The Sonoran Sun is the place to be this Summer. Stay cool and watch the stars come out. Aren’t you glad it’s not a school night? Reserve your stay in Rocky Point now.
One place that feels just like ‘the little restaurant down the block’ is Colin’s Cantina. Right inside the entrance to the popular Princessa de Penasco Resort on Sandy Beach, Colin’s is great for a casual breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Less than six months old, Colin’s Cantina likes to try new things. If the customers like it, it goes on the menu. That’s how the Bacon / Blueberry Pancakes came about. Taco baskets are a great choice if you are watching the game at the bar, or maybe a Hatch chili chicken burger. The kitchen is fast, and the service is friendly.
Soon, cozy Colin’s will be a bit bigger. The dining area will be expanding into an adjacent office space, so with almost zero downtime or construcion mess, the restaurant will become twice as big. There is currently patio seating as well. Look for the updated dining room when you visit later this Summer.
Easy to get to near the entrance to the Princesa Resort in Rocky Point, Colin’s Cantina is open to the public from 8:00am to 10:00pm, closed on Wednesdays.
Plan ahead now for one of Rocky Points’ best loved annual events. The Rocky Point Rally is coming this November 6th through 9th. Last year there were around 5000 registered, but many non-riders come to enjoy the over the top party atmosphere that descends on the city. Mardi-Gras and Spring Break rolled into one, the Rally brings bikers from as far away as Canada.
And it really is a non-stop show. The fun starts before even arriving in town with the Across the Border Poker Run. Last year, riders went out to tour the Pinacate Biosphere Reseve, and this time it will be offered on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Saturday Night will see the band Mogollon take the stage, as they have for the past few years. The Malecon sees lots of action all weekend. The street is perfect for cruising your bike past the crowd. The bars and restaurants over flow with revellers, and burn out contests rule the day.
Bikes flow back and forth between the Malecon and Calle13, which see just as much action. Here is where the Toy Parade starts as well, where bikers give out toys and toss candy to super happy local kids. Charity is a large part of the Rocky Point Rally. Last year more that $9000 dollars was raised for local organizations like La Montana School (helping children with special needs), The Red Cross, as well as for the the firefighters. No trip to Rocky Point would be complete without a sunset cruise, and there is one just for registered bikers on Saturday Night.
Just a few years old, the Rocky Point Rally is starting to gain some real notice throughout the world of cyclists. People are invariable blown away by the sights and sound of a Rally by the sea, and efforts to promote the event are getting tthe word out to more and more bike afficionados. Some of this years sponsors who are making the Rall a success include Sea Side Reservations, Playa Bonita Resort, Mexpro Insurance, and Law Tigers, Motorcycle Lawyers.
*The 2014 Rocky Point Rally will begin Thursday, November 6th, and run through Sunday, November 9th.
*To find out more about scheduled events, where to stay, and to keep up with the latest Rally news, check out RockyPointRally.com
Confirming that Rocky Point is where his heart is, Roger Clyne will be playing a set at his own place, Banditos, with Peacemakers lead guitarist Jim Dalton.
Expect Peacemaker fans to try to turn the show into a mini Circus Mexicus! Music will begin around 8:00pm, and the house musicians Riband will be there to keep the party rocking into the night. What better way to celebrate Independence Day in Rocky Point, than with ‘The Independent’?
Banditos can be found on Sandy Beach near the entrance to the Sonoran Sea and Sonoran Spa.
Just in time for the Fourth of July, it appears that an Pacific Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) has come ashore on Sandy Beach to deposit her eggs! We see one or two of these events every few years, so it is pretty special. Olive Ridleys are found in the oceans throughout the world. The western coast of Mexico is one of the prime nesting areas, but it is more common to see them a lot further south, especially around Puerto Vallarta.
‘Arribadas’ are when masses of these turtles come together to give birth on one beach. Here in Rocky Point, this lone nesting site will be protected by the authorities to enhance the chances that the eggs will reach maturity (something that takes around fifty days, and produces up to one hundred eggs).
Visitors to town were walking Sandy Beach near Puerta Privada when they came across the turtle, wading out of the water. They made a call to the local police, who contacted Profepa, more or less Mexicos’ EPA. Minutes later, eggs tucked into the sand, the turtle hit the waves and was gone.
The nesting of this endangered species is a reminder of just how connected to the natural world Puerto Penasco is.
Eco-Tourism in Rocky Point is a growing business. There are boat trips to Bird Island; a place where you can experience a colony of Sea lions up close. People choose to kayak or dive in, you can actually swim with the young and curious animals.
The nearby Pinacate Biosphere Reserve is popular with those who love a true wilderness experience. Over six hundred square miles of black lava flows, cinder cones, and seas of rippling sand dunes spread to the horizon, inviting the adventurous to see Mexico at its’ wildest.
Puerto Peñasco is also the point of departure for voyages to the remote Islands that dot the Northern Sea of Cortez. Much of the treasure of Mexicos’ natural world lives in its’ oceans. The 110 foot Rocio del Mar takes divers to explore places that can be seen no other way. This fourth of July weekend, the Rocio heads out for a week long live-aboard dive trip to the Midriff Islands.
Once called ‘The worlds’ aquarium” by dive pioneer Jacques Cousteau, the Sea of Cortez still maintains an attraction for those who want to encounter the large pelagic species that frequent these waters. Schools of hammerhead sharks, humpback whales, manta rays and more are a regular part of a dive trip. A live-aboard allows for multiple days in remote locations, as well as the ability to dive in more than one spot.
Dora and Francisco Sandoval, experienced dive masters, own the Rocio del Mar. Beginning its’ sea going life in 2009, the Sandovals built her from scratch, with the intention to provide a ship designed around the experience of diving, unique in a sport where most are modified fishing boats. The Rocio accomodates twenty divers, and is in service with multiple trips per year to not only the Sea of Cortez, but out to the Revellagigedo Islands, known as Mexicos’ Gallapagos. Having just completed her yearly maintenance in the docks of Rocky Point, she readies for her next adventure.
These voyages are for experienced divers, coming from over the globe. Normally sold out months in advance, the next voyage departs this Fourth of July from the Fonatur docks. Over a dozen dive sites are possibIlities as the Rocio del Mar plys thewaters around Angel Island and others.
*Rocio del Mar departs out of Rocky Point and Cabo San Lucas during the spring and fall
*Trips exlore the Sea of Cortez and Soccoro Islands
*Twenty divers maximum, with a very experienced staff and state of the art supporting equipment.
*Visit rociodelmarliveaboard.com or contact 602-558-9580
Pirate Cruiser on her way back to the port.
One popular way to start a visit to Rocky Point is to board one of the Sunset Cruises that set sail in the evening. Some boats are small with an intimate feel, others are a big floating party. All offer a chance to unwind, have a drink and a snack, and enjoy the beauty of a Rocky Point sunset with friends and family. These cruises are popular with dolphins too! It’s very common for them to swim along in front of the boat, like tour guides taking you to their favorite spot.
You can find the boats in the harbor as you drive into the Malecon area. The front desk where you are staying can usually help you reserve a spot.
