Condos, Hotels, and Tourist Operators are prepared to receive tourists while following all health protocols.

The Puerto Peñasco condo and hotel sector is ready to receive visitors as we move into the busy tourist season, and that have prepared with the implementation of all recommended health protocols in order to make Spring Break 2021 and the following high season both safe and successful, stated Lizeth Ibarra.

The Director of the Puerto Peñasco Convention and Visitors Bureau pointed out that since the town reopened after being closed through covid restriction last Summer, condos and hotel rooms have been available, however all have been required to follow strict health and safety protocols specifically enacted to help fight the spread of the disease. With the high season and Spring Break just around the corner, reservations have been coming in, however it is not yet known how the number of visitors will compare to last year at this time, which was at the beginning of the awareness of the virus.

“We do not expect that it will be like last year, but even so everyone is super positive following all the safety and health protocols, sanitizing, cleaning, taking temperatures of the people who arrive; complying with all the protocols - the truth is that they are very much on the lookout for and waiting to receive all these people, ”she pointed out.

"As far as reservations are already made, it is going very well, and this week, we will be reviewing how it is going so far. It will not be like last year but we do expect a good number of visitors," she added.

Based on the most recent update of the Anticipa Sonora Map that was released last Saturday, February 13, Puerto Peñasco went from “High Risk” to “Medium Risk”, and maintains a downward trend in positive cases for COVID- 19.

The majority of Spring Breakers who arrive each year are from the Universities in Arizona, however this year, ASU, UA and NAU all have canceled spring break due to the pandemic, so it is unknown at this point what the turnout will be.

Mexico will have just two maximum risk red light states as of Monday, according to the updated coronavirus stoplight map presented by the federal government on Friday, a reduction of 11 compared to the map currently in force.

Health Ministry official Ricardo Cortés said that only Guanajuato and Guerrero will remain red next week, while the other 11 maximum risk states will switch to high risk orange.

Orange is the predominant color on the updated map, with 21 of Mexico’s 32 states painted that color.

The orange light states for the next two weeks will be Mexico City, México state, Nuevo León, Jalisco, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Morelos, San Luis Potosí, Puebla, Nayarit and Colima – all of which will switch to that color from red – as well Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Veracruz, Michoacán, Aguascalientes, Oaxaca, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Tlaxcala, which are already orange.

There are eight medium risk yellow light states on the updated map and one at low risk green – Chiapas, which will return to that color on Monday four weeks after it regressed to yellow.

The yellow light states for the next two weeks will be Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Tabasco – all of which will switch to that color from orange – as well as Campeche, which is already yellow.

Each stoplight color, determined by the Health Ministry using 10 different indicators including case numbers and hospital occupancy levels, is accompanied by recommended restrictions to slow the spread of the virus but it is ultimately up to state governments to decide on their own restrictions.

The publication of the updated stoplight map, on which no state regressed to a higher risk level for the first time this year, comes as new case numbers are trending downwards.

There are currently 67,688 active cases in the country, according to Health Ministry estimates, whereas the figure was above 110,000 in late January. The average number of daily cases reported in the first 12 days of February – 9,558 – was 32% lower than the daily average in January.

Cortés highlighted that the national positivity rate – the percentage of Covid-19 tests that come back positive – had recently declined 4% to 34%. The national hospital occupancy rate for general care beds is 45% and only two states – Mexico City and México state – have a rate of 70% or higher whereas several states were recently above that level.

But while there is evidence that Mexico is coming through the worst days of the pandemic – January was the worst month to date for both new case numbers and Covid-19 fatalities – the daily death rate remains very high.

The Health Ministry reported a daily average of 1,168 fatalities in the first 12 days of February, an increase of almost 11% compared to January.

Mexico’s accumulated case tally rose to almost 1.98 million on Friday with 10,388 new cases reported while the Covid-19 death toll increased to 172,557 with 1,323 additional fatalities registered.

As the spike in case numbers in January was largely attributed to family and friends coming together over the Christmas–New Year holiday period, authorities are understandably urging people to not gather in large numbers for Valentine’s Day celebrations this Sunday.

Mexico’s vaccination efforts have virtually stalled as there is a very limited number of doses currently in the country, but about 1.5 million AstraZeneca and Pfizer shots are expected to arrive over the next two days, allowing the inoculation of seniors to begin.

To date, Mexico has administered just over 726,000 Pfizer vaccine doses, mainly to the country’s frontline healthcare workers.

