The 2023 whale watching season is underway. From January through March, these mammals come to the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez to feed, mate, and give birth to their young.

Every year the journey of thousands of kilometers that whales make to the Sea of Cortez brings with it the spectacular whale-watching season off the coast of Puerto Peñasco, a season that began in January and typically ends towards the end of March.

This natural spectacle generates a lot of excitement for the tourists who take advantage of the trips and promotions offered by local tour operators.

Humberto González Veliz, Biologist of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone, Zofemat, announced that this 2023 whale watching season is underway and people will be able to observe the majestic animals that roam the Sea of Cortez. They can expect to see the species humpback whale, fin whale, and sometimes sperm whales.

Operators must remember that there is a rule issued during 2020 that regulates this activity, protecting the species and those who admire them by following a series of guidelines. At that time, Rocky Point received the official appointment of an authorized area for whale watching by SEMARNAT, under the Official Mexican Standard NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010, which establishes regulations for the development of the observation practices. 

Part of these regulations state that the Vessels intended for this activity must comply with certain characteristics, such as not measuring more than 22 meters in length, the capacity of people on board must not be excessive, as well as that the vessels must not exceed a speed of five knots and must spend a maximum of 30 minutes with one or more whales.

The whales that arrive in the Sea of Cortez make a journey of between 20 to 25 thousand kilometers, starting from icy waters to the warm waters of the upper Gulf of California, where they settle for a few months and return to their starting point again.

For the past 10 years, the Sonoran Resorts has co-sponsored the Scottsdale Barrett Jackson show and we have had a booth there to showcase our resorts and our listings. Last year was a bit subdued as everyone was still coming out of the Covid era, but this year seems to have made up for it.

As would have been expected, the new Sonoran Star Resort was a very popular subject, though not much info has been made public yet. One thing that is out there is the fact that the utilities are going in to the property and the construction of the new information center and model is well under way.

The show itself was a big hit, as always, and it ended with some very impressive numbers. As of show end, they had made $190.6 Million in Total Auction Sales. Here’s a little about the show:

Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions, supercharged the collector car hobby by kicking off the 2023 auction calendar with their flagship Scottsdale Auction, January 21-29 at WestWorld of Scottsdale. In dynamic and trendsetting fashion, the historic event featured a diverse docket of 1,907 No Reserve collectible vehicles totaling more than $184.2 million in auction sales and surpassing 200 world auction records. Leading the charge was the 1989 Ferrari F40 (Lot #1405.1) that sold for $2.75 million. Over 1,100 pieces of authentic automobilia were also auctioned for more than $6.41 million, bringing total auction sales above $190.6 million.

Paying homage to its charitable roots, Barrett-Jackson also sold five vehicles for charity, with 100 percent of the hammer price from each vehicle benefiting its respective nonprofit initiative. Led by the 2024 GMC HUMMER EV Edition SUV VIN 001 First Retail Production (Lot #3002) that hammered for $500,000, the five vehicles raised $1.89 million for charity. To date, Barrett-Jackson has helped raise more than $151 million for charity, surpassing the $150 million milestone on Friday in Scottsdale.

The top 10 auction vehicles that sold during the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction included:

1. 1989 Ferrari F40 (Lot #1405.1) - $2,750,000

2. 2005 Porsche Carrera GT (Lot #1405) - $1,595,000

3. 2019 Ford GT Lightweight Carbon Series (Lot #1419) - $1,320,000

4. 2020 Ford GT Carbon Series (Lot #1390) - $1,320,000

5. 1966 Shelby Group II Mustang – Built for Ken Miles (Lot #1396) - $770,000

6. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Convertible (Lot #1367) - $770,000

7. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (Lot #1353) - $770,000

8. 2012 Lexus LFA (Lot #1382) - $748,000

9. 2021 Ferrari SF90 (Lot #1391) - $742,500

10. 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ (Lot #1407) – $671,000

“The ‘Barrett-Jackson Magic’ once again made Scottsdale the ultimate place to enjoy the automotive lifestyle,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “Our docket perfectly catered to every type of collector and met the demand for professionally built Resto-Mods and original, numbers-matching muscle, as well as the industry-leading selection of quality 4x4s. I’m also proud to celebrate our charity efforts over the years. Together with our collector car family, we’re lifting people’s burden so they can focus on healing mentally, physically and spiritually.”

