Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Golfo de Santa Clara Guidebook
Golfo de Santa Clara Guidebook
de SANTA CLARA
Copyright © 1999 by W. Patrick Dill Wiederman, Golfo de Santa Clara, Sonora, Mexico. All rights reserved, including the
right of
reproduction in whole or in part, in any form.
DEDICATION
This guidebook is dedicated to the memory of ‘Carl’ Sepulveda, the first person of Mexican heritage
it was my privilege to know and who, during my 16th year, became my stepfather and changed my
life forever. Further, to my wife Ofelia Espinoza Gutierrez, a native born Golfeña, who with her hand
in marriage, brought grace to my life.
…. and las gente de bien of northern Sonora and Baja California who, over the past many years,
have not only honored me with their friendship but have shown me, beyond any shadow of doubt,
that true happiness is a state of mind – not of matter and that true strength is not a matter of
physical force, rather an indomitable spirit.
Patricio
Golfo de Santa Clara
Sonora, México
13 Agosto, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION 2
2 HISTORY 4
3 EL GOLFO TODAY 5
4 MEXICAN LAW & YOU 7
5 HOW TO GET THERE 12
6 EL GOLFO’S BEST BETS 13
7 THE BEACH 16
8 THE BIOSPHERE 22
9 COLORADO RIVER ADVENTURES
10 MAP SECTION 23
11 SPANGLISH TUTORIAL 29
12 VOCABULARY 32
I
INTRODUCTION
Whether you’re a winter visitor, a casual visitor or just plain curious about El Golfo,
this book is for you. Every year, 40 to 50 thousand of you, flock to these sunny
climes in search of the wonderful weather and casual lifestyle. After a period of
time, almost all of you become interested in Mexico (to one degree or another) yet
because of serious misinformation, very few of you ever get to enjoy a visit. For
most winter visitors, a trip to Mexico will be nothing more than a quick walk across
the border at San Luis or Los Algodones to the nearest farmácia or dentista.
An increasing number of you however, are hearing about a little fishing village that
sits on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), less than a
100 miles from downtown Yuma, Arizona - EL Golfo. Many of you have searched
for any factual official information and finding none, have had to rely on stories and
hearsay and for the most part, misinformation. .
The purpose of this book is to provide you with correct and up-to-date
information and hopefully to dispel any fears that you, as a first time
visitor may have.
First and foremost, you must remove from your minds, the ridiculous ‘horror
stories’ that we have all heard. For the most part, they are nothing but ‘old wives
tales’ (apologies to all old wives), that have been passed down over the years, from
person to person, embellished at each such passing, until the originators
themselves, have passed beyond memory. It’s interesting that these stories all
start the same way, “I heard from a friend of mine…” or “A buddy of mine told me
about a friend of his…”. You never hear someone say, “It happened to me…” It
distresses me that after living and traveling throughout Mexico for 15 years, I have
never had the privilege of meeting or even seeing a ‘real-live’ bandito nor have I
met anyone who has. Trust me, in Mexico, banditos are not skulking behind every
boulder and the federales are not in the business of harassing tourists and you
won’t be held for ransom, neither will you be shot, knifed or otherwise disposed of
in the desert. It just doesn’t happen! Simply because Mexican people, for
the most part are brown (varying degrees) and you don’t speak their
language, doesn’t mean that they are bad people.
First of all, ‘Mexican’ is not a race, it’s a nationality. However, you’ll have trouble
explaining that to a Mexican but it’s simply a fact. They consider all Americans and
Canadians to be ‘norte americanos’, oblivious to the fact that Mexico itself is part of
North America. The truth is that the ethnic roots of the people of Mexico come from
all races and from every corner of the globe, just as in the U.S. and Canada. The
tie that binds, of course, is their Spanish blood that originated with the
conquistadors, their slaves, their priests and later from all parts of the new world.
They are a people of mixed blood just as most of us are. For the most part Mexican
people are an untraceable mix of indigenous native peoples along with Spanish,
French, German, African, Chinese, Irish and a host of others, which makes them
no different than hundreds of millions of the rest of us.
Too many of us it seems, are unable to appreciate that there are others on this
planet, who live out their lives in a manner quite different from our own. More
importantly, we seem to have difficulty understanding, that these differences are
only that - differences. They’re neither bad nor wrong. They are only different from
what we might consider normal. There has proven no better cure for this malady
than travel. Through travel we are able to develop an understanding and an
appreciation of the way others choose to live and in so doing, we enrich ourselves.
When traveling to any foreign country, a ‘savvy’ tourist will always prepare in
advance, by researching some of the cultural and legal differences to be
encountered. When we visit any foreign country it is incumbent upon us, to not
only be aware of the law but to abide by it.
The legal and social system of modern day Mexico has been evolving since the first
landing of the conquistadores, and just as in the United States its evolution
continues to this day.
Continuing … It has served and continues to serve the people and the government
of Mexico very well. If you consider that this nation operates on a tax base that
literally pales by comparison to that of the United States or Canada, it seems a
miracle that humanitarian and law enforcement services exist at all. However,
exist they do and in many ways they are far superior to those that you will find
north of the border. For example Mexican workers receive universal medicare,
they have a pension plan, they can earn points through their work for home
improvement or purchase. They receive triple time for overtime, they receive paid
vacations and at Christmas time they receive a bonus of 15 days pay. To top it all
off, there is virtually no personal income tax. A Mexican University education, by
our standards, is virtually free and as a further incentive, top students receive free
tuition. If we northerners looked around a little, before we tried re-inventing the
wheel, we just might learn something.
Once Mexico City and Tijuana are removed from the equation, you’ll find that you’ll
feel much safer, walking the streets of El Golfo at night, or any smaller Mexican
community, than you do in most other North American towns or cities. Just reading
the crime and violence statistics in your local newspaper and on TV, every day,
should be all you need to put things into their proper perspective. Should you ever
begin to feel that you’re being ‘hassled’ by having to conform to this regulation or
that, or in your mind a certain licensing requirement just doesn’t make any sense,
remember that there exist some fairly ‘dumb’ laws north of the border. As a
matter of fact, there are ‘disgusting and de-humanizing’ laws affecting Mexicans
who wish to visit the U.S.A. In fairness to the Canadian government, the laws,
regarding visiting foreigners are much more civilized.
While it may be an over-simplification, it can be stated that, generally speaking the
fabric of Mexican life is woven from two yarns, the family and the church. In
Mexico, the importance of the immediate and extended family is paramount. To
the extent that, still to this day most Mexican young people will remain in the home
until they marry and quite often thereafter, not only caring for their elders but
assisting with the families needs, whatever they might be. Mexican children are
not kicked out of the house when they reach 18.
Mexican people by and large are devoutly religious and approximately 90% remain
Roman Catholic but in recent years, through the evangelical efforts of other
Christian denominations, there have been some changes. To the people of Mexico,
religion is a serious business and not something to which one pays mere ‘lip-
service’. Mexican boys have 3 sets of God parents the girls 4) one at baptism,
another at first communion and another at confirmation. The girls receive a 4 th set
at their quinceñera (a coming-out ceremony at 15 years of age). In Mexico, religion
is very much a part of daily life and on any Sunday, all of the churches are full.
The stereotypical portrayal of a Mexican, lazing in the sun with a sombrero pulled
over his face, is not only inaccurate, but it borders on bigotry. Remember,
‘Mexican’ is not a race. While it may be true that the Mexican way of doing things
is somewhat different than what you might be used to, it’s really only a matter of
perception. When we begin to understand their way of doing things, we can begin
to understand, that for them, it makes sense. Nowhere, will you find more
energetic or enthusiastic workers - once the decision is made that the endeavor is
really worth undertaking. So what, if the old man takes all day to walk across
town! The other side of town isn’t going anywhere and it isn’t going to change any
if he walks faster – is it? And besides, he’ll have missed the pleasure of shootin’
the breeze with his compadres along the way, joking with the niños and quite
literally stopping to smell the roses. Don’t be mistaken, if there’s a reason to
hurry, he’ll hurry - but no Mexican person of my acquaintance would ever invent
such a reason. Perception! The problem is, that a person’s perception is, for that
person, reality. Obviously we must try and change our perception to reflect what is
in truth, reality.
