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52-591: The Spanish name for the Pinacate Peaks geographic feature is the Sierra Pinacate, which is used in their homeland of Mexico. The Pinacate Peaks lie just north of the fishing resort of Puerto Peñasco . The tallest of the peaks is Cerro del Pinacate (also called Volcan Santa Clara), with an elevation of 3,904 feet (1,190 m). The Mexican Spanish word pinacate is derived from the Nahuatl word for

104-495: A " chubasco " can cause significant damage to shorelines, despite their brevity. The depth of the water helps to determine its temperature. For example, shallow depths are directly influenced by the local temperature of the air, while deeper waters are less susceptible to changes in air temperature. The temperature of the water in the gulf generally experiences lows of 16 °C (61 °F) in winter and highs of 24 °C (75 °F) in summer. But temperatures can vary greatly in

156-472: A Center of Urban Health, a Hospital of Social Insurance, a Family Medical Unit of the IMSS (Mexican Social Security Institute), as well as many clinics and private consults all around the city. 31°19′00″N 113°32′13″W  /  31.31667°N 113.53694°W  / 31.31667; -113.53694 Gulf of California The Gulf of California ( Spanish : Golfo de California ), also known as

208-515: A daily capacity of 2,000 passengers. Puerto Peñasco is a popular destination for spring break , especially for high school and college students from Arizona and California for both its proximity and its 18-year-old legal drinking age. The Universidad de Sonora has its Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (Scientific and Technological Research Center) as well as its Centro de Estudios del Desierto (Center for Desert Studies) here which are open to visitors. These institutions started as

260-535: A festival queen. Another fishing tournament is sponsored by the La Choya Bay Club. Beaches here include Sandy Beach, Las Conchas, El Mirador, La Choya, Playa Encanto, Estero de Morúa, Playa La Joya, Playa Miramar, and Playa San Jorge. Sandy Beach is noted for its sand which is a light brown color. One attraction of the beaches is the tidal pools. Tides here can raise and lower the sea on the relatively flat land up to 8 m (26 ft). Low tide reveals

312-474: A hundred miles north or south with almost no development. The push to make Puerto Peñasco or Rocky Point a major tourism center was initiated in 1993, with the government joining with private investors to build condominiums and other facilities. The goal has been to take advantage of the area's proximity to the United States. Much of the inspiration for the effort came from the success of Cancún , which

364-678: A joint project with the Laboratory of Atmospheric Sciences of the University of Arizona in 1963 to develop methods of desalinization of sea water. In 1973 and 1974, the Unidad Experimental Peñasco was founded to research the raising of blue shrimp or Penaeus stylirostris . This project has been the leader in the development of shrimp farming techniques in Mexico. The CET-MAR Aquarium is a marine research center open to

416-574: A large number of tidal pools in the craters of the rocky coast. In these pools there used to be large numbers of crabs, starfish, and other marine life. There is also an estuary by the name of Morúa east of the community of Las Conchas. Here live thousands of birds, including migratory species. A large number of beachfront condominiums have been built in this area including Las Conchas , Sandy Beach Resorts, Costa Diamante, Las Palomas Beach and Golf Resort, Sonoran Sea, Bella Sirena, and Las Palmas. The first condos, Las Conchas and Bahías Choya, were built in

468-518: A mean depth of 818.08 m (2,684.0 ft), and a volume of 145,000 km (35,000 cu mi). The Gulf of California is divided into three faunal regions: Northern, Central, and Southern. One recognized transition zone is termed the Southwestern Baja California peninsula. Transition zones exist between faunal regions, and they usually vary for each individual species. (Faunal regions are distinguishable based on

520-416: A number of negative estuaries , that is, ones in which the evaporation of seawater is relatively greater than that of the fresh water input. The salinities of these inlets are higher than that of the ocean. The temperatures, poikilothermal , of these negative estuaries also are higher than the general temperature of the gulf. It is possible that at one time these estuaries were positive, that is, ones in which