Several of the most powerful moments during the 2023 Scottsdale Auction featured a vibrant arena of generous bidders and the sales of five charity vehicles that together raised $1.89 million. The charity vehicles that sold during the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction included:

2021 Shelby Super Snake Count’s Kustoms Edition (Lot #3000) - $350,000 to benefit Camp Freedom

2023 Ford F-150 Lightning 4x4 Super Crew Pickup (Lot #3001) - $275,000 to benefit Fighter Country Foundation

2024 GMC Hummer EV Edition SUV VIN 001 First Retail Production (Lot #3002) - $500,000 to benefit Tread Lightly!

General Colin L. Powell’s 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (Lot #3003) - $200,000 to benefit America’s Promise Alliance

2024 Ford Mustang GT Fastback VIN 001 (Lot #3004) - $565,000 to benefit JDRF. The Mustang hammered for $490,000 and received an additional $75,000 in donations from generous guests on the auction block.

Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association (AHA), joined Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson and President Steve Davis on the podium to mark the five-year anniversary of the Driven Hearts campaign. The Driven Hearts campaign has reached millions and raised millions to benefit the American Heart Association.

During the week, entertainment icons, professional athletes and titans of industry joined auction guests to indulge in the world’s most immersive automotive lifestyle event. Celebrities in attendance during this year’s auction included automotive personalities Bogi Lateiner, Dave Kindig, Linda Vaughn, Aaron Shelby, Cody Walker, Dennis Collins, Danny Coker, Richard Rawlings and Ken Lingenfelter; motorsport icons Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Erik Jones, Casey Mears, Arie Luyendyk Sr., Paul Tracy and Tom Sneva; and other professional athletes and personalities such as Larry Fitzgerald, DeAndre Hopkins, Zaven Collins, Isiah Simmons, Marco Wilson, Richie Incognito, Shane Doan, Bill Goldberg and Michael Buffer.

Potpourri!

Short Shorts of All Sorts!

Sometimes so much is going on in our little slice of paradise by the sea that we can't address the many short subjects with proper attention. To handle the hodgepodge of dangling subject matter, we invented the Potpourri Page. Here are a few "short shorts" to keep you up to date.



Last month, the application of fines for not wearing a seat belt or for texting on a cell phone while driving began. The main objective is to minimize accidents and to generate a culture of respect for traffic laws, reported Raúl Quintero Barrón.

The Municipal Public Security Commissioner specified that the sanctions are imposed after a preventive preemptive awareness campaign in which the public was informed that fines would begin in January. That campaign was carried out from November 7, 2022 through January 9, 2023 frequent messages on the radio, digital platforms, and social networks.

Quintero Barrón commented that, although the primary objective is not to punish, the application of fines to those who fail to comply with these regulated security measures established in article 239 will be levied. He also clarified that the preventive campaign was focused on drivers and passengers becoming comfortable with the responsibility of wearing a seat belt. He clarified that it is not an action to raise more money through fines, but to minimize the risk of fatal accidents.

He also specified that the non-use of the cell phone while driving a car mainly refers to avoiding sending text messages when driving a car because it has been proven that the distraction can be lethal. Talking on a cell phone is discouraged, but not part of this law. He said that with these two important safety rules lives can be saved or accidents with serious consequences can be avoided.

He warned that the penalties for anyone caught driving without wearing a seatbelt or texting on the cell phone will result in fines ranging from 896 pesos to 1,443 pesos. These fines will have a 50% discount if paid within 24 hours of the offence.

A state-owned solar-plus-storage project being developed in Mexico firmly establishes the shift in government thinking on energy storage, a local battery storage firm told Energy-Storage.news.

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) last week conditionally authorized the construction of a transmission line for the Puerto Peñasco Photovoltaic Power Plant, a megaproject combining 1GW of solar PV and 190MW of battery energy storage.

The project in the state of Sonora was first proposed by the Federal Electricity Commission (Comision Federal de Electricidad or CFE) in late 2021 but has moved forward in the last few months. The solar PV will be built in four stages with completion due by 2028.

The total investment required has been reported at around US$1.6 billion, or 33 billion Pesos, with ownership to be split 54/46 between the federal government and the state of Sonora.

Alejandro Fajer, managing director of Mexico City-based battery storage system integrator Quartux, said it is the first energy storage project by the current government and a massive turning point for the country’s grid-scale market.