With this book I will do my best to acquaint you with some of the more significant
cultural differences and legal requirements that you should be aware of, when you
visit El Golfo. It is my sincere wish that by reading it, at least some of you will
make the journey and having done so, will come to a better understanding and
appreciation of the warm and generous people, their culture and the places of this
wonderful world that begins on your southern border.
II
THE HISTORY
No book on travel would be complete, without at least a brief history of the area to
be visited. Borrowing heavily from others, much more learned than myself, this
promises to be brief.
During the Pleistocene age, severe faulting and volcanic activity along the San
Andreas Fault, was creating havoc with the landmass along the length of Mexico.
This ongoing and catastrophic activity, proved more than the land could bear.
Some 10 to 15 million years ago an upheaval and faulting of unimaginable
proportions lifted much of western Mexico and literally dumped it into the Pacific
Ocean. The abyss created between the two land masses was immediately filled by
the Pacific Ocean and the planet had given birth to a new sea and a new peninsula.
For hundreds of years this peninsula, known today as Baja California, was thought
to be an island and a passage around the northern tip, into the Pacific was much
sought after. Interestingly enough, there are maps of French origin, published as
late as 1719 that clearly depict Baja California as just such an island, while the
Spanish had discovered and kept secret, some 200 years earlier that it was in fact
a peninsula of rather impressive proportions.
In the early 1500’s Hernan Cortez had become beguiled by rumors of the fabled
‘seven cities of gold’, supposedly hidden by 7 bishops who had fled Spain following
the Moorish conquest in 711 AD. He organized several exploration parties and sent
them northward on the western shore of the Sea of Cortez. Mutiny, Indian
problems and lack of provisions doomed these expeditions to failure and the
possibility of a route through a northern passage, if one existed at all, remained a
mystery. In 1538 Cortez mounted yet another exploration, this time at his own
expense. Three vessels, under the captainship of Francisco de Ulloa, successfully
sailed north to the mouth of the Colorado River. Upon reaching the estuary of the
Colorado River, de Ulloa became convinced that because of the fresh water, further
northward progression would prove futile and instead continued southward down
the eastern shore of the sea. In so doing, Francisco de Ulloa and his crew became
the first Europeans to circumnavigate the Sea of Cortez. More importantly, to this
book, they became the first Europeans to ever ‘lay eyes’ on the white sandy
beaches of El Golfo.
As recent as the mid 1920’s (before El Golfo was established) a small and little
know port of activity flourished on the Colorado delta. Known as Santa Isabel, it
was located some 8 miles west-northwest of present day El Golfo. It was a very
strategic stopping off point for the many steam ships, which supplied the army and
mining interests on the upper Colorado. Today Santa Isabel is nothing but a
memory for a declining number of Golfeños. It was abandoned with the ‘state-side’
damming of the river with the subsequent drying up of the river delta, and today all
traces of its existence have vanished. I have discovered only one (1) photograph
and that is in the territorial prison museum in Yuma.
During the years of prohibition in the United States, El Golfo as it had become,
became a ‘hot bed’ of activity in the illicit liquor trade. Many stories exist of
mobsters visiting and partying in El Golfo during those days but none can be
substantiated.
For many years its 30 miles of flat, sandy beach have proven an ideal home for the
fleet of fishing boats or pangas, unique to the area. Although the local fishery has
declined drastically over the years, the number of pangas and fishermen is still on
the rise. In truth, for the fishermen, the future is grim. Fishing in the area starts in
mid September with the shrimp season, which ends in January then progresses
through Corvina, Sierra (Spanish Mackerel), Chano and shark. When the fishing
slows, then so does the economy of El Golfo. The people eke out an existence as
best they can until September rolls around again. El Golfo is a small and quiet part
of the world, where the local people, live their lives in quiet harmony with each
other and with nature. They are not only content with who they are but also with
what they have and they ask for little else. They will most certainly, ask nothing of
you except a traditional handshake, a smile and of course your courtesy.
III
EL GOLFO TODAY
El Golfo is not for everyone! If your vision of Mexico, includes luxury resort-style
hotels, with modern amenities available at your every turn or whim, avoid El Golfo.
If it includes ‘razzle-dazzle’ nightclubs, where the partying goes on all night and
into the next day - avoid El Golfo. The list continues: 5 star restaurants; yacht
charters; para-sailing; surfing; cocktails served on the beach by waiters in smart
uniforms; receiving all of your services in English; being surrounded by fellow
tourists speaking English. If any of these is, even part of your vision of Mexico,
avoid El Golfo. Mazatlan, Cancun, Ixtapa and Cabo San Lucas are just a few of the
resort destinations available to you at a reasonable cost. These resorts however,
have little to do with Mexico and nothing whatsoever, to do with the culture of
Mexico, it’s people or their lifestyle. Investing in one of these vacations, in an
attempt to capture the flavor of Mexico, would be a serious waste of your money.
Golfo de Santa Clara is a fishing village, where the gran desierto de altar
sweeps right to the sea. It is a unique and a magnificent place! As a community it
is very aware of itself, and generally speaking, has no pretensions and as few
ambitions. Sadly, with a decline in the fishery and an increase in tourist dollars,
these attitudes will soon change. The fishermen and their pangas will be shunted
off to a far corner of the beach, never to be seen by tourists and the big money
hotels and resorts will own the beach. The flavor of El Golfo will have been lost.
Make no mistake, it will still be here but it will be totally transparent to the average
tourist and few, if any will ever visit their neighborhoods and enjoy the ‘local’
flavor. San Felipe and Puerto Peñasco are perfect examples! Nice cities, certainly -
but where did all the local people go?
The highway ends when you reach El Golfo. Recent funding has made possible the
paving of the main intersection for a few blocks and a few streets in the center of
the village. Rumor has it that more is to come and of that we can be certain. As of
this writing, however, almost all streets and roads remain sand but are, for the
most part, navigable by any type of vehicle. Those roads that you will discover
reaching out beyond the town, rapidly become a bare perception and are best left
to the ATV and 4X4 crowd. If you learn to love El Golfo, you’ll soon want one
or both.
To make life easier for you, all El Golfo businesses will accept U.S. dollars in smaller
denominations. $100.00s are a no-no; some may on occasion accept $50.00 bills
but 20’s are never a problem. Be prepared however to receive your change in
pesos. If you’re going to be here for more than a day or two, invest in some pesos
before you arrive. All the items in the store are marked and ‘rung’ up in pesos (this
is Mexico after all). If you shop for items in pesos and pay in pesos it’s a lot easier
to keep track of your change. There is no hint here that you will be cheated – you
won’t, it’s just easier to keep track and besides it adds to the fun of the whole
experience. There are no ATM machines, no banks and checks will not be accepted
unless you are very well known by the business owner. Hotel/Restaurant Las
Conchas does accept major credit cards and as of this writing is the only business
that does.
El Golfo is a member community of the municipality of San Luis Rio Colorado, which
city has the responsibility of providing all government services and does to this
day. Due to its population (+ or – 4,000) El Golfo does not have a mayor or
alcalde, rather it has an appointed delegado or delegate to the governing municipal
body. He or she represents the community needs to the municipality and is also
chief of police.
The state and federal governments provide the citizens of El Golfo and its visitors
with, a medical clinic staffed by a licensed physician, as well as a reverse osmosis
water purification plant. This water by the way is available to everyone, visitors
included, for a nominal charge of 3 pesos per 5 gallons. The town also boasts a
kindergarten an elementary school, a junior high and a preparatory (Sr. High),
which provide the children of the village with a quality education through to
University entrance. A police force and a detachment of Mexican Marines also call
El Golfo home and contribute, in no small way to the peace and serenity of the
area.
