10 ways Covid-19 has changed beach vacations in Rocky Point

You can come to the sea. You can see it, smell it, and hear it, right now you just can’t touch.

As I write this, tourists with confirmed reservations at confirmed accommodations are once again allowed into the city. So, if you need a beach fix, come on down, just know, for a little while, beach life is going to be a little different than normal.

1. Until they lift the closure of the beach, you cannot take beach walks. I know you want to. I have a hard time understanding the rule myself, but until they say you can, you can’t. Trust me I’ve been looking at it for months, my dog begs me every morning as we walk to the ropes, but if you come down, you can handle it for a week or a weekend.

2. New rules, there are new rules in place, mandatory masks, social distancing, curfews. If you choose not to follow the rules, do not want to follow the rules, refuse to abide, then we ask kindly that you stay home. Puerto Peñasco wants you here and misses you, but you must follow the rules, we are not asking you to do anything we haven’t done ourselves for 3 months.

3. Swim in the sea-well as I write this even though I know ‘saltwater cures everything’, you can’t go into the sea….until you can. Maybe this will change quicker than we imagined because I miss you sea.

4. The era of no hugs – No hugs to old friends or those you haven’t seen for months, I am a hugger, this is hard for me. But for now, no handshakes, no hugs.

5. To enter town, you will go through a sanitation border. Easy peasy, temperature check and a misting station. You must have your paperwork, and you will be free to enter. This is outside the city, not at the border.

6. Restaurants are open, with social distancing and earlier closings. It is better to eat early than late, so this will be good for all of us I suppose, eating earlier means not gaining weight.

7. Golf, ATV’s, Zip Line, ultralight and charter boats are open. Maybe this is the time to try something new. Research online and make your reservations ahead of time. Yes, right now you must be a planner.

8. Go swimming. Swimming in pools is open. Yes, you can swim and hang out at the pools in all the approved resorts. Pool vacations can be fun. Grab a good book and have day at the pool.

9. Masks are now a fashion accessory. Pick your favorite and have it with you at all times and wear it in public. Also, do not be surprised how many times you will get your temperature checked, it is okay, it’s quick and doesn’t even touch you.

10. Hand sanitizer is your new friend. It is everywhere, and in Puerto Peñasco we have the most sanitized tires and shoes. Yes, they spray your tires. (??) Who am I to question?

Yes… this new beach normal, is a little different than our beach vacations from the past. But if you take part in this unique time, you will always have it as a memory of a moment where we came together and worked through this strange pandemic. Remember, this is a time of kindness, you might be Asymptomatic, traveling from states that have growing numbers, you wearing a mask is adhering to the city rules and being kind to others. Puerto Peñasco has kept the cases low. We want to keep it that way.

I know someday we will be back to normal I believe with better testing and of course a vaccine, beach vacations, as we once enjoyed, will return. But in the meantime, this is the new normal. Please check to verify what has transpired since the writing of this article. Rules and openings change daily. If you want pics of sunsets and sand, follow Rocky Point Local on Instagram & Facebook.

The band Grateful Dead couldn’t have said it better, “Lately it occurs to me: What a long strange trip it has been” Grateful Dead