Development along the Gulf of California Sonoran Coast

[DesertRose]

One of North America's most spectacular backcountry expedition locations is the Sonoran coast of Mexico - just a scan few hours from the U.S. border. This extreme desert area is the homeland of the Seri Indians and has spectacular cardon cactus forests, even a small isolated forest of boojums. There are ospreys, desert mule deer, coyotes, and a rocky coastline that is extremely beautiful and totally undeveloped except two Seri villages at the north and south (Desemboque and Punta Chueca).

Every decade or so, there is talk in Mexico about massive tourism, resort, and cruise ship development in the Gulf. Well, this time it appears to be not just talk - they have already started construction in the north.

This new highway will head from the already popular Rocky Point/Puerto Penasco east and then south to Desemboque, and eventually all the way to Kino Bay along the coast.

Resorts, golf courses, playgrounds for wealthy tourists - all planned.

Please see the story at this link:

http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/news/83415.php

If the link no longer works, contact me and I'll post a PDF.

The Seri Indians oppose the highway, or at least would like it routed inland away from their homelands.

We have travelled extensively in this region, and it is spectacularly beautiful. The Seris are one of the most interesting native peoples in North America, hanging tenaciously - and tenuously - to their homelands despite hundreds of years of fighting off Spaniards and Mexicans. History repeats itself - even today.

We will post more about any organized efforts to mitigate the impact of this highway.

Roseann Hanson

 

[Scott Brady]

Roseann,

This is heartbreaking news, though as I expected. During our trek across the Altar dunes to the coast, we came across a survey stake

I will need to start looking further south now... The Atacama is nice this time of year

 

[BajaTaco]

Hi Roseann, have you heard any more on this lately? It is easy for me to just "hope" that this is another project that will exist only in people's minds, and not on the desert floor. But some of the indicators that you mention, and also in the article, might suggest otherwise. It seems like there is no shortage of real-estate money these days, to be funneled down the coastal threads along the sea of Cortez and the Pacific side of Baja. Lots of people want that beach!

BTW, I like your avatar picture Hopefully I will get to meet you and Jonathan in person sometime soon.

Take care,

Chris

 

[Hltoppr]

Sad indeed, just like the golf courses going up around San Felipe on the Baja side...

-H-

 

[DesertRose]

Hi Roseann, have you heard any more on this lately? It is easy for me to just "hope" that this is another project that will exist only in people's minds, and not on the desert floor. /QUOTE]

Sorry for the tardy response - Jonathan and I just got back from piloting a couple of very cool Land Cruisers around northern Tanzania (see his trip report in Completed Expeditions) . . .

We are like you - hoping that like so many development schemes, this one will peter out. But unfortunately folks who know a lot more than we do are quite concerned about it, including Rick Brusca, now a director at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and marine biologist/specialist in the Sea of Cortez. Rick thinks this one has legs. (We hear rumors that southern Arizona's worst developer Don Diamond has his fingers all over this one.
:smileeek:

We'll see what we can find out and post more. We have friends who are dolphin researchers, and are working on an ecotourism project down in the northern Gulf, to train out-of-work fishermen to assist in their research and take people out in small boats to look for and photograph dolphins. We're going down there this fall and will snoop around.

Kwaheri -

Roseann

 

[BajaTaco]

Thanks for the response. Don Diamond eh? Interesting.

Yea, I read your report on Tanzania this morning and looked at all of the pics. Of course I had to show my wife right away too FANTASTIC!!! You two are something else! Nice job