572-421: A passport is still needed). There was some economic instability in 1994 and 1995, but it did not derail development here for long, coming back by 1999. Between 2002 and 2007 economic growth was at twelve percent. The local real estate market started to go bust in 2007 due to the economic slowdown in the United States. The oldest part of the town was founded between the edge of the sea and Ballena Hill. The base of

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624-410: A railroad was built to connect Baja California to the rest of Mexico, passing by Puerto Peñasco. The town began to grow again, adding a police delegation in 1932, as a dependency of the nearby municipality of Sonoyta , even though the town was part of the municipality of Caborca . The railroad line created new population centers and the initial layout of the city and port of Puerto Peñasco was begun in

676-556: A relatively short time, Puerto Peñasco has become a major tourist center. It contains numerous hotels as well as RV and primitive camping sites. Puerto Peñasco is described as "by far the most American city in Mexico" and "Arizona’s beach", with Tucson, Phoenix, and Yuma closer than the Mexican cities of Mexicali and Hermosillo. Most visitors come for the beaches and to fish. The annual fishing festival begins on Navy Day on June 1. These celebrations feature mariachis , folklorico dance, and

728-564: A whole were enacted as "Area Reserve and Migratory Bird Refuge and Wildlife" on August 2, 1978. In June 2000, the islands were designated a flora and fauna protection area . In addition to this effort by the Mexican government, for its importance and recognition worldwide, all islands in the gulf are also part of the international program "Man and Biosphere" (MAB) and are part of the World Reserve Network UNESCO Biosphere as Special Biosphere Reserve. Because of

780-475: Is 0 meters (0 feet) above sea level. It is found in the Sonoran Desert , a desert which stretches from the U.S. states of Arizona and California down to the northern tip of the Mexican state of Sinaloa . Because of this, its climate reaches extreme temperatures during the summer and relatively high temperatures in the winter. The city itself is relatively flat, with the exception of Ballena hill that

832-660: Is a biosphere reserve , in the spanish language Reserva de la Biosfera el Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar, managed by the Mexican Federal Government 's SEMARNAT - the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the government of the State of Sonora 's IMADES agency. Facts about the reserve: Puerto Pe%C3%B1asco Puerto Peñasco ( O'odham : Geʼe Ṣuidagĭ )

884-686: Is a small city located in Puerto Peñasco Municipality in the northwest of the Mexican state of Sonora , 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the border with the U.S. state of Arizona . According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 62,689 inhabitants. It is located on the northern shores of the Sea of Cortez on the small strip of land that joins the Baja California Peninsula with the rest of Mexico. The area

936-505: Is found in the northwest of the Mexican state of Sonora , a state that is located directly to the south of the U.S. state of Arizona . It is located on the eastern coast of the Gulf of California approximately 60 miles south of the Arizonan border, only about a four-hour drive from Phoenix or Tucson . The city's maximum elevation is 100 meters (328 feet) above sea level and its minimum

988-446: Is found near its port. Further, remnants of ancient volcanoes can be found on the beaches of Puerto Peñasco and several dormant volcano peaks can be seen throughout the entire state. Puerto Peñasco has a desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ) with an average of 10 days of rain per year. The average yearly high temperature is 27.5 °C (81.5 °F), but temperatures of 40 °C (104.0 °F) are very common in

1040-590: Is known by two names, Puerto Peñasco (rocky cliff port) in Spanish and Rocky Point in English. In 1826, retired Robert William Hale Hardy of the British Royal Navy was sailing in this area searching for pearls and precious metals. He named the area Rocky Point, and it was identified as Rocky Point on marine maps until President Lázaro Cárdenas changed it to Puerto Punta Peñasco. To simplify pronunciation,

1092-647: Is often referred to as the Gulf of California Rift Zone . The Gulf would extend as far as Indio, California , except for the tremendous delta created by the Colorado River . This delta blocks the sea from flooding the Mexicali and Imperial Valleys . Volcanism dominates the East Pacific Rise . The island of Isla Tortuga is one example of this ongoing volcanic activity. Furthermore, hydrothermal vents due to extension tectonic regime, related to

