-by La Huerita
With hurricane season upon us, it's reassuring to remember that Puerto Penasco rarely experiences hurricanes (though they do occasionally hit us). Just in case, you should always keep emergency supplies on hand, such as extra water, canned foods, toothpaste-- you can find a good list of what you need at the NOAA website's Hurricane Supply Kit (warning: PDF file). Keep those items on hand and you can sit back and smirk at all the poor saps who are trying to stock up at the last minute if disaster does strike.
More good news is that Puerto Penasco is, in the words of TheLog.com, "emerging as an ideal 'hurricane hole' for boaters":
Puerto Peñasco is emerging as an ideal “hurricane hole” for boaters, thanks to at least three features. First, it’s located in the upper end of the Sea of Cortez, where hurricanes seldom reach. Second, the harbor is enclosed to all directions of wind and seas. Third, it has a nice new marina and floating fuel dock.
Even before the new yacht marina opened two years ago, the anchorage inside Puerto Peñasco’s harbor had long been considered a secure refuge from storms — from both the southerlies of summer and the screaming blue northers of winter. The harbor is surrounded by high ground, and the narrow entrance channel opens only to the northwest — where it is shielded by Punta Choya and 5 miles of beach.
Do read the rest of that article, especially if you're a boater.
In semi-related news, kinda sorta: According to an article in the San Diego Union-Tribune Puerto Penasco is going to be the recipient of some brand new used lifeguard towers. Sixteen towers, which made it across the border into Baja on June 17, are destined for Tijuana, Rosarito Beach, Ensenada, Puerto Peñasco and Punta Abreojos in Baja California Sur. They were donated through SDALERT, a coalition of San Diego lifeguard agencies. Rosarito Beach is getting 6 of the towers; the article didn't say how many Puerto Penasco will get. Will these be the first lifeguard towers in Rocky Point? I don't recall seeing any on our beaches...
Here's an article I highly recommend if you want to understand about purchasing real estate within the restricted zone in Mexico: How To Lose Your Entire Investment In Mexican Real Estate. It really isn't as dire as the headline sounds, and it's full of good information and advice, a dose of reality, and anyone who is thinking about a real estate purchase (and some who already have made a purchase) should find it useful. Here's just a little tidbit from this rather long article:
A key fact that many buyers do not fully appreciate is that under Mexican law (as in most, if not all, U.S. states), in order to be effective against third parties, an interest in real estate must be registered in the public registry for real property in the jurisdiction where the property is located (the “Public Registry”). Without a registered title or trust, the buyers’ rights can be trumped under Mexican law by claims by third parties, especially if those third party rights have been registered in the Public Registry. In other words, if you don’t have a registered title or trust, you don’t own it, even if you’ve paid for it.
How can this situation arise? It is possible under Mexican law (as under U.S. law) for more than one person to have a legally valid claim against the seller. The seller might have entered into purchase contracts with more than one buyer. The seller might have voluntarily allowed a lien to be placed on the property, such as a lien in favor of a lender. Or a lien might be imposed by a Mexican court to satisfy a judgment or imposed by Mexican law (e.g., for unpaid taxes or labor or social security claims). The seller might go bankrupt. Or, if the seller dies before the title transfer is legally completed and registered, the seller’s estate or heirs may have claims to the property.
In not-so-important news, I'm working on a new design for The Tides that is more efficient than the current one. I like the one I've got, but it's difficult to organize it properly so I'm hoping the new iteration will be better at that. And of course, since people hate change, I hope it won't spook you when I roll it out around the end of this month (assuming I get it done by then, of course. It's been giving me fits, and I'm working on Mexican time.).
And that's the Buzz on the Beach for today.
Peace out...
About Beach Buzz: Not necessarily the news, this is a place for information, opinion, speculation, gossip, tips and other good stuff about Rocky Point, and Mexico in general. If you have something you'd like to share, I'd like to hear from you!
Contact me at lahuerita2@gmail.com