After rescheduling the normal January show due to Covid-19, Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Show and Auction will hold the major automotive event at WestWorld of Scottsdale from March 20-27. Sonoran Resorts will co-sponsor and display again this year at the event. This will be the 8^th consecutive year for the company at the show.

“We sincerely appreciate the efforts made by the City of Scottsdale to help us return to an auction that will look and feel much like our annual January event,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. Working together, we found a solution that works for everyone.”

Both Barrett-Jackson and Goodguys intend spring events to be familiar to those from past years, while continuing their efforts to protect the health and safety of customers, sponsors and fans. A redesigned event site layout provides sufficient room for physical distancing, and safety precautions recommended by local and state health authorities will also be implemented. The Barrett-Jackson event will include several preview days at the beginning of the week to allow collector car enthusiasts ample time to enjoy viewing the vehicles safely and in a comfortable, physically distanced environment.

“After plenty of discussions, we are pleased that we could come to a mutually beneficial agreement with everyone involved,” said Goodguys COO Andrew Ebel. “The City of Scottsdale, Barrett-Jackson and local automotive enthusiasts all win with this new schedule. We look forward to putting on a fun and safe event over the new dates.”

With the good of the entire Scottsdale community and collector car enthusiasts in mind, three entities worked closely together to ensure both the Barrett-Jackson Auction and the Goodguys Spring Nationals could be held safely this spring in a safe and healthy manner. The two automotive events attract local car enthusiasts and those from across the country, and will help provide a much-needed boost to the Scottsdale economy.

“Immediately prior to Barrett-Jackson’s special fall auction, the city completed facility upgrades at WestWorld to add air-sanitizing technology and other systems that make it a safer environment,” said Mayor W.J. “Jim” Lane. “Since that successful event, additional systems have been installed ‒ the venue is better equipped than ever for public events. We also have trusted community partners like Barrett-Jackson and Goodguys working alongside the city in a collaborative fashion to provide the healthiest possible environment for guests. Working through the many challenges together, including adjusting their event schedules, I am very pleased that Barrett-Jackson and Goodguys will continue bringing their unique events to Scottsdale even with many adjustments that continue to be necessary in respect to public health guidelines.”

Barrett-Jackson is committed to the health and safety of all its guests, sponsors, vendors, partners and media during its in-person events. The company is closely following local, state and federal health and safety protocols. To help maintain physical distancing guidelines recommended for live events, the auction arena during Barrett-Jackson’s 2021 Scottsdale Auction will be limited to bidders, consignors and their guests. Tickets to the event can be purchased by the general public online in advance only. Media credentials will be also be limited to comply with physical distancing requirements. Enhanced live online and phone bidding options will be available for registered bidders. For safety protocols and information about the 2021 Scottsdale Auction, click here.

With the aim of safeguarding the life and integrity of residents and visitors, and as part of the strategy of continuing to improve the economy according to the “Peñasco se Activa” plan, members of the Municipal Health Council and Security approved new preventive measures and protocols for the vacation period of Spring Break and Easter 2021, in order to reinforce the work being carried out to mitigate the contagion by COVID-19 at the start of the tourist season.

This proposal approved by the Council will be active from February 26 to March 14, in the Spring Break holiday period, as well as from March 29 to April 4 during the Easter holiday period. After this period the protocols will return as previously defined.

Here is press release released by the city summarizing the rules:

In recognition of the good performance in it his two terms as Mayor of the Municipality of Puerto Peñasco, the Permanent Commission of the State Committee of the National Action Party unanimously elected Mayor Kiko Munro as its representative in the second position of the list for candidates for the council in the Sonora State Congress, Julieta López López reported.

The President of PAN Puerto Peñasco stated that Munro is being recognized in Sonora for his work in Peñasco. As a lifelong PAN member, one important consideration that PAN has when reviewing its history and reports, leaders of National Action Party decided to give the vote of confidence for the Rocky Point Mayor to be their representative in the next legislature.

Some of the achievements leading them to reach this decision were that, Kiko Munro was one of the first re-elected mayors of Puerto Peñasco and Sonora who led the economic reactivation in Peñasco, effectively, guiding the municipality to grow in 5 years at rates of around 8%, a figure that could well be compared with Los Cabos, Baja California, and the Riviera Maya, while the country and the state have been in a recession. He has also restructured the municipality's debt twice, lowering the interest rate from 17% to 9% effective rate.

Some of his achievements:

- In 5 years of government management in Puerto Peñasco, progress has been made from 60% sewer lines coverage to more than 80%, in electricity coverage from 70% to 100%, and in potable water networks from 70% to 99%.