“This is good news. The project establishes the government’s shift towards saying that energy storage is something it can trust and is very interested in. Given all the analysis, energy storage is one of the best solutions for our grid intermittency problems,” he said. “The energy storage system will also be interacting with the open electricity market, which is something unheard of.”

According to a technical document from the CFE from 2021, the first stage of the project involves 120MW of PV with 10MW/20MWh of energy storage while stage two would add another 200MW of PV and 60MW/120MWh of energy storage. It did not provide figures for the third and fourth stages.

The project will provide power to the states of Sonora and Baja California.

The energy storage market in Mexico has to-date been mainly focused on smaller projects in the commercial & industrial (C&I) sector. Companies like Quartux and On.Energy help businesses and industrial sites reduce electricity costs through peak shaving and self-consumption while also improving energy security in less-well serviced parts of the country’s electricity grid.

The new regulations of the General Law for the Control of Tobacco entered into force on January 15, 2023. Therefore, smoking is now prohibited in most places in Mexico. The new law prohibits consuming cigarettes in almost all public spaces, as well as the display of packets in commercial establishments, convenience stores and self-service stores.

On December 16, 2022, the Official Gazette of the Federation published the decree that contains the reforms to the Tobacco Control Law, which were approved in 2022, and came into force on Sunday, January 15, 2023.

“The purpose of this Regulation is to establish the control, promotion and sanitary surveillance of tobacco products, their preparation, manufacture, importation and prohibitions in all forms of advertising, promotion and sponsorship of the same, as well as the regulation for the protection against exposure to tobacco smoke and its emissions. This Regulation is of mandatory application throughout the national territory and its provisions are of public order and social interest”, reads Article 1 of the decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF).

With these modifications, smokers will see the areas where they can enjoy cigarettes limited, because the following spaces are now 100% smoke free: workplaces, public squares, beaches, parks and stadiums, as well as in public transportation (including bus stops) and schools at all educational levels, including universities.

Places where you can smoke

It should be noted that restaurants will no longer be able to offer a smoking area to diners. In addition, smoking areas in bars, clubs and entertainment venues may not sell food, drinks or entertainment. These smoking areas must have the following characteristics:

• Outdoor spaces should not exceed 10 percent of the total area of the establishment.

• Be located in a perimeter fence at least ten meters from the entrances, accesses, exits or any obligatory place where people pass through or congregate.

• Have signs that prohibit the entry of minors, which must be visible and adequate.

Cigarette sales

Since the regulation also establishes that tobacco products may not be displayed for sale in stores, they must be hidden from customers view. To sell cigarettes, these establishments must make a written list of the products they sell, including prices, without logos, stamps or brands.

The reforms also prohibit all forms of advertising, promotion and sponsorship of products made with tobacco, through any means of communication or dissemination. This includes print advertising in newspapers, magazines, flyers or billboards, as well as product placement in visual and audiovisual media, such as movies, television, radio commercials, streaming services and social networks.

With the support of the Government of Puerto Peñasco, professional coaches carry out a baseball clinic for children at the Francisco León Garcia stadium.

Dozens of boys and girls from Puerto Penasco participated in the 13th annual the baseball clinic, which offered the young players to learn from former major league and coaches.

This sporting event promoted by the Puerto Peñasco Municipal Sports Institute and the Puerto Peñasco Sports Group lasted 4 hours giving the young athletes had the opportunity to be instructed in basic baseball techniques by professional coaches such as Pete Hartmann, J. D. Ramirez, Javier Gamboa, Juan Senreiso, Jonathan Romero, Leo Acosta, Juan Medina, José Ulloa, Mitch Tal Bot, and Troy Pearc.

Japanese immigrants played a prominent role in Mexican snack culture. Cacahuate japonés, muégano, jamonsillo de leche, chamoy, and habas fritas are all snacks currently sold in Mexican markets that were invented by Japanese immigrants.

Mexico and Japan are distant and there were far fewer Japanese immigrants to Mexico as compared to other countries, including the USA and Brazil. As such, neither people in Mexico nor Japan expect that Japanese immigrants in Mexico contributed to the creation of some popular Mexican foods. However, this is precisely the case.

The creation of these snacks dates back to World War II. Because Mexico was an ally of the USA in this war, all Japanese companies in Mexico were closed and Japanese immigrants became unemployed. In order to make a living, some immigrants became street vendors, selling home-made Japanese snacks and sweets. The story behind these popular snack foods is not well known in Mexico. Rather, many believe these snacks are Mexican, not Japanese, however research shows that they were created and made popular by these relatively unknown peoples. 