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1144-525: Is part of the Altar Desert , one of the driest and hottest areas of the larger Sonoran Desert . Since the late 1990s, there has been a push to develop the area for tourism. It is now one of the most important tourist destinations in northern Mexico. Puerto Peñasco is often called " Rocky Point " in English, and has been nicknamed " Arizona’s Beach " as it is the closest beach to cities such as Phoenix and Tucson . The warm sea surface temperatures of

1196-480: Is responsible for 56 islands located off the coast of the state. These are grouped into four archipelagos: San Luis Gonzaga or Enchanted, Guardian Angel, Bahía de los Ángeles and San Lorenzo. The three general types of shores found in the gulf include rocky shore , sandy beach, and tidal flat. Some of the rich biodiversity and high endemism that characterize the gulf and make it such a hotspot for fishing can be attributed to seemingly insignificant factors, such as

1248-770: The Federal Government . ·     Four education centers of elementary education, three private and one public. ·     Fifteen kindergarten schools, ten of which are public and five of which are private. ·     Twenty-three elementary schools, twenty of which are public and three that are private. ·     Four public and two private high schools . ·     Superior Technological Institute of Puerto Peñasco. ·     Technological University of Puerto Peñasco. ·     University of Professional Development. ·     CEUNO University. Puerto Peñasco also has two General Hospitals,

1300-604: The Sea of Cortés ( Mar de Cortés ) or Sea of Cortez , or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea ( Mar Vermejo ), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja California peninsula from the Mexican mainland. It is bordered by the states of Baja California , Baja California Sur , Sonora , and Sinaloa with a coastline of approximately 4,000 km (2,500 mi). Rivers that flow into

1352-519: The United States Fish Commission visited the area. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the southern limit of the gulf as: "A line joining Piaxtla Point (latitude 23°38'N) on the west coast of the mainland of Mexico, and the southern extreme of Lower California". The gulf is 1,126 km (700 mi) long and 48–241 km (30–150 mi) wide, with an area of 177,000 km (68,000 sq mi),

1404-447: The seawater component is diluted; therefore, the water is brackish , with salinity less than that of the ocean. However, because of human settlement around the gulf and water diversion for municipal and agricultural use in an area of comparatively low rainfall, there are no longer many rivers that freely empty into the gulf. The upper Colorado River Delta is one example of a historically major estuary and wetlands ecosystem, that since

1456-546: The 1940s. During this same time shrimp fishing was having an impact on the local economy. In 1952, Puerto Peñasco separated from the municipality of Caborca and comprised the localities of Sonoyta, Bahía La Choya, 21 de Marzo and Cuauhtémoc. Sonoyta was the second largest population center at the time. In 1989, the municipality of Plutarco Elías Calles was split from Puerto Peñasco. Until the 1990s, there had been little tourism here except for campers and fishermen. The municipality's pristine beaches with clear waters stretched for

1508-502: The 20th century construction of upriver dams and diversion aqueducts on the Colorado River, is now a small ephemeral remnant estuary. The remaining gulf inlets still are important to several species of fishes, crustaceans, and shellfish that are commercially harvested. Even though the shores of the gulf are generally sheltered from the continuous wave shock that is experienced by most other North American shores, storms known as

1560-413: The English name lost the word “Port” and the Spanish name dropped “Punta”. Prior to the 1920s, the area was just one of the safe harbors for wandering fishermen who worked the upper Gulf of California . During fishing seasons, fishermen from Guaymas , Bahía Kino , Puerto Libertad, and Puerto Lobos began to come here to camp out. The main attraction for these fishermen was a fish called totoaba , which