-Renewed and replaced all the public lighting with LED technology based on a public-private alliance model, the first alliance in this area in Mexico.

-Puerto Peñasco continues to grow thanks to the security policies, but also to the promotion and facilitation of business involvement. In public safety, Puerto Peñasco has managed to position itself as one of the safest municipalities in Sonora. He worked for prevention, creating the Youth Patrol and DARE programs.

-He managed to pave more than 30 streets, more than 15 hectares and rehabilitated and improved parks. Puerto Penasco has managed to obtain the national and international certification of clean beaches for two of its beaches. He promoted the state campaign for economic reactivation and brought the first cruise ship to Puerto Peñasco.

-The Mayor has also managed to enable services in the industrial corridor to promote economic diversification in strengthening fishing activity, thus seeking to establish food processors for the town.

-He has generated endless support through social development systems, in addition to the community centers that have been working every day for 5 years to date. In Art and Culture he has managed to present 6 Cervantinos, 6 Carnivals, 6 FAOT shows in a row.

-During the pandemic, Munro managed to maintain the lowest contagion statistics with the best statistics of most cities in the state. His strategy and work was recognized by the Federal Secretary of Health himself.

-The construction of a desalination plant is in process that will solve the historical problem of water.

The Penasco Mayor has joined forces with various entities and is in the process of remedying the public landfill problem by building a new cell in addition to offering a free and efficient garbage collection service.

The Tourist Assistance Unit has been operating for several years and has fulfilled its objective in having highly qualified men and women in service to the community and having in knowledge in local history, first aid, personal defense, as well as having bilingual officers. Each member of the unit is well equipped and receives constant training and updates needed to serve their assistance role in the city.

Recently, Mayor Kiko Munro delivered an ambulance, complete with first response equipment to the Tourist Assistance Unit. The vehicle and equipment was donated by a collection of tourism providers who have joined in the teamwork between the government and private society.

In the photo is Carlos Bravo Martínez, Director of the TAU, and next to him, Perla Alcántara García, Attorney General, Councilor Anahy Pacheco Rendón, President of the Municipal Public Safety Commission along with members of the unit. The Mayor of Puerto Peñasco stressed that 5 years after the creation of the Tourist Assistance Unit, the objective has been met and the resulting team is just what this city needed.

The Mayor thanked the Sonoran Sky Resort, Sonoran Resorts, Gaviotas, Concha Mar, and JJ’s Cantina for believing in this Municipal Government project in helping to maintain a high standard of care for the local and visitor population of this tourist location.

“The confidence that has been achieved of visitors for the TAU represents another step towards Progress, economic reactivation, and the fulfilling the objective of making Puerto Peñasco the best tourist destination on the Sea of ​​Cortez and in all of Northwestern Mexico”.

The Director of the Tourist Assistance Unit thanked Mayor Kiko Munro for all the support provided, ensuring that this visitor service unit is constantly trained, being certified as first responders, first aid, personal defense , rescue techniques, plus more. And recently, with training in the use and handling of emergency vehicles.

The Puerto Peñasco Tourist Assistance Unit is made up of 17 officers that patrol different tourist areas and beaches. In addition to being an emergency service and first responder unit, it has facilities in the Convention Center and the Malecón. They are equipped with four 4x4 ATVs, a Wave Runner for ocean rescue work, a UTV Razor type unit, hydraulic tower for surveillance, amphibious chair, as well as uniforms and tactical and radio communication equipment. And now, a 4x4 ambulance.

Visit the Schuk Toak Visitors Center and immerse yourself in the rich history of the Pinacate Biosphere and Grand Desert of Altar Reserve.

In addition, you will discover why this area has been deemed a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

The Schuk Toak Visitors Center, meaning “Sacred Mountain” in the Tohono O’odham dialect, is the only public building in Mexico that is fully self-sufficient, with 1,300 meters of construction and over 30,000 meters of desert botanical garden. Schuk Toak is located and built upon the most extensive and most recent lava flow in the area (from approximately 12,000 years ago). From here you can also embark on a hike to the sand dunes of the Grand Desert of Altar and admire the beauty of the desert´s active dunes, which are the largest in North America.

The Pinacate Biosphere Reserve and Grand Desert of Altar is a unique destination in Mexico, and the world, and the Visitors Center is the gateway to its secrets. It is a true marvel both of nature and human ingenuity, and an example of how one may live in harmony and be eco-friendly without giving up comfort.