One word of warning: unless you enjoy the ‘spring-break’ atmosphere, avoid El
Golfo on major American holiday weekends and especially during semana santa
(the week before Easter). During these days and nights, El Golfo becomes what
you might expect - crowded and noisy. Its beaches and surrounding dunes have
become a mecca for the thousands of ATV enthusiasts who live near the border -
Mexican and American alike. For the past 5 years, the actual count of vehicles
entering the village during Easter week approached 35,000. By the way, there is a
$2.50 charge for entering the town on these weekends.
Having read this far, you might well ask, “well then, just what is waiting for me in El
Golfo”? The answer is simple! Clear blue skies (every day), clean air, the inviting
warm water of the gulf, soft sea breezes and lazy days under the sun on warm
sandy beaches. The 30 miles of, virtually deserted beach, offer privacy, tranquility
and peace of mind. The sand dunes adjacent to the beach are renowned as ‘beach
buggy’ heaven. The waters just south of El Golfo are hailed by salt-water
fishermen around the world. The Sea of Cortez, fondly known as ‘natures fish trap’,
offers anglers over 80 species of fish and more of them, than in any other body of
water on earth. You’ll enjoy excellent, secure accommodations together with
fabulous seafood at reasonable prices. Enjoy casual walks through town or up and
down the beach. Passing the time of day with local fishermen as they prepare their
boats and nets for the coming day. They may at first appear ‘stand-offish’ but
they’re not – just respectful of your privacy. You’ll be amazed how they will
instantly warm to your offer of interest and friendship. Perhaps you’ll stop for a
beer or soda, treat your taste buds with some shrimp, fish tacos, some carne asada
or a torta at one of the beachside cantinas or in town. Finish off your day in
paradise with a ‘sundowner’ at the hotel or at your RV, while you’re waiting for the
coals on the grill to get ‘just right’. Experience an absolutely spectacular blaze of
glory as the sun sets over the Sea of Cortez. Then perhaps, you’ll reminisce about
your day! In town - the people, the ever-present music and laughter, the happy
children. On the beach - the fun you had talking to the fishermen and practicing
your español. The raucous, haunting cry of the sea birds and the silent grace of the
pelicans as they patrol the shoreline in perfect formation. When you finally ‘tuck
in’ for the night, you will no doubt have come to realize, just how simple and basic
the whole experience is - therein lay the beauty that is El Golfo. If this is the
Mexico of your dreams, El Golfo is waiting for you.
IV
MEXICAN LAW AND YOU
You can drive to Mexico! People who live on or near the border can be there in a
matter of minutes - and very often are. This easy familiarity often creates a very
casual attitude regarding Mexican law. Some people tend to view Mexico, at least
in the border area, as their own back yard, and that all the rights they enjoy at
home will mysteriously travel with them. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Once you step, even one foot, inside Mexico, all of the rights that you hold dear,
remain exactly 12 inches behind you. You’ve entered another country and now
YOU are the foreigner.
Don’t misunderstand, as a visitor you do have rights, and in the unlikely event that
you do find yourself in a bind, you will be able to seek protection under the law.
Mexican law, not American! You should be prepared to prove that you and your
property are legally in the country. If you cannot, it’s quite possible that you’re
going to experience some degree of unpleasantness. The majority of the rumors,
you may have heard about people being harassed in Mexico are usually cases of
visitors not being prepared, treating the authorities with disrespect or displaying
arrogance towards the authority. Police are police the world over, even the little
things seem to bother them. Always remember! You are in Mexico and the people
here are not obliged to learn or speak English.
Being prepared will require some effort on your part and while it may seem an
unnecessary bother, the bother is well worth the effort. Simply because no one
ever asks to see your papers, doesn’t mean that they’re not a legal requirement.
Should that rare occasion ever arise, that you do need them, you are really going
to need them. At that precise moment, (just like life insurance) if you don’t have
them, they won’t be available at any price.
Many first time visitors to Mexico, will often have received assurances from well
meaning friends, that insurance and other such documents are really not required
this close to the border and only represent an unnecessary expense. If you ever
receive this advice, suggest to your friend that perhaps he or she would like to
provide you with a financial surety, in the event you do encounter any difficulties.
You’ll find that they quickly move on to another subject.
Mexican law is predicated on the Napoleonic Code. In a word, this means that
persons deemed to have broken the law are guilty until proven innocent. If, for
any reason travelers find themselves at odds with the law, they are required to
prove to the authorities that they are financially responsible. Without such proof
those persons may find themselves guests of said authority, while guilt or
innocence is being established in the courts. This is done by your Mexican lawyer
in front of a judge with you, probably not present. There is no such thing as a jury
trial in Mexico, not even for the most heinous crimes. Under Mexican law, there is
no such thing as an accident; accidents don’t just happen they are CAUSED by
someone or something – and they are considered felonies. All parties to the
incident are considered guilty until a judge determines otherwise. The legal
process in Mexico takes time, so if you are considered a flight risk your lawyer will
arrange for an amparo or bail. The thing to remember is to obey the law and the
authorities – you will have no problem. The question of legal or not is usually
common sense.
INSURANCE
It is a very little known fact but vehicle insurance became mandatory throughout
Mexico in 1976; although virtually no one, except new car owners, has a policy.
Accept in extremely rare cases, (too rare to even consider) your American or
Canadian insurance policy is worthless in Mexico. Your own carrier won’t
cover you and it will not be accepted as financial responsibility by the Mexican
authorities, in the event you encounter difficulties. An insurance company
licensed to do business in Mexico must cover your property. This includes
anything that you may be driving or towing. Mexican law also dictates that
there must be one licensed driver for every motor vehicle entering the country.
That means that if your motor home is hauling a tow car behind, your companion
should have a driver’s license. Mexican insurance can be purchased at many
locations in Yuma or San Luis, Arizona and also as you cross the border into San
Luis, Sonora or Los Algodones, Baja California and is generally a ‘rubber stamp’
procedure, requiring only a few minutes of your time. Mexican law dictates the
price of such policies so don’t waste a lot of time looking for a better deal because
you could spend more money on extras. If you buy in the U.S. however prices can
vary, so shop around. Be prudent! Daily, weekly, monthly and annual policies are
available for both casualty and liability. Most policies will only cover fixtures,
which are permanently, mounted on your vehicles, therefore vandalism
and parts theft, will seldom be covered. If you’re driving a motorhome or
camper that will remain parked during your stay and at the same time, towing a
smaller vehicle or boat that you’ll be using on a regular basis, your solution is
simple. Purchase two policies, one to cover your ‘daily use’ equipment and another
for your motorhome or trailer, with coverage for the dates that you’ll actually be on
the road. Don’t be ‘conned’ by the agent anxious to sell you coverage on the
parked vehicle for the full term. Find another agent!
If you wish to remain in Mexico for more than 6 months or even indefinitely, you’ll
require a residence visa. These can only be issued by a Mexican Consulate and for
Yuma residents, there is one conveniently located in Calexico, California. In
addition to the standard I.D. required for a tourist card, a couple will need to
provide proof of at least a $1,500.00 (US) monthly income, marriage documents
and a police report indicating no criminal activity in their past. The consulate will
then verify these documents, and after several weeks your visa will be issued. Bear
in mind that none of these visas will allow you to work in Mexico or operate a
business. A visa for that purpose, is quite another thing and beyond the scope of
this book, but the place to start of course, is at any Mexican Consulate.
All countries, even the U.S., have laws that require visitors, even citizens, to
identify themselves. Why anyone would consider traveling to from and in a foreign
country, without proper documentation and I.D. remains one of life’s great
mysteries to me.
Pets may be taken with you but it is a good idea to have a document from your
veterinarian, stating that your ‘critter’ is enjoying good health and has had the
required shots.
Children and grandchildren may accompany you on your journey but the law
requires that you have a notarized letter of authority, signed by both parents, as
well as I.D. indicating the children’s nationality. If the child or children are the
sole custody of only one parent, or when one parent is the primary
caregiver only one letter is required but you will need legal verification of
this status.
