Puerto Penasco will have its Home Port

Manny Sanchez

Vir sapit qui pauca loqui
Found this, thought it was interesting. Source: http://boyce.serchblog.com/2010/05/28/puerto-penasco-will-have-its-home-port/



The Holland America shipping company revealed that in three years, with the construction of a Cruise Ship Home Port, Puerto Penasco will be taking another step to become a world-class tourist destination.
Holland America is planning to have one cruise ship a week on the Sea of Cortez route as of 2011, stated Simon Douwes, Planning and Scheduling Director, who recently confirmed that at the latest in three years, Puerto Penasco will become the site for the arrival and departure of cruise ships.

Plans are to make between 50 and 60 trips in the “World’s Aquarium”, departing from Puerto Penasco to Guaymas, Loreto, La Paz and Topolobampo, and then, returning to the port of departure.
He stated that the Sea of Cortez route is excellent for the company, because in only seven days they can go to six Mexican ports, which will provide a myriad of attractions.


On the other hand, the coordinator of the Commission for the Development of Tourist of the State Government, Epifanio Salido Pavlovich, explained that initially there will be a 14 day route that will depart from San Diego, California, and will travel to Puerto Penasco, then Guaymas, and the tour will conclude in the port of embarkation.


Representatives of Holland America and Carnival Corporation recently visited the area of Sandy Beach, where they intend to locate the cruise ship terminal in Puerto Penasco.


An assessment on the technical feasibility of building the wharf in this area of Rocky Point, Mexico was conducted with good results. Possible attractions in that area that could be provided to cruise ship customers were analyzed within the plans to set-up the Home Port. Some of these attractions are the Visitor Center of the “El Pinacate” Biosphere Reserve which is another option that can be provided to nautical tourists.


Government sources said that the Home Port project in Puerto Penasco is looking for the appropriate conditions to remain as the Sea of Cortez cruise ship route, while at the same time duly caring for the environment and furthering a sustainable activity through ecological balance.


On October 16, the first tourist cruise ship owned by Holland America arrived in Guaymas, Sonora, while the second one arrived on November 15. in both cases, 1,200 tourists enjoyed the region’s attractions.


A “home port” is a port of arrival, or rather, the site where cruises begin and end. It is something Mexico had never had up to now. This benefit will also include Puerto Penasco once the construction of the Home Port is completed a few kilometers from the US border.


The Government of Sonora, the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), and the Coordination General of Ports and Merchant Marine, a body belonging to the Department of Communications and Transportation (SCT) entered into negotiations to make this project come true.
 

Stuart

Aye carumba!!!
Staff member
They gonna need a mighty big dock! At present, I'm assuming the ships will anchor out and ferry the visitors in? Simply not deep enough in that area to bring a cruise ship in without some serious reef-killing and dredging to deepen the area. Or build a verrrrry long dock!

So, I'm guessing the development dollar won out yet again? I thought CEDO was successful in stopping development of a marina or any kind of reef damage along that area of beach due to the ecological damage it will cause? No, not being negative here, truly curious. That was the last status I was aware of and I'm one that would actually love to see a nice new, big marina go in.

PS - When the cruise ships show up, I'm gonna move down there and run "Vaquita Tours" on a full time basis. Collect some nice pesos per head and boat ride them around a bit and have them keep a sharp eye out for the elusive vaquita. Might even anchor a rubber one out on a reef that pops up and goes back under up via remote control. "Look quick!!! There it is!!! Damn, it went back under!!! Okay ladies and gentlemen, you have officially seen the most endangered sea mammal in the world. Don't forget to tip your captain as you depart."

$$PROFIT$$ :rofl:
 

Kenny

Guest
It's time to pull my inflatable out of the moth ball's again... Now some of you might remember that I was going to rig it up for fishing, and beat everyone out to the far reefs with it, especially Stuart. But after seeing this deal pop up again, I thought I might just rig it up with seats out of Sprint cars with 6 point harness's, and advertise it as the fastest Ferry in Mexico. Or we could use it as a pirate ship, and intercept their ferry's. Either way, I'm looking for investors and crew members.
 

Attachments

mis2810

Guest
As much as I hate cruises, this might actually be something worth going on. That is, if it's educational and you really get to see the "World's Aquarium". I'm just afraid it's going to be just like every other cruise - a floating excuse for people to eat uncontrollably.
 
We'll have rotating price signs in Penasco....one price when the cruise ship disengorges it's passengers, and another when the rest of us are in town!!!
 

Kenny

Guest
Pretty ballsy post Manny, considering the inmates run the asylum here.
Here's another nice quote by the ernesto..
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but there is nothing beautiful about a trailer park.
I'll have you know I'm out eight hours a day with one on one supervision Ernie, and doing quite well,
thank you.
 

ernesto

Guest
Here's another nice quote by the ernesto..
I'll have you know I'm out eight hours a day with one on one supervision Ernie, and doing quite well,
thank you.
My quote was supposed to read" beauty is in the eye of the BEERHOLDER"
 

Roberto

Guest
I don't know why people promote such transparent lies and can't even do that well. Yeah I know F#$%$#g R$#%&tors
 

Manny Sanchez

Vir sapit qui pauca loqui
Sheesh guys,
Just posted it for informational reasons. I do hear rumors of Cruise ships will be coming in 3 years.
In any case, wont belive it till I see it.

I can see CEDO having a problem with it if they plan to harm the ecology of the area. I guess it would be impressive to see big ships, and it would be good for the local economy, but in the other hand, I would really hate to see it affect our natural wildlife...
 
That particular PR has been around at least since Jan. 2009 and it gets found again and revived periodically.