Recipe:

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 55 mins

Servings: 24

Yield: 1 pound

Ingredients:

1 quart whole milk

1 ¾ cups white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup chopped pecans

24 pecan halves for garnish

Directions:

Combine milk, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, and cinnamon stick in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously. After about 20 minutes remove the cinnamon stick. Place a candy thermometer in the pan and cook until the thermometer reaches soft-ball stage 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) or until you can see th bottom of the pan when you stir.

Remove the candy from the heat and add the chopped pecans. Beat the candy with a mixer for about 5 minutes. Pour the candy into a buttered 9x9-inch pan. Press pecan halves onto the top of the warm candy. Cool, then cut into pieces. Store candy in an airtight container.

Vehicle prices are high these days, and the average price of vehicles in Mexico is lower than in the USA, but when buying a vehicle in Mexico there can be some obstacles. This is not to discourage but to inform.

I have bought several vehicles here, and I drive a Sonora plated national vehicle now. And, in case you are wondering, it is not a problem for a US citizen to cross the border in a vehicle with plates from Mexico. Sometimes they ask if it is mine and if I have a drivers license from Mexico. I say yes, and on I go. I have never been asked to prove it - although I would recommend that you can prove it if necessary.

There is no CarFax or similar website available to the public (only to auto dealers at considerable expense) to check a vehicle’s history. What is the actual distance the vehicle was driven? Could the odometer reading have been altered? Was it stolen? Was it in an accident and possibly totaled and restored? Was it used as a taxi or in some other commercial application? Are the annual fees current? Was the vehicle properly maintained? Were oil changes and filters changed on schedule? These concerns are no different than you would have in the USA, but the process of getting the answers is a bit different here.

Registering a Vehicle

May you register your vehicle in your state in Mexico as a tourist if you are not a Temporary or Permanent Resident? In almost every state in Mexico, one needs a CURP number (similar to SSN in the US.) to register a vehicle. A CURP is only available once a person becomes a Temporary or Permanent Resident. A tourist has no CURP.

In all states, you are to have a Mexican state driver’s license when you own a Mexican state-registered vehicle. Some may have gotten away by not doing so but if you ask the proper state authority, it is a requirement. To obtain a driver’s license present your US licence, resident card, passport, and local utility bill to the attendant at the local Fiscal office.

In some cases, one buys a vehicle and then discovers it can not be registered, e.g. the documents are not complete or not available; the documents have an error such as VIN not matching car’s VIN; the vehicle has foreign registration; the car you thought was nationalized was done fraudulently and it was never legally nationalized and subject to confiscation, etc. In buying a used vehicle privately it is best to make your payment should be conditional on the buyer being able to register their vehicle within 10 days.

Vehicle’s History

Did you check on REPUVE, the national database of 30 million-plus vehicles to see if the car is registered there?

Original Bill of Sale

Note that the original factura (bill of sale) from when a motorized vehicle was purchased new, must remain with the car for its’ life and signed off on the back by every subsequent seller. In many cases, a factura is impossible to replace and without it, the vehicle may not be registered. For vehicles that have been nationalized, the same rule applies with the need to keep the original ‘pedimento’ from Aduana.

Buying a Used Vehicle From Another State

Is the car registered in another state? if so, the plates and tarjeta de circulacion (registration) should be returned to that state and the Baja de Vehiculo form issued before you can register locally. And, to do so in some areas, the emission test must be current and all past annual fees paid. If the license plates are not returned, one may still be able to turn in the plates locally when vehicle is registered in state. However, your vehicle will continue to be registered in the state from where it was registered and the annual fee (refrendo), tenencia (an additional tax applicable in many states) and emissions fines will keep accruing.

When a vehicle is registered in another state from where you bought it, you must have your vehicle physically inspected and a stolen report issued before the local office will register your newly bought vehicle and your state-issued license plates. There will be fees and a tax to complete in this process. 

Check everything before paying unless you buy from a reputable car dealer with a license to sell cars. Rocky Point might not be the best place to look for a new vehicle (I have bought several used vehicles here and have never had a problem). Mexicali and Hermosillo are large cities with many car dealerships and they are only a few hours from Penasco. In summary, please do your homework when considering a used car purchase in Mexico.

January 2023

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January 2022

December 2021

Let me know if you would like links to any of the earlier ones. (Over 11 years worth)