Fishing licenses are required. The sole exception is ‘surf fishing’ which does not
require a license. Whether you bring your own boat, rent a panga or hire a guide,
you need a license to be legal. If you do bring your own boat, it will also need a
license. The federal government defines sport and other fishing regulations and
they are extremely precise. It is sufficient to say that anyone (of any age) who is
in possession of tackle, or simply in a boat that contains tackle, is deemed under
the law to be a fisherman, and requires a license. More detailed information
regarding fees etc. is covered in chapter 7.
It makes good sense to insure that the personal papers and travel documents of
everyone in your group are in order and that everyone knows where they are. The
peace of mind that comes from this preparedness will make the effort worthwhile. I
recommend that you make up a ‘travel pouch’ and keep it in your vehicle at all
times. It should contain, at least the following:
- passport
- birth certificate
- letters of authority for children
- veterinarians certificate
- residence information
- next of kin information
- vehicle/property insurance
- vehicle registration/title
- FMT/tourist card
There is a precise amount of money that you can import into Mexico without
authority. If you were discovered traveling with an inordinately large amount of
cash, they’ll be curious about your reasons for having that much money in your
possession. The legal limit is $9,999.99 U.S. dollars. Be aware that the U.S.
government takes a rather keen interest in large sums of money leaving the
country.
While there is virtually no limit to the amount of foodstuffs that you may bring into
Mexico the same is not true for cigarettes, beer or other alcoholic
beverages. One carton of cigarettes, 24 beer and one liter of spirits are the rule.
You will find that American cigarettes are cheaper in Mexico as are spirits (except
imported brandy and scotch whiskey) but beer is cheaper in the U.S. Get caught
with more and you might lose it all – you’ll most certainly pay a large duty.
This seems like an appropriate time to discuss a one-time universal custom, still
quite common in Mexico. I speak of the custom of mordita (little bite), or in plain
English, the bribe. The mordita is officially illegal. Both the authorities and the
general public detest the practice, knowing the harm it does to a visitor’s
perception of their honesty. However when we consider that a transit policeman’s
salary is $700 pesos ($67.00) per week, it’s not difficult to understand how he
might be tempted to accept a little gift. Never try to bribe your way out of a serious
situation without the services of a Mexican attorney. Never embarrass the
authority by blatantly suggesting your bribe in front of others. No matter what you
may think at the time, be very careful not to damage an official’s self-respect and
dignity. Simply be aware that an offer of a ‘little something’ for the Mrs. or the
kiddies, properly made, can often save you a world of grief.
For traffic offenses the correct procedure is for the officer to take possession of
your driver’s licensed. You must then follow him or her to the nearest delegacion
where you will receive your ticket and fine. Do not give the officer money on the
highway unless you figure it’s the cheapest and quickest way out of the situation.
It is illegal – but done!
The major customs ‘no-no’ is almost any commodity that looks like it’s destined to
become ‘for sale’. Large amounts of used clothing are especially suspicious, even
though you are intending to donate them to a church or a needy family. This
requires a permit from the intended recipient.
Illegal drugs and other controlled substances are still #1 on the ‘hit parade’. If you
are the sort of person who just can’t get along without them, be prepared (if you
are caught) to disappear from society for a very long and unspecified period of
time. Suffice it to say, that by the time you see the light of day, you’ll be speaking
English with a Spanish accent. Remember that in Mexican jails, all of your personal
needs remain the responsibility of your family or friends – assuming of course that
they’re allowed to stay in or return to Mexico.
U.S. Customs, on the other hand, is very interested in those items, which you bring
back into the U.S. from Mexico. The most common items of concern are as follows:
- Each person, over the legal age, is allowed only 1 liter of alcoholic
beverage
(including beer) and 1 carton of cigarettes, once every 30 days.
- Each person is allowed a 1 month supply of prescription medicine (with
prescription) once per month.
- Each household is allowed 25 kilograms of shrimp (in season) or fish
once per
month. Many fruits and vegetables are not allowed (check with
customs
beforehand). Fireworks and firearms are taboo.
- Any and all pork products (except shelf-stable canned).
- Uncooked chicken and uncooked eggs.
The above list represents only a small sample of the laws governing those items
that may be imported into or returned to the U.S. from Mexico. If you have
concerns, always check with U.S. customs before you enter Mexico – the laws do
change, from time to time.
V
HOW TO GET THERE
Hopefully by now, you’ve decided to make the trip. You should know that there are
various routes, by which you may travel to El Golfo. One of them (MAP #1) has
you crossing the border at Calexico/Mexicali. From there you head south to
Durango, then east to the town of ‘57’ where you join Sonora 003 and head south
to El Golfo. Another (MAP #2) has you crossing at Los Algodones (9 miles west of
Yuma) heading south for 20 miles on the Mexican side of the Rio Colorado then
taking Mexico 2 to a point just over the toll bridge, then taking a by-pass road
around downtown San Luis. This puts you onto Sonora 003 and on into El Golfo.
The third has you crossing at San Luis, Sonora (MAP #3) crossing through town
and joining up with Sonora 003 then south to El Golfo.
When you cross the border, you will be on Boulevard Lopez Mateo. Follow this road
straight south, staying in the right-hand lane as best you can. Being, always on the
alert for parked cars on the right hand side. Follow the signs guiding you to San
Felipe and stay on this highway until you reach the turn-off to your left (east) for
Durango and Algodones (about 23 miles). At this junction, you must drive about 50
yards past the turn off and then perform an ‘engineered’ U-turn, which takes you
north again to the Durango road. See the insert in the map for details. Follow
this road passing through several villages. Watch for stop signs and serious speed
bumps (topes). Shortly after you cross over the river, a sign will indicate that you
have reached Colonias Nuevas. At the main intersection take a left and cross over
the railways tracks. You have now left the State of Baja California and are in the
town of Luis B. Sanchez, Sonora more affectionately known as cincuenta siete (fifty-
seven to gringos) because the railway station here is 57 kilometers from the
railhead in Mexicali. Follow the street through town (stop signs on every corner)
until you reach the junction at Sonora 003. Turn right onto this highway and in an
hour, you’ll be in El Golfo.
LOS ALGODONES/ELGOLFO
This route is very popular with those ’in the know’. First, it’s a really easy crossing
point into Mexico and secondly, it gets you into Mexico faster – that appeals to a lot
of us. During the winter season (snowbird time), it’s important to cross the border
before 8:00 AM, as people waiting to enter the Quechan Indian parking lot on the
U.S. side, can cause traffic to back up all the way to I8. You should exercise
extreme caution while driving through Los Algodones because for 6 months of the
year, during the winter, over 10,000 tourists a day walk across the border. These
folks literally own the streets (at least they think they do), and display almost total
disregard for the vehicular traffic. Once you’re out of the downtown and tourist
area however, driving in Mexico is like anywhere else, except perhaps New York,
Montreal, Paris or Mexico City.
As you enter the town, you’re on 2nd street. Drive straight through the intersection
at Avenue A (after stopping of course) and proceed to Avenue B. Turn left at this
intersection and drive one short block to the top of the hill. Turn right and drive
straight ahead for about 1 mile, being alert for serious speed bumps (topes), in
front of the school on your left. When you arrive at the T intersection, turn left
onto Baja California 002 and you’re on your way to San Luis.
After 17 miles you will reach the junction of Mexico 002. Turn left onto this
highway and follow it until you pass through the toll bridge (not expensive). As
soon as you pass through the tollbooth, if you’re not already in it, get into the
curbside lane, because you have to take the first exit on the right. There’ll be a
sign for El Golfo de Santa Clara on the side of the road and you’ll turn right off of
the highway. Continue south on this road for 1.9 miles, at which point you’ll reach
an intersection with a sign indicating that Colonia Hidalgo is straight ahead, and to
your left is San Luis Rio Colorado. Make a left turn at this corner and follow this
road, (you’ll think your lost but you’re not) for about a mile, up to the main
highway. This highway is Sonora 003, turn right onto it and follow it 60 miles south
to El Golfo.