1612-553: The Gulf of California are a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The marine expeditions of Fortún Ximénez , Hernán Cortés , Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo , Francisco de Ulloa , Hernando de Alarcón , Captain Francisco de Lucenilla, and Sebastián Vizcaíno document its earliest record. Juan de Oñate reached the gulf overland in 1605 by following the Colorado River . In the 19th century Duflot de Mofras of France and C.H. Gilbert of

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1664-536: The Gulf of California include the Colorado , Fuerte , Mayo , Sinaloa , Sonora , and the Yaqui . The surface of the gulf is about 160,000 km (62,000 sq mi). Maximum depths exceed 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) because of the complex geology, linked to plate tectonics . The gulf is thought to be one of the most diverse seas on Earth and is home to more than 5,000 species of micro-invertebrates. Parts of

1716-402: The Gulf waters, summers are moderated compared to inland areas in both Sonora and Arizona to its north in terms of air temperature, although the apparent temperature remains very hot due to high humidity. As of 2020, the city of Puerto Peñasco has a total of 62,689 inhabitants, making it the eighth largest locality in the state. The population of the town has doubled since the year 2000, due to

1768-432: The area is volcanic rock, much of it solidified lava flows from when ancient eruptions met the ocean. To promote tourism here, the city was declared to be part of the border “free zone” although it is about 100 km (62 mi) from the U.S. This means that foreigners can drive from the U.S. to Puerto Peñasco without obtaining visas. This makes the area attractive to visitors from Arizona , California , and Nevada . In

1820-451: The developments in tourism. According to data provided by the 2010 census, approximately 2.65% of the population over the age of 15 are illiterate . And about 15.02% of the same age do not have a basic primary education. About 3.48% of children between the ages of 6 and 14 do not attend any type of institution of education. Furthermore, about 36.73% of inhabitants over the age of 15 did not finish their primary education , and about 31.74% of

1872-543: The endemic desert stink beetle , pinacatl . The volcanoes here have erupted here sporadically since about 4 million years ago, probably in association with the opening of the Gulf of California . The most recent volcanic activity was about 11,000 years ago. The Pinacate Desert is home to the largest sand dunes in the Americas . A variety of flora and fauna occur in the Pinacate Mountains, including

1924-425: The far southeast and far northwest respectively. Interest in property here has been unexpectedly strong, prompting further developments such as Sandy Beach. This development has plans for a golf course, malls, marinas and more condos. Crafts for sale here include shell jewelry , iron pieces and carved ironwood . The airport is a joint government and private enterprise project which was inaugurated in 2008 and has

1976-487: The gulf, and the water is almost always warmer by the coast than the open ocean. For example, the waters surrounding La Paz reach 30 °C (86 °F) in August, while the waters in neighboring city Cabo San Lucas, only reach 26 °C (79 °F). Occasionally, the northern gulf will go through significantly cold winters. The water in the northern gulf can sometimes drop below 8 °C (46 °F), which can lead to

2028-419: The most important economic activities for the city. Development to date includes over one hundred restaurants, forty-two hotels and motels, and fourteen RV facilities. The new "Home Port del Mar de Cortés" (Sea of Cortez) cruise ship terminal began construction in 2014 between Sandy Beach and Cholla Bay (La Choya), northwest of the central city. The construction has been suspended for financial reasons. The city

2080-533: The northern end of the gulf cause Puerto Peñasco to have a much warmer climate than coastal cities on the Pacific both in the Mexican and American Californias . Nights also remain hot and muggy during summer due to the warm-water influence. The Mar de Cortés International Airport serves Puerto Penasco, but currently has no regularly-scheduled flights in or out. A new highway shortens the drive from California by 160 km (100 mi). Tourism and fishing are

2132-528: The opening of the gulf, are found in the Bahía de Concepción, Baja California Sur. The gulf contains 37 major islands, the two largest being Isla Ángel de la Guarda and Isla Tiburón . Most of the islands are found on the west side of the gulf. In fact, many of the islands of the gulf are the result of volcanic eruptions that occurred during the early history of Baja California. The islands of Islas Marías , Islas San Francisco, and Isla Partida are thought to be