The Schuk Toak Visitors Center of the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve is located west of the turn-off at Km 72 along the Peñasco – Sonoyta highway and is open daily.

It has been widely understood that the origins of ethnicity of the Apache Indian tribe were American, however a new study claims that this group has always been from the Northern Mexican states.

The Indé people, misnamed "Apache", wandered territories of Mexico and the United States however, the results of a meticulous investigation, published in the book "Apaches: ghosts of the Sierra Madre" by Manuel Rojas, shows the Apaches to be of Mexican nationality, and reverses the belief that they are from the United States.

During a presentation of the data in the Manuel M. Ponce Room of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, the writer stressed that it is a revealing non-fiction book, not a novel. It includes 186 maps, documents and photographs, many unpublished, which are not found, even in the specialized archives of the United States.

Supported by the presentation of more than 20 slides, he explained the idiosyncrasies, customs and ways of the Apaches. He also estimated that "if we had the Apaches among our people, Mexico may even have won several of the battles against the United States during the Spanish American war. However, the Mexicans of that time despised them and the Americans used them to help appropriate a great portion of land by making them believe that they would be the owners of that land”.

The States of Chihuahua and Sonora were the cradle of the Apaches, who as nomads also settled in the territories of Arizona and Texas.

The book by Manuel Rojas paints the picture of a courageous people who faced invaders of their lands and destroyers of their customs.

The World Tourism Organization described 2020 as “the worst year in the history of tourism” in the world, with one billion fewer international arrivals and a decrease of 74% compared to 2019.

But in Mexico, even in the absence of data for the end of the year, the latest estimates from its Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) and the National Tourism Business Council put this drop in the country at “only” 44% or 45%.

According to the Sectur, in fact, this lower impact would mean that Mexico would rise from seventh to third place in the list of countries that receive more international tourists. The Mexican Secretary of Tourism, Miguel Torruco, made it clear that this improvement is something “temporary”, until the effects of Covid-19 in tourism adjust to the new normal in the future.

But about what has been the main cause that Mexico has been able to save the tourist disaster better than other competitors, there seems to be no doubt. “It is obvious that one of the main factors why Mexico advanced in this ranking is because the authorities kept open-air spaces, apart from the fact that it obviously has tourist attractions that make us among the most visited in the world,” says Gustavo Armenta, communication director of the Sectur.

“If you add to that the fact that other competing countries such as those of the Caribbean did close incoming flights and put in more restrictions, clearly they are factors that caused that tourism to be channeled to Mexico,” he adds. “Of course, the few COVID-related travel restrictions influenced international tourism to Mexico,” agrees Stephen McGillivray, head of marketing for Travel Leaders Group, one of the largest travel agency companies in the US and Canada.

Zach Rabinor, president of the luxury tourism company Journey Mexico, points out that although its activity fell by 51% compared to 2019, the situation in the country could have been worse. “Visits to Mexico benefited from restrictions in other latitudes. Here, the business never completely stopped and throughout the year 2020 there was air service available from the main cities of North America,” he tells BBC Mundo.

In contrast to the situation in Mexico, the agencies cite popular destinations in Europe such as Italy, Spain or the United Kingdom as some of those that saw the greatest drop among their clients due to travel restrictions and the closure of their borders.

The margarita is often hailed as the quintessential "Mexican" cocktail, but just like cerveza, the origins of the drink are not definitively Mexican. Simply put, no one knows who dreamed up this delicious cocktail - but the stories behind the invention of the margarita are pretty colorful, even though only some of them actually take place in Mexico.

Carlos "Danny" Herrera, owner of Tijuana restaurant Rancho La Gloria, claims he invented the drink in 1938. What inspired him? A picky dancer, it seems. Restaurant goer Marjorie King declared she was allergic to all spirits except tequila, but didn't like to drink the spirit straight. So Herrera worked around the prototypical tequila shot (which is taken with salt and lime) and threw together the margarita. While all bartenders can relate to the situation of an annoying customer, it was Herrera who claims to have whipped up the instant classic - or so says his obituary. By the way, he lived until 90, once again proving that tequila is probably really good for you.

But Herrera isn't even close to the only person to try and take credit for one of America's most popular drinks. Another famed contender for the title of OG margarita maker has claims to the throne based on her name along, because that name is... Margarita. Dallas socialite Margarita Sames insisted that she concocted the drink for a group of her friends while vacationing in Acapulco in 1948. Her buddy Tommy Hilton (yes, of those Hiltons), put the cocktail on the bar menu at the Hilton hotel chain. However, by 1945, tequila brand Jose Cuervo had already been running an ad campaign pushing the drink, stating: "Margarita: It's more than a girl's name." So it wouldn't seem likely Margarita can take credit for the creation of the drink, though having the same name does help build a believable case.