If you get red lighted as you attempt to cross, follow directions into the customs
area. You will be briefly questioned as to what you are bringing into Mexico , where
you are going and for how long. As you leave the compound take your first right
hand turn onto 2nd street (calle dos) and travel across to Constitucion and proceed
as above.
VI
EL GOLFO’S BEST BETS
The many businesses of El Golfo provide their customers with most amenities that
one could wished for, but due to size restrictions, this book only highlights the
landmarks – you’ll have a lot more fun exploring for yourself and for that purpose a
map is included. A visit to any of these, will guarantee you good value as well as
good service. Not that you won’t receive value and service at other
establishments; there are just too many to mention.
While I’m on the subject, the belief that living in Mexico is cheap is a FALLACY.
Mexican people pay much more for everyday commodities than we do ‘on the other
side’ and their wages are about a tenth of ours. For example, many restaurant
workers are grinding out 6 days a week for 40 or 50 dollars. The custom of tipping
for good service is the same in Mexico as it is in the U.S. The propina or tip is never
included in the cost of a meal or service, so a tip of at least 10% is customary. 15%
shows class! Don’t begrudge a tip in El Golfo, you are REALLY helping a worthy
family make ends meet.
When you’re exploring around town or on the beach, try being a little adventurous.
If you see people ‘gulping down the goodies’ at a puesto or roadside stand - go for
the gusto! Street vendors offer some surprisingly good fare. Many local people,
especially single men, will eat 2 meals a day at the stands. My own family will go
out for a treat of tortas, tacos or carne asada at least twice a week.
If it’s not a holiday weekend, you may be surprised by the lack of activity in the
town. Don’t be put–off, El Golfo comes alive after 8:00 pm. During the day, you
might think that there’s no one alive in the town and at 9 in the evening you can
walk on the heads of the people. Bye the way, the use of the word ‘gringo’ is not
necessarily a derogatory term. It really depends on the speaker and why the word
is used. In fact it simply refers to anyone, regardless of race or nationality, who
was not born in Mexico. Don’t be offended if you hear it, even Mexican-Americans
can be referred to as gringos or pochos by the locals.
The restaurant has become one of the most popular dining spots in town. They are
open 7 days a week and non-hotel guests are always welcome. All items on the full
menu are carefully prepared under the watchful eye of Esperanza herself. Fresh
caught seafood is a specialty of the house, and the American style breakfasts are
superb.
If you’re a first time visitor, hotel is a must. Not only will you be hosted by two of
the most gracious and fun loving people in town but your experience will be a
guaranteed success. The room rates are very reasonable but reservations are
always advised. Phone 011-52(653)515-7001
A recent renovation, has added a bar and disco to the facility, which is open on the
weekends until 2 am each morning.
This Hotel also rents ATVs but exclusively to its registered guests. Phone 011-
52(653)515-7180
Raul is fluently bi-lingual and is a very useful contact, especially if you’re interested
in acquiring property in the vicinity.
Reservations are not usually required but you should make for the big holiday
weekends. Their phone number is 011-52 (653) 515-7071
MOTEL MARCIA
Located right in the heart of the village. Around the corner to the police station,
across the street from the Catholic church and adjacent to the OXXO store and
pharmacy. This motel offers 20 rooms, all equipped with air conditioning. Once
again, reservations are not generally needed. This motel does not have a
restaurant but is an easy walk to 2 of the best. Room rents are reasonable and its
central location, make it a good bet for the first time visitor. 011-52(653)515-7040
MOTEL ANGULO
Also located close to the village center, this motel offers basic rooms at reasonable
rates. No restaurant but only 1 block from lots of eating opportunities. 001-
52(653)515-7005
Available to its patrons, are shaded areas for parking RVs (no hookup), camping,
bathroom and shower facilities, great food and several brands of soda and local
beer. NO PHONE
EL DELFIN
Until 1999, El Delfin was the only sit down, full service restaurant in El Golfo. Even
today it should still be a must on your list for dining out. El Delfin’s specialties are
of course seafood but a full menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes are offered,
including some excellent American fare. El Delfin is open Tuesday through Sunday
but closed on Monday.
LAS CABINAS
Located right on the beach, Las Cabinas has recently been leased by the owner of
Villas Del Sol. He has made many changes, both in the facility as well as
management style. They have a very nice cantina with surprisingly good food.
They offer beach-front palapas for your RV, tent or camper. Some are equipped
with 100volt electricity for lighting and of course there are showers and bathroom
facilities available. Also, they offer several rooms for rent, adjacent to the cantina.
EL GOLFO RV PARK
This park has 12 spaces for RV, tent and campers, all with full hook up. It’s located
on the right just before you leave the pavement. There are some shady areas and
it’s very close to town, shopping and restaurants. Reservations can be made with
the manager but only in person.
VII
THE BEACH
The first thing you’ll notice when you ‘hit’ the beach, is vehicles of every make and
model, scurrying up, down and around with apparent ‘gay abandon’. You’ll see
everything from ATV’s to town cars, and you’ll probably ask yourself, if it’s safe for
you to be out there too. The answer, of course, is yes but bear in mind, when it
comes to driving on sand, some drivers are quite a bit more knowledgeable than
others. Many people, inexperienced in the techniques, more often than not, find
themselves buried to their axles and at the mercy of a rising tide. Now that’s not
necessarily a big deal - as long as you’re within shouting distance of a local
fisherman, who’ll quite happily pull you out for 20 bucks – or so. If you’re lucky,
he’ll even hang around to make sure you don’t get stuck again. But unless you get
a ‘kick’ out of making repeated donations to the local economy; preparing yourself
in advance, with a little sand-driving know-how, makes a lot of sense, and will keep
you out of most unpleasant situations.
Before we even start let’s consider some emergency equipment. The smart beach
explorer always carries at least 2 such pieces of equipment. First is a good shovel
and the second is a stout length of rope or a tow strap. If you really want to be
safe, equip yourself with a good winch along with a decent length of rebar to drive
into the sand and to hook onto. Finally, never, I repeat never venture down the
beach without water. Remember, while you might be at the seashore, you’re also
in the Sonoran desert and if you get stuck you could be waiting a long time for
help.
There’s really no question, which vehicle is the ideal one for driving on the beach -
in sand period. Most experts have agreed that a 4 cylinder, standard transmission,
4x4, fitted with smooth, oversized tires with 10-15 lbs of air pressure, is the perfect
street vehicle for use on the beach.
Human nature being what it is, it’s not surprising, that you won’t see too many of
these. When you do though, you’ll never see them bogged down. They’ll usually
be far too busy pulling their high-powered friends out of ruts, deep enough to bury
beached whales.
The why of the above statement is as follows. First of all, power can be your
enemy. Nothing is going to dig you in deeper, than an engine with so much power
that even at the idle, the revs can’t be kept below 4,000. They’re great for the
drag strip but definitely not ‘beach-friendly’.
Most drivers also find that the convenience their automatic transmissions
provide for city driving will often prove to be anything but convenient on the beach.
This marvelous invention has the ‘uncanny’ knack of shifting down, at just the
precise moment, when sudden deceleration and increased rpm’s are the last thing
you’re hoping for. Always remember, that your goal is to stay on top of the sand,
and unless you can maintain forward momentum, that’s not going to happen.
The popular ‘paddle tires’, that you’ll often see on ATV’s are specifically designed
for digging in and ‘get up and go’, and that’s precisely what they do, often when
you don’t want them to - and on hard packed sand the ride’s a real kidney killer.
Besides our subject is a street vehicle equipped for beach driving and you’d be
hard pressed to fit your truck with paddle tires. Also you should remember that the
police in the village frown on their use on public roads. People have been ticketed.
