionally served during Lent. In the past, most traditional Mexican families would make it a few times a year or whenever they found themselves with a surplus of stale bread. There's something about that savory bite of cheese hidden within the flavors of cinnamon, cloves and raisins. It's a natural pairing.

The history of the Capirotada is long and complex. As with many Mexican dishes, Capirotada traces its roots back to the old world, where various centuries-old Spanish cookbooks mention its predecessor. Even further back we see a distant relative mentioned by the Romans entitled Sala Cattaba, a mixture of bread, liquid, savories such as vegetables, fowl, meat and fat, and a dressing that made of mint, pepper, celery, pennyroyal, pine nuts, vinegar, honey, water and cheese. Throughout history, this potted bread pudding has changed over time, but it has always managed to keep its sweet & savory element intact.

Fast-forward a couple of hundred years. It's not clear exactly when the Capirotada made its official crossover into the world of sweets, but legend has it that meat was omitted sometime during the 19th century, mostly for religious observances. It's this version that you'll find throughout Mexico - if you're lucky, that is. José Luis Juárez López, a food writer from Mexico, says that Capirotada is in danger of extinction and isn't a part of too many food celebrations today. Certainly disheartening.

Present-day recipes of Capirotada can often leave you confused. You'd be hard pressed to find matching recipes no matter where you looked, as ingredients, quantities and preparation methods can vary from cook to cook. There is a general consensus, however, which states that Capirotada includes bread, a liquid, some solids in the form of raisins and nuts, and of course cheese.

Bread forms the basis of this dish. It's the foundation. Stale bread seems to hold up better. If you're using fresh bread you'll want to toast it before using it. Capirotada is usually made with Bolillos, small round loaves of bread found in Mexican markets. Once stale they make the perfect texture for bread pudding.

A sauce must be made to pour over the chunks of bread. This liquid is basically made of water, brown sugar, cloves and cinnamon sticks, reduced to a syrup and strained. Variations include the addition of anise tea or a piloncillo, The piloncillo, a small cone of dried unrefined brown sugar, is the Mexican secret incredient and can be found in Latin markets. You may also notice that Capirotada uses a sugar syrup and not cream and eggs like other bread puddings. But fear not, it's still delicious.

The beauty of this dish is its personalized nature. Most are content with the sole inclusion of raisins, but feel free to add currants, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, even fresh or dried fruit.

Then there's the cheese. Yes, cheese. A nice cheddar freshly shredded tastes delicious and is more subtle in this dish than you might imagine. Similar to apple pie with a slice of cheddar on top, cheese in this bread pudding really shines and adds dimension. Besides, it's not Capirotada without it! Other recipes call for Queso Añejo, Seco or Ranchero, but most find a simple cheddar works just fine.

Black pepper, chopped tomatoes, onions and bay leaves can be added. No, your browser hasn't accidentally taken you to another recipe. We're still talking Capirotada here, folks. Personally this is a tad bit different for most but experiment and try it, you might just like it!

Capirotada Recipe:

Mexican desserts aren't famous for their over-the-top sweetness. If you prefer your bread pudding on the sweeter side simply adjust the sugar level in the liquid.

Ingredients:

3 cups of water
3 large cinnamon sticks
3 to 4 Pilloncillos (if not available you can substitute 1 1/2 cups brown sugar)
3 to 4 oz raisins
4 bolillo rolls (found in Mexican markets) or 1 loaf french bread, cut into pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method:

In a saucepan, bring water, sugar and cinnamon sticks to a boil then reduce and simmer for 10 minutes. Break bread into small 2 inch pieces (if using fresh bread you'll need to toast it beforehand) and place in a baking dish and sprinkle with raisins and half of the shredded cheese. Strain the syrup liquid, removing the cinnamon sticks, and pour the syrup over the bread until well absorbed. Top with remaining cheese and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until syrup is absorbed. This dish may be served warm or cold and topped with fresh whipped cream or ice cream. Enjoy!

A Saying For Every Occasion

Mexico has a wide variety of dichos or refranes - sayings, maxims, or phrases - some of Mexican origin and others evidently not. By analogy or through rhyme, the dichos are supposed to convey time-honored truths that admit no argument. But they can be, and often are, pronounced in such a smug manner as to fit the definition of perogrullada - a word almost onomatopoeic in its ugliness which means, briefly, an obvious truth of such little moment that to utter it is foolishness.

One frequently used phrase - tanto va el cántaro al agua, hasta que se rompe, or the jug is dipped so often into the water that eventually it breaks - is self-explanatory and can be particularly annoying with its "told you so" tone and presumption of virtue in the inevitable.

Native English speakers will occasionally translate an English saying into Spanish literally, with varied results. Some are close enough in their equivalent not to matter. Más vale pájaro en la mano que cientos volando literally means a bird in the hand is worth more than hundreds in flight, quite similar to "a bird in the hand is worth two in the nest."

But a literal rendering of say, "you can't have your cake and eat it" - "no puedes tener tu pastel y comerlo" - might cause some amusement even if the hearer realizes you're saying something like "no puedes chiflar y comer pinole," which literally means "you can't whistle and eat pinole," a powdery substance made with baked ground corn and sugar. Figuratively they are about the same.

I haven't noticed, on the other hand, that English-speaking Mexicans make the same assumption about their own sayings being turned into English. Rather, they will tell you there is a saying in Spanish, say it, translate it and then explain what it means. This all makes for longer conversations, but then "time is money" isn't a phrase that gets much mileage in these latitudes.

There are plenty of sayings that have English equivalents but use different imagery. Es mejor ser cabeza de ratón, que cola de león, literally means it's better to be the head of a mouse than the tail of a lion, but its equivalent may well be - in the absence of any rules - better a king among beggars than a beggar among kings. Cuando el río suena, agua lleva - when the river sounds, it's carrying water - means about the same as the English "there's no smoke without fire."

One puzzling local saying is tirar (echar) la casa por la ventana, which is literally to throw the house out the window, but means simply to spare no expense, usually applied when celebrating something. A very Mexican expression is cada chango a su mecate, each monkey to his own rope. This one is self-explanatory, an antidote to busybodies, and has a number of variations in different Spanish speaking countries.

Finally, for this entry anyway, there is one dicho that may well be true, but which never seems to be applied except at the worst possible time. No hay mal que por bien no venga. Literally, there is no bad thing that doesn't happen for good, similar in meaning to every cloud has a silver lining. The problem is that people always seem to say it when someone is in great anguish about something awful that has happened. And a bit like Job, rather than take comfort, one is perhaps inclined to mutter something like the universal "con amigos así, ¿quién necesita enemigos?"