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2184-504: The population is not inscribed in any government health service. However, since 2010 Puerto Peñasco has been among the healthiest cities in the state. Puerto Peñasco is full of educational institutions ranging from elementary schools to universities . The city also houses several private schools and trade schools . Since 2015, the following have been registered in the municipality. ·     A school that specializes in special education of public character and administration for

2236-493: The public with displays of marine life such as turtles, octopus, and numerous fish species. Many residents are from the United States or Canada. Most restaurants offer menus in English, and most businesses accept U.S. dollars. Puerto Peñasco is popular with retirees, especially those from the United States and Canada who have trailers and RVs. However, there are retirees here from all over the world. The town also has newspapers in English. The city of Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point)

2288-427: The result of such eruptions. The formations of the islands, however, are not dependent on each other. They were each formed as a result of an individual structural occurrence. Several islands, including Isla Coronados , are home to volcanoes. The Colorado River Delta contains several islands, such as Isla Montague . The gulf has more than 900 islets and islands which together total about 420 hectares. All of them as

2340-663: The sculptural Elephant Tree , and Bursera microphylla . Padre Eusebio Kino , the founder of many Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert , explored here in 1698 and several times later. NASA sent astronauts here starting in 1965 for geologic training, given the similarity of the terrain to the lunar surface, and included training models of lunar surface equipment. Apollo 14 's Alan Shepard and Ed Mitchell , and Apollo 17 's Jack Schmitt trained here in Feb. 1970. The El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve

2392-416: The shore for a habitat to be stable. Additionally, the color of the rocks can affect the organisms living on a shore. For example, darker rocks will be significantly warmer than lighter ones, and can deter animals that do not have a high tolerance for heat. The northern gulf experiences tidal ranges of up to 5 m (16 ft). Mixed semidiurnal tides are the norm throughout most of the Gulf. There are

2444-544: The specific types of animals found there. ) Geologic evidence is widely interpreted by geologists as indicating the gulf came into being around 5.3 million years ago as tectonic forces rifted the Baja California peninsula off the North American Plate . As part of this process, the East Pacific Rise propagated up the middle of the Gulf along the seabed. This extension of the East Pacific Rise

2496-402: The summer months. The average yearly low temperature is 17.5 °C (63.5 °F), and frosts are rare. Though very rare, it is possible for a tropical storm or hurricane to reach the northern Gulf of California and cause significant damage. Hurricane Kathleen in 1976, Hurricane Nora in 1997, and Hurricane Rosa in 2018 were the last hurricanes to hit Puerto Peñasco. Due to the influence of

2548-439: The types of rocks that make up a shore. Beaches with softer, more porous rocks (such as coquina limestone, rhyolites , granite , or diorite ) generally have a higher species richness than those with harder, smoother rocks (such as basalt or diabase ). Porous rocks will naturally have more cracks and crevices in them, making them ideal living spaces for many animals. The rocks themselves, however, generally need to be stable on

2600-541: The vast expanse covered by this federal protected area, conservation and management is carried out through a system of four regional directorates (one per state bordering the Gulf of California). The work of direct and indirect conservation done in the islands is governed by a single management program, published in 2000, which is complemented by local and specific management programs. The Directorate of Protection Area Wildlife California Gulf Islands in Baja California

2652-403: Was a nearly virgin beach before a government/private venture developed it. Another reason to look to tourism was the declining catches of fishermen here, due to overfishing and pollution. The federal government contributed two billion pesos in infrastructure, especially roadways and an airport and the area was declared a free zone, meaning foreigners could visit the area without a visa (although

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2704-399: Was fished not for its meat, but for its use in medicine. At this time the area was known as Punta de Piedra o Punta Peñasco. The name comes from a large quantity of solidified lava that hit the Gulf. Even as early as the 19th century, fishermen from Arizona came here. Since there was no source of drinking water, it was not settled permanently. In the 1930s, under President Lázaro Cárdenas,

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