The preference for a 4x4 is an obvious one, but it’s not an absolute must. As
long as you’ve got everything else taken care of, and you follow some common
sense ‘rules of the road’, you should have no problems. If you feel, you need some
assurance of this, just take a look at the trucks used by the local fishermen.
Very few of them are 4x4s; yet they literally own the beach, and just to make it
difficult for themselves, or to humble us gringos, they’ll more often than not, have
a 3,000 lb boat hanging off the back end.
TIP #1 Take a few short trips before striking out on your own.
TIP#2 When you’re not sure, always drive in someone elses tracks,
preferably those of a local fisherman.
TIP#3 Don’t exceed 25 miles an hour, you’ll enjoy it more, to say
nothing of the safety of the people trying to enjoy the beach.
TIP#4 Avoid shifting gears in deep, dry sand. Rather maintain your RPM
with clutch and gas.
TIP#5 Maintain straight-line driving in deep sand.
TIP#6 When starting again, from a full stop; back up a little first –
there’s a nice track behind you.
TIP#7 When you find yourself miles from any possible assistance (in the
event that you need it), always drive above the high tide line.
TIP#8 Read the tracks in front of you. They tell the whole story. Learn
to tell the difference between quads, sand rails and pick-ups.
There might be a 6 foot high cut-bank over the crest of the next,
seemingly gentle rise.
TIP#9 Try to drive with a group. At least always tell someone where
you’re going and how long you expect to be.
TIP#10 Before each trip, be aware of time and tide. In places the tide
reaches up the face of the cliff and you could be cut off from your
return for a long time.
With your vehicle properly outfitted and with the above tips in mind, your beach
driving should be both enjoyable and trouble free, and without doubt, you’ll have
added an entirely new dimension to your El Golfo vacations.
30 MILES OF BEACH
All of the beach from El Golfo the lighthouse at Bahia Adair is easily navigable by
ATVs and 4X4s. Even 2 wheel drive vehicles can make the trip but unless you are
truly and expert, don’t risk it. The trip from El Golfo to the first point is easy and
uneventful, you will pass the famous machoro (first light house) also known as
competition hill and then onto the point. Be very careful accessing this first point.
Just before you arrive at the point, there is large tidal area of dark sand that looks
like it’s great for driving. Do not! I repeat do not attempt to cross this area.
About half way across, it turns into pure mud and you will lose your vehicle.
Beyond the point lies the now defunct, shrimp spawning laboratory of Maratech
Industries. There is also a small Army outpost as well as to some of the private
beach houses further on down.
You’re advised to keep your speed at about 20 mph and watch for deep washes
that are often created by tidal run off. These can ‘pop up’ out of nowhere. They
can also be quite deep and driving into one at any speed will spell disaster and put
a real damper on your trip - to say nothing of your enthusiasm for beach travel.
You’ll find that the fishermen have found a way around these washes, so always
keep a look out for their tracks.
At about 15 miles further on, you’ll notice the road leaves the beach again and
leads you through an area of clumpy bushes and small trees. I’ve never driven on
the beach in this area, and since all fishermen use this route, I’ll continue to stick
to this ‘by-pass’ and you’ll be advised to do the same. At least until somebody
walks out there and checks it out. You’ll see a lot of different tracks going through
this area, so keep to the one that seems to be getting the most use - they all end
up in the same place.
Once you leave this area the track leads back onto the beach. Stick to the dry area
on this stretch because there is a seriously muddy tidal channel between you and
the sea. Within a mile you’ll have reached the fishing village of El Tornillal (tornee-
yahl). El Tornillal is nothing more than several acres of private property that the
owner has turned into a fishing and vacation village. Many Americans lease
property here (quite reasonably) and have established beach houses for
themselves. Most are vacationers, but one couple of my acquaintance, lived here
for several years. The main track off the beach is a deep one, but if you’ve made it
this far, you can negotiate it. But unless you’re looking for the owner to inquire
about property, (he’s right at the end of the road) there’s no reason to leave the
beach.
There’s a road that takes off behind this property, and winds it’s way through the
desert and hills back to El Golfo. Actually, recent ‘drug interdiction’ activity by the
Army is creating many new tracks through the desert. Some should provide for
interesting 4x4 trips and descriptions of them will appear in future editions of this
guidebook.
Once you leave Tornillal you’ll find that the sand becomes whiter and the water
becomes clearer, and it stays that way, all the way to Panama - and beyond, I’m
sure. There are many beautiful beaches further on and views to enjoy. You’ll
encounter no more beach houses along the way - only solitude. There is a track
from this point on the beach, which will take you up through an abandoned salt
mining area and onto the railway track. Once you’re on the railway right-of-way,
you can follow the service road right on into Puerto Peñasco. I know a local man
who actually makes the entire round-trip in 1 day, in a 2-wheel drive car. From Las
Salinas as this place is known, there is a road leading back to El Golfo through the
desert. To reach it, you must cross the salr flat, very near the abandoned
residences, and continue right.
At low tide, a 2 mile long reef is exposed and they make for excellent shell fishing,
not to mention the pleasure of swimming or ‘snorkeling’ in the crystal clear water
of the tidal pools. Adjacent to this reef is the area known as burascoso and you’ve
reached the end of the line.
Just beyond this point is the lighthouse. To get to it and beyond you must cross a
‘serious’ estuary, across which, vehicular traffic is ONLY possible during extremely
low tides. Naturally, there are those who regularly make the trip when the tide is
extremely low. Be extremely careful here and do not try to drive around the
estuary – you absolutely will lose your vehicle. Also, if you get stuck crossing
it, when the tide comes in, it is a raging river and once again, you will lose your
vehicle. My best advice is, don’t try. Ahead of you lies the Bahia de Adair
(Adair Bay) and across it, about 25 miles in the distance is the fishing and resort
city of Puerto Peñasco. Even though it is known far and wide as Rocky Point, the
correct translation of its Spanish name is Rock Port – not point.
WATER ACTIVITIES
Severe tidal action crossing the shallow beaches of El Golfo often create, what
appears to be, less than perfect water conditions. The water’s ‘clean’ of course, it’s
just that it sometimes gets a little silty, and you’ll notice that when this silt occurs,
very few people are ever deterred from enjoying the water. The further down the
beach you go, the clearer the water becomes.
Except during periods of high wind, the water is quite calm, with a total absence of
the surf conditions commonly seen on other beaches. These shallow, tranquil
waters are perfect for jet skis and other such watercraft and the area is becoming
very popular with these enthusiasts. During periods of low tide many folks will
lounge and play in the much warmer waters of the tidal pools and channels.
Children can always be seen chasing minnows and crabs and splashing around for
hours, in these ‘monster’ bathtubs. On the other hand, high tide is when most
older folks go for a swim, largely to save themselves a ¼ mile walk out to the
waters edge. Many people swim all year, but it’s really not comfortable for most of
us until about the first of March and it will continue this way through to November.
Typical water temperatures during the summer season are in the mid 80’s, but
temperatures of 93 degrees are not uncommon.
Scuba diving and snorkeling are a waste of time in El Golfo. The sea bed is pure
sand with no rock or reef formations to invite feeding fish etc. In the area known as
burascoso, there is an extensive reef, which invites experienced divers. The
currents are very strong and the reef is composed of jagged rock formations, both
of which could spell disaster for the inexperienced.
CAUTION: When you’re wading and swimming further on down the beach, you
should be very alert for stingrays. These flat, bottom dwelling relatives of the
shark have a tendency to sleep in the warm shallow water, either partially or
completely covered by sand. If you’re jabbed by one of these nasty fish you should
get to the clinic immediately. The pain from their sting is excruciating and other
complications are always a possibility.
CLAM DIGGING
First of all, you’re going to need a ‘seriously’ low tide, (in the order of -4 to -6 feet),
which will usually occur during periods of a new and a full moon. Tide calendars
(calendario de mareas) are available at Hotel Las Conchas for a small charge, or
you can check the chart at El Capitan’s. Limit your search from an hour before and
an hour after low tide, and to that damp stretch of beach bordered by the water
and the dry sand. The banks of the tide channels are good hunting grounds. To
prevent a nasty cut (sharp shells and spines) the use of a digging tool is
recommended, but not necessary. The clams are in nice clean sand and their only
about 6 inches under, or less.
