Hello September, and let the countdown to cooler weather begin…
I would imagine that most of us are done with the tripe-digit temps by now. I know I am, and even though I’m writing this from Alaska, I’m not looking forward to coming home since I’ve been enjoying these lovely cool temperatures, cloudy skies, and even rain for the past couple of weeks. Yesterday I was on top of Norris Glacier where there was white as far as the eye could see. We ended up staying longer at a Musher Camp since the helicopter couldn’t get to us because of the rain and weather conditions. What luck! The rain cleared pretty quickly, and we got to play with a new litter of pups – so pretty great, though I would’ve been smart to bring a pair of gloves. It’s been in the 50s my entire trip, with spots of sunshine, lots of whales, some fog, and a little rain here and there, but not much. I saw icebergs and calving for the first time in my life at Dawes Glacier, so that was pretty spectacular, and I saw my first Orca(s). Seeing all of the whales was quite nice, but it doesn’t come close to what we get to see in Puerto Peñasco. We are so fortunate to get up close and personal to such magnificent creatures. And if you go south to Guerrero Negro and spots beyond, there is definitely no comparison. I also saw a couple of bald eagles up close – one adult and one juvenile, which was neat, but have yet to spot a bear in the wild. All in all, a great way to beat the oppressive summer heat, but I am definitely looking forward to coming home and – fingers crossed – the weather breaks in early October!!
As I said above, I’ve been out of town for a lot of the summer but have been aware of what’s been “going on”. I tried to “keep up” on social media, but it is absolutely exhausting. I was going to make a trip back home in early August to hang out for a couple weeks, but the screwworm thing started being enforced August 3rd (going into Mexico) and I didn’t feel like dealing with the expense – and hassle – of getting my 2 Great Danes declared screwworm free only to do it over and over again, each and every trip I made back and forth. Ugh.
So, again, I am in Alaska and have not been back at home in Puerto Peñasco for a lot of the summer, but it appears that the Mexico side of the border is checking for the screwworm certificate. I have checked social media here and there, and it does seem to be a hit-and-miss situation (as it always is with new enforcements), but seems that most are being checked -especially if your dogs are “noticeable”. I did cross – sans my Great Danes – in early August, and they did seem to be checking everyone quite thoroughly, although no one around me had dogs. As far as written enforcements go – your pets need a screwworm-free certificate going both ways. Going into Mexico, it must be issued by a USDA-certified vet, and coming into the U.S., it must be from an authorized Mexican vet. A quick search on the internet will give you all of the information and links that you need. You must cross the border within 5 days of the certificate being issued, and YES! They are two different certificates – one is from the U.S. and the other is from Mexico. I think people are getting confused on this point, and social media definitely does not help the situation. Other paperwork is required to bring your pets into Mexico and into the U.S., so please do your research or you may be turned away at the border. This seems to be happening more as you enter Mexico as opposed to trying to get back to into the U.S. You always have the choice to follow the rules and guidelines or not – just be prepared to accept the consequences. Very simple. As for me – once I get head home from Alaska, my mutts are getting their screwworm-free paperwork, and then we are heading home and staying put for the fall and winter. Let’s hope the nonsense ends soon.
There is lots of noteworthy stuff that has happened in Rocky Point since my last Editorial, but I have to cut this short so I can go on and enjoy what’s left of my Alaska journey! Turtle hatching/babies are coming, and apparently sharks are in the ocean! That last one is (obviously) a joke – yes, we do have lots of sharks in the ocean, and it seems a juvenile one washed up on Sandy Beach and caused a lot of curiosity. There are lots of critters in the ocean, so always be mindful of them. It seems that warmer water temps bring them closer to shore, so always be on the lookout.
Allrighty – Happy Independence Day to Mexico and Happy Labor Day to all you hardworking Americans. Safe and happy holidays to all of you, and see you at the beach!