But there are lots of women whom the drink can be named after. Many tales of the margarita claim to be named after women with the namesake, not just our friend Margarita Sames. For example, in 1941, bartender Don Carlos Orozco was tending bar in Ensenada, Mexico. While, he was futzing around making cocktails, Margarita Henkel, daughter of a German ambassador, walked into his bar. He allowed her to taste his experiment and coined the drink in her honor.

Meanwhile, Danny Negrete is also named as inventor of the drink. Apparently, the cocktail was a wedding gift for his sister-in-law, yep another Margarita, bestowed upon her at the Garci Crespo Hotel. Interestingly enough, Negrete worked at Agua Cliente Race Track, where starlet Margarita Cansino (you might know her as Rita Hayworth) would often perform.

However the margarita may not be named after a beautiful woman at all, but instead may just be a variation of another cocktail that was popular during Prohibition: the Daisy. In fact, margarita means "daisy" in Spanish. The only difference between the Daisy and the margarita is that the former was made with brandy and the latter with tequila. However, it's remarkable to see what a simple swap of spirits does for a cocktail. How many people today have heard of the Daisy? The tequila-filled margarita, however, is famous in epic proportions.

And while it is tequila that gives the margarita its Mexican flair, doubt has been expressed over whether it would be likely for such a cocktail to emerge out of Mexico in the 30's or 40's. Imbibe Magazine writes, "[it's] difficult to believe that a Mexican invented this drink although it is completely possible that it was invented on Mexican soil. This is because Mexico has never had a cocktail culture, and to this day margaritas are never consumed by the locals."

Moreover, frozen margaritas seem a world away from true Mexican culture - and they are. Like Margarita Sames, the inventor of the world's first frozen margarita machine was from Dallas. His name was Mariano Martinez, a restaurateur who, in 1971, created the fuel for spring break parties everywhere. In 2005, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History decided to have all employee happy hours in house and acquired the machine.

But whether you take your margarita frozen and berry flavored or stirred with top shelf tequila, the drink is a bar staple. The three ingredient cocktail - tequila, Cointreau/triple sec, and lime - can astoundingly enough be made in just about any bar. Steve Schneider, a head bartender at famed West Village bar Employees Only, says, "For me, the margarita evolved much like my career." You can make it with cheap tequila at a dive bar, or get fancy with smokey mezcals and agave nectar. No matter how contested the history of the margarita is, the outcome is the same: a perfect drink.

Since we're on the subject of tequila and margaritas, and in taking a break from food this month I will feature the "perfect" classic margarita recipe. Margaritas in Mexico can vary as much as the food, so it's really a matter of taste, but this recipe sticks pretty close to what people expect in a classic, traditional Mexican margarita.

Yield:Makes 2 drinks

Active time: 5 minutes

Total time:5 minutes

The perfect margarita is all about fresh, crisp flavors barely tempered by triple sec and sugar. This is the one ranks right at the top.

Why this recipe works:

A good quality tequila needs no sugar to balance the acidity of lime juice beyond triple sec.

Cointreau makes for a balanced, smooth margarita without taking away from the tequila.

Note: This recipe works best with a high quality tequila. If you're using a budget brand that's a little harsh, swap the proportions for the Cointreau and lime juice and add 1/4 ounce simple syrup to each drink.

Special equipment: cocktail shaker and strainer

Ingredients

Lime wedge, plus 2 lime wheels for garnish

1 tablespoon coarse salt, for glass rims

4 ounces high quality blanco tequila (see note above)

2 ounces Cointreau

1 1/2 ounces fresh juice from 2 limes

Directions

Run lime wedge around the outer rims of two rocks glasses and dip rims in salt. Set aside.

In cocktail shaker, combine tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice. Fill with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled, about 15 seconds (the bottom of a metal shaker should frost over).

Fill glasses with fresh ice and strain margarita into both glasses. Garnish with lime wheels and serve.

Did you know that Puerto Peñasco, Sonora was discovered by Robert William Hale Hardy, a retired lieutenant of the British Navy in 1826?

 Little is known of the adventurer, interested in finding pearls and precious metals, he was an avid traveler and also a writer. It is thought that he was born around 1794 and we know that he died in 1871. His books are considered an important of the works of Western culture. Amazon and other electronic bookstores sell the digitized version of his work "Travels in the Interior of Mexico" where the author narrates his adventures in Mexico from 1821 to 1828.