Here's what might be the original(?) source for it. Note the date:

Cruise ships coming to Rocky Point

Sea of Cortez cruises to depart new Rocky Point port
Puerto Peñasco foresees 200 sailings a year as it plans massive port facility

By Gabriela Rico
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.22.2008

Cruising the Sea of Cortez will be another draw to Puerto Peñasco, where construction on a massive port to accommodate cruise ships is set to begin next year.

"The home port will be similar to those in Miami or San Diego," said Epifanio Salido Pavlovich, director of the Sonora Office of Tourism.

He said Holland America — which last week made its inaugural sailing to the new Port of Guaymas — has agreed to sail four- to seven-day cruises originating and ending at a home port in Puerto Peñasco, with two to five stops along the route.

Salido said the port will be ready to receive its first ship in about three years.

When the port project is finished within about five years, as many at 200 cruises a year could be offered from the Puerto Peñasco cruise ship terminal, Salido said.

He said officials plan to approach other major cruise lines to complement the service offered by Holland America. The project is being funded by Mexican government and private investors.

Initially, the state of Sonora is spending about $15 million to jump-start the project, said Jesus Fontes, planning director for the state tourism agency.

He said the total cost has not been calculated, since the design has yet to be developed.
The cruise-port plan comes as other transportation improvements are under way.

The new Puerto Peñasco airport is expected to open in the spring, and the highway to San Luis Rio Colorado later in 2009, Salido said.

Improvements also are being made to the Lukeville Port of Entry, the re-entry point into the United States from the main road to Puerto Peñasco.

Construction of a private hospital, catering to U.S. baby boomers, is also under consideration.

● Contact Gabriela Rico at 573-4232 or [email protected].
It is correct that CEDO won a legal battle against the marina planned for the Sandy Beach area. Here's from their press release in Sept. 2009: "After three years of legal battles led by CEDO (the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans), commercial divers from Puerto Penasco and the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA), the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) has determined that the Sandy Beach Resorts Marina could not be authorized to continue. Located between Sandy Beach and La Cholla, the proposed project would have altered two habitats of great ecologic and economic importance: a coastal wetland (Estero La Cholla) and the rocky reef in front of Sandy Beach." http://rptides.blogspot.com/2009/09/cedo-victorious-in-sandy-beach-resorts.html

A 3-year battle implies it was ongoing at least as early as late 2006.

IF that's the area being looked at by Holland America, then they'll have to make other plans. At any rate, there hasn't been an iota of updated information about it that I could find, other than the regular reprinting of the article Manny recently found. I've contacted Holland America at least 3 times asking about this, and not surprisingly have never gotten any response. Maybe someone else would have more luck?

Where else could they built a huge port like that without major ecological damage?
 
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jerry

Guest
I just saw the greatest submarine movie of all time Das Boot on cable last week. I picture the periscope going down and a couple fished headed for the cruise ship...one misses and goes on shore headed for the Pigeon coops ahhhhhhhh
 

mexicoruss

Lovin it in RP!
Just posting this to take the heat off Manny. Regardless of the ultimate outcome of whatever litigation regarding sea life and the environment, there is no doubt that a Cruise Ship Port in Penasco would have economic advantages. The other areas have to be assessed independently.

Regarding CEDO, my understanding is that their complaint was issued with regard to the Bios protected area. They lost on that ruling in a recent batle. Not for it or against it just reporting.

They would not have to ferry anyone to or from the boat according to the plans we have seen. The dock goes well into the sea and the water depth would be able to float a cruiser at any tide fluctuation.

There is a lot more involved to this story as any one here in business realizes there must be.

Rocky Point is in a nearly perfect geologic location for growth. With the US only 60 miles, with Sky Harbor only 4 hours north. With the opening of Mar de Cortes' airport, it would seem that this makes business sense for a large company like Holland America to move forward. Whether they do or not is completely up to them. They have not scrapped the project hence the article is still available for reprint. With the Grand Canyon being one of the most attended tourist attractions for foreign visitors in the US and Sedona Az being #2 in the State of AZ and having the sea of Cortes' named "the worlds aquarium " by Jacques Cousteau. It makes perfect travel sense to offer tours to this place from the Phoenix area. These will not be hillbillys coming here, these will be Asians and Europeans who want to explore their world. China has a pent up demand for world wide travel, the US and Mexico have been added to Chinas Approved Destination List (status) this is way bigger than Arizona. This is worldwide International travel.

So for the nay sayers.....we will see what happens, I am betting on the port to be open in the future and I think it will be sooner rather than later. If I am wrong shame on me. If I am right I guess you will need a different place to go if you dont like it.
 

Kenny

Guest
If I am right I guess you will need a different place to go if you dont like it.
Feeling kinda feisty, and mean spirited hey..LOL I didn't think about it in a personal way as far as Manny is concerned, and besides, Manny's a big boy, and as he's shown for some years now, he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself.
 
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HAPPY

User is currently banned
Feeling kinda feisty, and mean spirited hey..LOL I didn't think about it in a personal way as far as Manny is concerned, and besides, Manny's a big boy, and as he's shown for some years now, he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself.
Now if it's attention you're looking for, can I help?
~~~
 
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Kenny

Guest
~~~ The "GREAT HAPPY" ~~~ Be very "HAPPY" to apply some "ATTENTION" ~~~ the old "HAPPY" style, ~~~ "HAPPY" ~~~ be risking being

banned, but be ok, ~~~ "HAPPY" ~~~ likey going off ~~~ ACHI, ACHI, ACHI,

~~~ just say the word ~~~ mate ~~~
I edited that because I didn't want to get someone more attention than necessary, but thanks for the thought :-D
 
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