Now you have to know what to look for. If you’ve never done this before, you can
trust me; clams don’t dig into the sand in advance of your shoveling efforts. It’s
always amusing to watch novices, frantically digging away at every hole in the
beach, as if it was a race, and they’re losing. Understanding, that all creatures
living under the sand, at one time or another make a hole, is crucial to minimizing
your efforts. Trust me, not all holes are made by clams and knowing which is
which, will make your search a lot easier and more fruitful.
The reason a lot of folks have the impression that the clam they’re ‘chasing’ is
digging itself deeper into the sand, is simply because there’s no clam there in the
first place. Clams don’t move–well they do, but for the most part, it’s at the whim of
tidal action. If there’s a clam under that little hole, it will have left a tell-tale
‘signature on the sand and knowing which signature is which will be the key to your
success.
If you’ve never seen this ‘calling card’ in the sand, here’s how to make one for
yourself. Simply dip your hand in the water and then ‘flick’ your wet fingertips
toward the damp sand and you’ll notice it makes a distinctive ‘spotting’ mark. Of
course the marks made by clams, will usually be a straight-line pattern (from the
hole outward) but this is the mark that you’re looking for. You may not see them at
first but just walk the beach very slowly, focusing your eyes on the area at your
feet, not in front of you. When you do find a ‘spit pattern’ follow it for a few inches,
back from the larger droplets to the smaller and you’ll be at or very near the hole.
Having offered all of the above, I know that you’ll find clams and in abundance.
Please keep only those large enough to eat and only those you’re going to eat.
The area in front of El Pionero, the CRA resort, is a good bet for clams. They tend
to be smaller but they are abundant and good. They are in sand, so let them stand
in water for a few hours and they’ll purge themselves. Another spot that’s proven
fruitful is the area about 2 miles down the beach from El Pionero to a spot just past
the abandoned cantina on the left (Playa Alacran). This large tidal flat is usually
not very safe for driving, and I urge caution unless you see good solid tracks
across it. Keep high and dry on the beach and walk.
FISHING
There is very little sport fishing adjacent to El Golfo. The Sea bottom is pure sand
and mud and as such offers very little habitat for the fish. Further down the beach
(about 20 miles or so) the fishing improves markedly with lots of reefs and rocky
outcroppings. There are a few people who frequently take visitors on all sorts of
water-oriented activities. They use pangas (local style fishing boats) equipped with
outboard motors. They’ll take you fishing, clamming (to the island) or whale and
dolphin watching.
Anglers love the Sea of Cortez. There are over 80 species of game fish in the Sea
of Cortez and many of them prefer the northern waters, not the least of which is
the 250 lb totoava. This relative of the sea bass is an extremely protected
species, but catch and release with one of these monsters just has to be ‘a thing
of beauty and a joy forever’. Other fish offering great sport are corvina, sierra
(spanish mackerel), sea bass, croaker, triggerfish, lenguado, shark and the list goes
on. Anglers are allowed a bag limit of 10 fish per day with only 5 of any one
species, while only 1 marlin, shark, sail fish or sword fish may be kept and will
count as 5 of any other species.
Angling from the beach (surfcasting) does not require a license, but all other forms
do, and that includes underwater fishing, which has its own bag limit of 5 fish, as
well as other restrictions. When angling from a boat, each person is allowed only
one rod in the water at any given time and all people in the boat require a
license, regardless of age. That includes folks who are just along for the ride. If
you’re fishing from your own boat, the boat will also need to be licensed for sport
fishing. All necessary permisos (licenses) are available in El Golfo at reasonable
cost. The office of the Secretaria de Pesca (secretary of fisheries) is right around
the corner from the Oxxo store. They’re only open, Monday through Friday, so if
you’re coming for the weekend, you should pick one up before you leave the U.S.
Their office in San Diego can be reached at (619) 233-4324. Bear in mind, all of the
above regulations are “the letter-of-the-law”. Few people purchase licenses and
fewer still are ever checked but if you are checked, you will wish that you went to
the trouble.
VIII
THE BIOSPHERE
When first discovered the Colorado River Delta extended over two million acres, an
area roughly the size of Rhode Island. At that time beaver, Jaguar, and deer
abounded along with the giant totoava (cousin to the pacific sea bass) and a
myriad of other species of shrimp, fish and waterfowl. Today 91 of these species
are on the federal endangered list and of that number, 67 are listed as ‘at risk’.
Today only saline agricultural drainage supports the Cienega through drainage
canals and with 20 dams along the Colorado, very little if any river water ever
reaches the Sea of Cortez.
By 1944 this fertile and lush wetland had diminished to, on average only 85,000
acres. This same year, Mexico secured rights, through a treaty with the United
States, for 1.5 million acre/feet of the rivers average annual flow of 7.5 million
acre/feet. Unfortunately, the treaty did not deal with the quality of the water, only
the quantity and by the time the water reached Mexico it was so toxic that the
farmer’s crops withered and died.
31 years later, in 1973 the U.S. government decided to re-route this saline
agricultural drainage away from the river and send it through canals to an unused
and barren part of Mexico’s Colorado delta. This was supposed to be a stop-gap
measure while a de-salination plant was to be built near Yuma, after which the
newly freshened water could be re-routed back into the river and sent on to
Mexico. A nice idea in theory and everyone thought that it was a good one.
However it took 19 years to build the plant and in 1992 it was ready to go on-line.
No one had foreseen what would happen during those 19 years. A miracle took
place. That miracle was the ‘greening’ of the Colorado River delta. Without
assistance or planning from anyone or any agency over 50,000 acres of dusty, salt-
encrusted barrens had transformed itself into cattail wetlands and brackish-water
marsh. The Cienega was alive and well once again. Today this wetland extends
over 150,000 acres – the largest in North America. It’s a far cry from 2,000,000 but
today it supports over 60,000 waterfowl and at least 160,000 shorebirds.
IX
CRA is an Arizona Corporation owned by 4 individuals who have known each other since childhood.
Together they have been in business with one another for over 30 years.
CRA began in 1972 at Buckskin State Park as a concession of the BLM and has grown to become the
largest concessionaire of state parks in the state of Arizona. CRA acquired its first privately owned RV
resort in 1979 and today operates 15 parks both public and private. Today CRA, as a membership
camping organization, services over 11,000 members.
There are 2 types of memberships with a variety of add-on benefits. These 2 types are ‘the entire system’
– all 6 parks. Or you may purchase a membership in one park only. For purposes of this guidebook, I
will only discuss membership in the El Golfo RV Beach Resort.
Any and all qualified and serious potential purchasers may contact the park manager for a 3 day FREE
stay at the resort. YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST CONTACT THE MANAGER BEFORE COMING TO
EL GOLFO.
SPANGLISH TUTORIAL
This chapter is about communicating in Spanish not becoming bi-lingual. One of
the most common and often frustrating experiences you’ll have when practicing
Spanish is speaking to someone and having them respond in English. There are
several reasons for this phenomenon. First of all, you must understand that they
don’t mean to be impolite - quite the opposite. The person that you’re speaking to,
can usually tell by your grammar or accent, that you’d probably be more
comfortable speaking in English, so as a courtesy, if they can, they’ll speak to you
in your language. Another reason is that, they suspect although you may be using
Spanish words, the chances of you’re being able to understand them, when they
respond with rapid fire fluency, are unlikely. This next reason is a little more
subtle, and is frequently encountered in the U.S. Recent immigrants are often so
proud of their newly acquired language skills, that when spoken to, in less than
fluent Spanish, they’ll often mistake your intent and think that you’re patronizing
them.
