Happy New Year!! Welcome to 2023!! I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is enjoying a fabulous start to the new year. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for our little fishing village this year Last year was pretty darned good and we have lots of big projects on the horizon, and in the works, so it should be a very exciting and interesting year for sure.
Once again, I would like to thank our faithful readers, advertisers and contributing writers for your continued support – you are the best and we’re happy you still want us around! The Rocky Point Times Newspaper has been serving Rocky Point and the community for 33 years – we might be going on 34 now…can that be right? Crazy! A big welcome to our new subscribers and new visitors, we’re always here to answer your questions and help you get the most out of Rocky Point.
It’s a new year with tons of possibilities so hopefully I’ll get to working on all of these great and long overdue ideas I’ve had like creating an informative and current Events Calendar on our website so that those of us who don’t engage much in social media – or at all – can find the most current happenings around town. We’ve tried many times over many years to get a central events list so maybe 2023 will be the year!
Before much work gets worked-on though it is time to enjoy whale season which runs through April. Every year my sister-in-law comes from California for a couple of weeks, and we hang around town for a few days then head over to the Baja to watch the Grey Whales and their babies. This year we had planned to drive all the way down the Baja to Cabo San Lucas and have ourselves a real adventure, but I think this year we are going to spend more time in Peñasco whale watching, day drinking, restaurant hopping and hanging out on the beach. We will shoot over to Guerrero Negro for a few days to bother Tony Ballesteros (Peñasco’s own “whale whisperer”) and get our fill of parking lot parties and Tony’s Tacos (no, not the same Tony).
I know every year at this time I tell you about whale season and Tony Ballesteros who owns Tony’s Mystic Whale Tours and offers guided tours over to the Baja. And every year I tell you if you want the experience of a lifetime then give him a call. Don’t let another year go by without seeing the whales up close and personal. His deets are in Anita K’s article this month. But don’t fret if you can’t make it over to the Baja this year because Puerto Peñasco has plenty of whale action and lots of great charters waiting to take you out for a beautiful day on the water. It really is so cool to be right off of Sandy Beach surrounded by whales and you’ll most likely see dolphins and probably a sea lion or two. So hard to believe this is all right in our backyard. If you want to say hi to Tony you can catch him at his booth at the Mermaid’s Market – take a look at his fantastic whale photos and photos in general – he’s an awesome pro-photographer as well!
Lots of big events planned for 2023 and a lot of activities happening every day of the week at local clubs, bars and restaurants. We kick off 2023 with Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers January Jam – always a huge event and a must-see if you’ve never been. In case you are a new reader/subscriber to the RPTimes, we list any new events that come to our attention under the actual dates for the first month to get people familiar with them and then you will be able to find them at the top under the day of the week. We have a ton of new businesses in town and the events are constantly increasing and changing so be sure to check them out in every edition and online. And for you newbies, the RPTimes is available online, at no charge, in its entirety on our website – as well as years and years of back issues.
Unfortunately a somber note: As of this writing Peñasco has seven local fishermen missing at sea (still being searched for and hoped to be found alive). Our hearts go out to all of the families and if you would like to donate, please give us a jingle and we’ll let you know what is needed and who is in charge of what. And as most of you probably already know, the Sea of Cortez claimed a kayaker and her husband on Thanksgiving Day (the husband has yet to be found). They have called off the search for the husband and our thoughts are with all of the families.
We’ve been checking to see what our Lukeville/Sonoyta border hours will be in 2023 and if we will have any extended hours for holiday weekends. No word yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we do.
On a final note, I’d like to give a huge thank you to the team of Alicia Grajeda and Mario Zepeda who keep this paper running while I’m off chasing whales, running around the country, smashing through the desert, and sitting on the beach day drinking (it happens more than you may think)!! They are the ones that get the office open, answer your questions, take your calls, deliver your papers, keep the library stocked, drop off donations, and so much more and I’m so very thankful they are a part of the Rocky Point Times Newspaper team – heck, they are the team!
Thanks everyone for a great year and here’s to hoping that 2023 is even better. Get off your phones and get out into nature. See you at the beach!
