I remember when, as a third grade student at a one-room schoolhouse in Iowa, a lovely teacher told me there’s no such thing as a stupid question. That may have been true way back then. But faced with the questions Cap’n Greg got this month, if the sweet old girl was alive today, she’d probably be driven to do tequila shooters and dance on a table top at The Reef.

 

Q: There are no sharks in the Sea of Cortez, right?

A: Wrong. Among the many species of sharks in this area are scalloped hammerheads, bull sharks, the rough-skinned Mexican hornshark, and the basking shark, which is the world’s largest fish measuring close to 40 feet. There are also great white sharks that scientists believe may come from the Pacific to feed and breed, but few venture north as far as Peñasco. Unregulated factory ships almost wiped out the sharks 30 to 40 years ago, but education and conservation efforts are resulting in a resurgence in Sea of Cortez shark populations. If you still don’t believe there are sharks in these waters, I invite you to tie a pork chop around your waist and swim out to Bird Island. Good luck with that.

 

Q: What will the weather be like in September?

A: What? You don’t have an Internet connection? Do I look like Al Roker? Okay. Here goes. The September weather is the same as July and August. Hot and humid but not quite as hot as Tucson or Phoenix. After all, you have an ocean and any number of swim-up bars to soak in to cool down. Sometimes the wind can be a factor if you plan to play gin rummy on a beach blanket, but I’ve found a can of Tecate Light works pretty well to hold the deck in place.

 

Q: Has the 6-plex Cinema opened?

A: No, not yet. But I understand there is already chewing gum under the seats and a sticky substance on the floors consisting of Coca Cola and crushed Junior Mints.

 

Q: I know the hot dogs are good in Rocky Point, but do they have steaks here, too?

A: You don’t get around much, do you? When I tire of carne asada tacos and burritos, which doesn’t happen too often, I shop at the meat market across from the TelMex office. You can also find decent steaks at Super Ley and the Walmart (Bodega Aurrera). Ask anyone for directions. Some people say Mexican beef is better because, unlike in the States, few antibiotics and feed additives are used on the cattle here. In addition, grilling with mesquite charcoal adds to the flavor. But you sound like the kind of guy who puts ketchup on prime rib, so maybe you should stick to hot dogs and leave the steak grilling to us grownups.