Don’t let any of these deter you from practicing. If they respond in English that’s
fine. It means that they understood you, and that’s a start. You just keep right on
speaking in Spanish - two language conversations are very common, and fun. Once
they understand that you want to learn and practice their language your ‘stock’ will
go up many points. It has been my experience, that relative to other cultures,
Mexican people are, by far the most generous in helping strangers with their
language. A Mexican will never embarrass you by saying that you used a word out
of context, or that you used the wrong conjugation or tense or that your
pronunciation was incorrect. Of course, once you approach fluency and you’re
speaking with a friend who wants to help you, you’ll start getting corrected. The
‘Golfeños’ have become absolute geniuses, at deciphering what a foreigner is
trying to say, without benefit of conjugated verbs and using only the present tense.
The reason that you are often misunderstood is two-fold. First of all in Spanish
pronunciation, every letter is pronounced. If a person doesn’t pronounce the word
absolutely correctly, it very often will have no meaning for them. If you pronounce
a Spanish word with English phonetics, it becomes doubly confusing. We English
speakers have no trouble whatsoever understanding mispronounced words
because our rules of pronunciation are not so strict. Secondly, all Spanish verbs
have approximately 54 conjugations, while in English we have at most 5 or 6.
Usually we just add an ‘s’, ‘ed’ or and ‘ing’ and we’re off to the races.
The secret (certainly in El Golfo) is to see, hear or otherwise learn a noun or verb,
memorize it and use it at every opportunity in your every day conversations. In a
sense develop your own little patois. Don’t worry about tense or conjugation; your
new friends will have no trouble figuring out what you’re trying to say.
The average, reasonably literate English speaker already has at their disposal, a
Spanish vocabulary of approximately 2 thousand words. It’s true! Considering the
influence of Latin in both languages, there are at least that many nouns and verbs
that the two languages use in common. While there are usually minor variations in
spelling (certainly in pronunciation), there are amazing similarities between the two
languages. The major differences between the two occur in gender, pronunciation,
and conjugation and sometimes in the formal versus the informal forms of address.
When fluency is the goal, the student of Spanish can spend years mastering
grammar, but as a casual visitor to Mexico, communication, not fluency is what’s
needed. How many times in your life, have you had communication with a recent
immigrant to your country, whose use of English was anything but fluent? It’s
doubtful that you had a meaningful conversation, but you probably both got your
points across. That’s communicating, and you can do it in Spanish. Never be
embarrassed! Imagine a visitor to your country addressing you with a heavily
accented “thank you”. Will you appreciate the ‘thank you’ (accent not-with-
standing) or would you have preferred that he spoke to you in his native tongue?
Of course not! Well now the roles are reversed and you’re the visitor in someone
else’s country. It is plain and simply good manners to use as much Spanish as you
possibly can. If you don’t, many people won’t even know what you mean when you
thank them for one service or another. After all gracias is not hard to say. If you
know, or even if you think you know a Spanish word - use it. Your Mexican friends
will be delighted with your courtesy.
PRONUNCIATION
Spanish, unlike English, is pronounced as it is written. If there’s a letter there, it’ll
be pronounced and almost always the same way. Keys to pronunciation are:
- a, is always soft like ‘awe’
- e, is like the ‘ay’ in day
- i, sounds like ‘ee’ in seek
- o, always like ‘o’ in boat
- u, always like the ‘oo’ in too
- y, like the ‘ee’ in seek
- ll, is an actual letter of the alphabet and is
pronounced as a ‘y’. Calle becomes ‘kah-yay’
- ñ, is a unique letter and is pronounced ‘nyah’.
Baño becomes ‘bah-nyo’, not bah-no.
- r, is a very short r almost like a soft ‘d’.
- rr, is spoken with a ‘trill’ or ‘roll’.
- g, is always hard as in ground when it precedes
a vowel and soft like a gutteral ‘h’ at all other
times.
- j, is always pronounced as a soft, gutteral ‘g’.
- ó, and á are accent marks to indicate emphasis.
- v, is pronounced as a ‘b’.
With a little practice, and listening, you’ll find the correct pronunciation comes
naturally. Listening to Spanish language radio is a great way to pick up the
nuances and ‘music’ of the language, even though you don’t understand the words.
GENDER
In English, gender (masculine, feminine) is not physically attached to nouns, rather
they are implied. A boat or a ship is considered to be feminine and is usually
referred to as her or she. In Spanish, gender is usually attached to the noun by an
‘o’ or an ‘a’. Those nouns ending in any other letter are also one or the other but
you have to memorize which. Amiga is a female friend, whereas amigo is a
masculine friend. Conjugation of adjectives relating to these nouns are also
‘genderized’. You would ask for otr(a) cerveza (another beer), not otr(o), because
the noun cerveza ends in an ‘a’ and is therefore feminine. By the same token
you’d ask for otr(o) taco not otr(a). Once again, you’ll still be understood, even if
you ignore gender completely. You’ll sound like a foreigner, but what the heck,
you are – but you’re still communicating!
CONJUGATION
Those of you who studied a foreign language in school, whether it was Spanish,
French, German or even Latin will remember the horrors of having to memorize
verb conjugation. There are many more than 54 conjugations of most Spanish
verbs! While verb conjugation may be necessary even vital for fluent conversation,
it isn’t for basic communication. Almost all Spanish verbs in their infinitive form end
in either ‘er’, ‘ar’, or ‘ir’ and they each have their own rules for conjugation. Added
to this, there are a whole bunch of ‘irregular’ verbs, each having their own rules.
Obviously this is much too difficult to master in a few days, so let’s forget about
conjugation altogether. If you memorize the words for I, you, he, she, we, you can
forget about the different conjugations. Simply use the pronoun and the complete
verb (unconjugated). This will sound like ‘baby talk’ to the Spanish ear, but you’ll
be understood. If you and your wife are hungry, simply say “nosotros hambre” (we
hungry), instead of conjugating the verb tener and saying tenemos hambre. The
other shortcut is to forget about past, future and all other tenses. If you just stick
to the present tense, communication becomes a breeze. Who cares if you say that
my vacation is fun, was fun or will be fun, the tone of the conversation will make it
quite clear that you’re having fun.
As you might expect, a much more casual approach is acceptable in Mexico - but
the distinction still exists. Tu (too) is the informal ‘you’ and Usted (oostead) is the
formal. You can never go wrong using the formal. Very few people are ever
insulted by good manners. You should always use the formal ‘usted’ except with
children. When someone uses the formal ‘usted’ with you, it’s a clear indication of
his or her regard for you. On the other hand a person may use the informal ‘tu’. At
this point it’s up to you to decide whether to use the ‘tu’ or continue expressing
your respect with the formal form of address. Failure to change to the informal
indicates that you consider the person to be deserving of your respect.
The quickest way to ‘catch’ this nuance (other than tu and usted) is to listen for the
conjugation of the verb estar (to be) in the frequently asked question - how are
you? When someone asks, “como esta”, their addressing you with the respect
deserving a stranger. “Como estas” on the other hand, is their way of saying that
they consider you an equal (or less) and not just someone they know. I have
several good friends that I address in the formal simply because I have a profound
respect for them.
The next chapter lists some of the more common words that you’ll encounter in El
Golfo. Try to memorize the nouns, they’re a lot more fun, and they don’t require
conjugating - you can ‘throw’ them into an English sentence any time you want. As
a matter of fact it’s a great way to memorize the words. You could end up
speaking ‘Span-glish’, before you know it. The most important thing to remember is
that this trip is supposed to be fun. This is Mexico for goodness sake - lighten up,
live a little and enjoy.
XII
Ultimately, as director of engineering for a Canadian computer firm, he decided that enough
was enough and cast his eyes south. In 1990, he made his home in Yuma, Arizona and
immediately discovered and fell in love with El Golfo. During th e ensuing few years, every
spare moment was spent in the village, until 1996 when he made El Golfo his permanent
home.
Today Patricio, as he has become known to all and sundry and his wife Ofelia, manage the El
Golfo RV Beach Resort and when not working, can usually be found somewhere on the 30
miles of beach or back in the desert, researching their new book.