Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco) and the Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco) Mexico

Years ago I read John Steinbeck's The Log From the Sea of Cortez and always dreamed of visiting that part of Mexico,  As a wildlife biologist, the flora and fauna of that area have always had a certain lure for me.  The Sea of Cortez is now only 4 hours by car from me.  How lucky for me that I was invited by my Tucson biking buddy Molly to go down in September to visit the eastern edge of the Sea of Cortez.  Her father's house is in a little community just south of the town of Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco).  So I loaded my bathing suit, binoculars and sun hat, and got in the car with 3 dogs and trekked down to Rocky Point.  The trip down was without incident in the typical Arizona desert, but I will mention that a nice stop to make about 3 hours in is the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.  I have been there several times, and love their Visitor's Center.  The dogs needed a break and water, so I did a little Christmas shopping. 

To get to Rocky Point, you must enter Mexico from Lukeville, Arizona port of entry (with passport).  Molly recommended we go early and on an off-time for the weekend.  I think we crossed about 2 p.m. with no wait. Did I mention this was going to be Labor Day Weekend, so you had to be pretty strategic about the entry.  After crossing, we slowly careened our way through the little border town at 25 mph as this is the place where you will get a ticket for speeding.  It took about 75 more minutes before we arrived at Rocky Point. I have heard several interesting stories about the road between the border and this town.  Let's suffice to say, have a full tank before you cross the border and keep going until you get to Rocky Point. 

We spent a week in this town and the surrounding area.  It was hot and muggy in September, but the ocean is also warm.  During the week, we visited a variety of restaurants that served a diversity of food.  The first restaurant that we went to was La Negrita where Molly ordered shrimp in a giant glass with lots of salsa (Mexican shrimp cocktail) and I had enchiladas... so good.  We also visited Wrecked at the Reef (right next to the ocean), Pan e Vino (spectacular seafood pizza), and El Capitan (beautiful sunset and nice after-dinner cocktails).

For a special treat we drove about 15 miles south of town to the Santo Coyote Restaurant, which was in the tall Encantame Towers.  That place has a special ambiance, and is very romantic at night. 

We stayed in a house that was right next to the ocean, and for shell collectors this was paradise.  There is an abundance and diversity of shells, big and small along the shorelines make beach-combing a real adventure in this area.

     

The highlight of the week for me was the trip we took to Bird Island (Isla San Jorge).  This hot spot of diversity can be reached by a one-hour ride boat ride that cost us 89$/person.  We booked right down on the dock with a "wandering salesman" who directed us to where were needed to pay.  This small set of islands, covered in bird guano was with thick with Seals, Sea lions, and so many seabirds.  The seabirds included Brown pelicans,  Blue-footed boobies, and Frigate birds.  I snorkeled close to the island, but the water was a little too murky to see corals as a storm that had passed through.  I knew I was a little too close to the island, because the seals were swimming under me, so I backed off to admire the birds.

One other place of interest we visited was the Cedo Research Complex, which is doing marine research in the Gulf of California (also called the Sea of Cortez). There was little interpretation there, but they have a large whale carcass that is interesting to view and a shop that had some pretty cool shirts and dresses that support the research. 

I spent time with Molly's neighbors and walked the neighborhood.  It was fun to see the little burrowing owls that inhabit areas in between the neighbors houses.  This community really is right between a wetland and the ocean.  The neighbors were warm and inviting.  I could understand why Molly's family likes to go down to their house to escape Arizona every once in a while.  After a week, we headed back to Tucson.  I will come back here...there is so much to explore...but maybe in a cooler part of the year.