Sailing through the Sea of Cortez, Hale Hardy recounts that he observed a hill in the distance, which he called “Rocky Point” (Punta de Piedra) or roughly, Puerto Peñasco. The point that he saw was today’s Cerro de la Ballena (Whale Hill), and he identified the area on his maritime maps at the time, however to this day, it is an icon on the landscape of Puerto Peñasco.

From the visit of the adventurer-writer until the 1920s the area was mostly forgotten. After the Mexican revolution, Grupo Sonora, Adolfo de la Huerta, Álvaro Obregón, and Plutarco Elías Calles came to the presidency. They tried to increase connectivity from areas of their native mainland Mexico with neighboring peninsula, Baja California, and with the United States, but on the coastlines of the current municipality of Puerto Peñasco, the challenges were enormous because this is in the Altar Desert and is one of the driest and hottest areas in the world.

After many efforts and after several workers died from thirst, on May 5, 1940, almost at the end of President Lázaro Cárdenas's administration, regular railway service began on the section between Mexicali and Puerto Peñasco with a mixed train powered by a diesel-electric locomotive and a passenger car with a capacity of 45 people, called La Paloma (The Dove). Soon, the nicknames of the railway became "the Donkey”, ”the louse, "the bullet”, or the “fast train” sarcastically, of course.

Construction continued in and around Puerto Penasco slowly over the years with little growth and most people deciding that the conditions were too harsh to stay long. Finally, the official inauguration of the Sonora-Baja California Railroad took place on April 7, 1948, when onboard the train called “Olivo”, President Alemán officially inaugurated the route which went from Benjamín Hill to Mexicali, capital of the then Northern Baja California territory. At the time, it only moved cargo and not passengers.

Step back for a bit to the twenties. The beginnings of the construction of the railway attracted settlers to the then Punta de Piedra or Punta Peñasco. In 1927 a fishing village was founded, dedicated mainly to shrimp, which is still so important that the first official festival of the year is the Annual Rocky Point Festival of Shrimp and Trade, and would take place every year in the main square of the small town called Plaza del Camarón (Shrimp Plaza).

Beginning in the 1920s, the prized totoaba, or white croaker, has been fished, almost to extinction. The totoaba is a type of fish that is only found in the Sea of Cortez, and a large reason for the overfishing of the species is that Chinese gourmet cuisine considers its swim bladder to have medicinal and aphrodisiac properties. The rest of the fish is not consumed. The swim bladder has been called "cocaine from the sea" because just one kilogram of the bladders can bring up to twenty thousand dollars. The fish is in real danger of extinction due to continued overexploitation. Another problem caused by the illegal fishing of totoaba is the killing of another highly endangered sea animal, the vaquita porpoise. The vaquita is not eaten, but it is caught on long lines while poachers fish for the totoaba. The totoaba was discovered by Chinese workers who came from the US to build the extension of the South Pacific to connect Mexico with California.

Tourism began in 1928 when, thanks to the American prohibition law: John Stone and Sofus Johanssen arrived from Ajo, Arizona, to open a hotel-casino where they sold alcohol to Americans. They themselves transported most of their clients in their "Scenic Airlines", a plane service from Phoenix and Tucson. To provide their clients with comfort, in addition to their hotel made of rocks from the rock, they drilled a 21m deep well. Tourists enjoyed the opportunity to drink, play, and fish at the Marine Club, now called Hotel Posada La Roca, and still in business. Among the stories of the place, the one about being Al Capone's Mexican hideout stands out the most.

Soon Puerto Peñasco became a place of attraction for the inhabitants of Caborca. In 1933, when the American prohibition law ended, John Stone left the Marine Club, because it had gone out of business, and because he had also earned the enmity of the people by monopolizing the drinking water wells. It is said that before leaving, he burned the facilities to collect the insurance but no one today knows if he actually intentionally set the fire. There are historical records of the fire doing much damage to the business. Only the stone part of the structure remained standing and it was bought by Benjamín Bustamante and his wife Tecla, who rehabilited the place to turn it into the Hotel Peñasco. In 1935 the construction of the railway was resumed, increasing the number of guests in the hotel. In 1936 President Lázaro Cárdenas arrived aboard the ship Valladolid and stayed at the Hotel. Interestingly, the ship had a high draft so it could not approach land to the dock. Therefore, the president came to short by swimming.

That is how Puerto Peñasco became what it is today - one of the fastest-growing tourist sites in Mexico.