Guaymas, Sonora Pearl Farm
There is nothing that makes a Scottish person more stubborn than telling them that something is impossible. With the last name of McLean, trust me I know!
This was the case with Douglas McLaurin, co-owner of the Pearl Farm in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. While working on a class project during his studies in Biochemistry Engineering at Tec de Monterrey University in Guaymas, a teacher told him and his class partner that their idea to farm pearls was impossible. According to several Japanese texts on the subject, there was no way they would succeed and thus received a “C” grade on their project. However, living up to his Scottish heritage (provided by his grandfather), he became determined to prove them wrong…and that is just what he did!
Today, Douglas and his partners have restored the “Cortez Pearl™” to its glory days, which were at a high point during the days of the Conquistadors in the early 1600’s. When the Spaniards first came to Sonora, they saw that the native Seri and Yaqui Indians had pearls. They eventually began trading with them and then started fishing for pearls themselves utilizing slave labor. The natives fought back and the Spaniards were forced to build the Presidio Pitic for defense. Pitic, an Indian name for “between two rivers” referring to the Sonora and San Miguel Rivers later became Hermosillo, the capital of the state of Sonora.
By the late 1800’s, the Spaniards had exhausted the oyster beds in Kino Bay and Guaymas and moved to La Paz on the Baja Peninsula. In 1940, the Mexican government issued a complete ban on all pearl fisheries. In 1991, the University students in Guaymas started experimenting using local native stock: the “Rainbow Lipped Pearl Oyster” was selected for its incredible naturally-colored pearls.
Douglas and his partners, Enrique Arizmendi and Manuel Nava, now have one square hectare with 200,000 oysters under cultivation in farming conditions. They are the only Pearl Farm in the world that is honored with a Full Product Integrity Rating from The Fair Trade Gem Federation. They have received this rating due to the fact that their pearls are not processed. They remove the pearls, rinse them in tap water and the process is complete. Most pearls from around the world are “embellished”, which can include bleaching, burning (in the case of black pearls), polishing, or applying lacquer. The Pearl Farm produces 8,000 pearls each year in two varieties.
These pearls are unique in the world because of their color — or I should say — lack of distinct color. They come in all conceivable colors and unique combinations. The oysters produce an iridescent pearl and are considered the most valuable in the world. These oysters are under cultivation for four years instead of the usual two years and therefore the size is much larger. Because they sell pearls directly to customers without the use of a middleman, the prices are very reasonable for such high quality. They make their own jewelry and ship pearls to clients in India, Israel, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. They also participate in the annual Tucson Gem Show in Arizona.
The Pearl Farm offers daily tours starting on the hour from 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday through Friday. They are open Saturday from 9:00am to 11:00am, however tours are not offered and they are closed on Sunday. The tour includes the visitor center (221-0136), which provides information on pearl cultivation and the history of pearl farming. They offer a lovely assortment of local handcrafted jewelry with these unique pearls. A souvenir from the Guaymas Pearl Farm will make a beautiful gift that is rich in history and a testament to a young man’s determination!
Watch a video of a natural pearl harvest at the Pearl Farm.
by Janey McLean
Realtor (Buyers’ Agent) and Interior Designer
News Bites
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New Restaurant
Open everyday from 12:00pm – 7:30pm. Serving “salad and food”, including tacos, tostadas, and raspados (a drink similar to an iced smoothy). Located beside Restaurant 11 (the old Heaven’s Gate). |
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New Store
Open Monday to Friday 10:00am to 1:00pm and 3:00pm to 7:00pm; Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm; and Sunday 11:00am to 3:00pm. Located in the new Plaza el Faro, between Casa Kiamy and Mr Maguey. |
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Advice from Rescate
Have a great day at the beach, but remember the vinegar and meat tenderizer! The waters around San Carlos offer some of the best snorkeling and diving anywhere, so bring your mask and snorkel and look for pretty fish and gorgeous rock formations. But don’t forget to watch out for jellyfish which are sometimes a problem in warm summer waters. Jellyfish usually appear to be pretty blue bubbles floating on the surface. Tell your kids, “Don’t touch! Remember Nemo and Dora!”—but if you do accidentally touch the stinging tentacles, which sometimes hang a foot below the surface, you can treat the area yourself. First, get any remaining stinging cells off your skin with a salt water wash. Apply alcohol to clean the area, then vinegar, mixing it with meat tenderizer to make a paste. After about 10 minutes, get some ice on the skin. Follow up with a locally-available cream called Xylocaine to relieve any lasting pain. Giving help in ANY medical emergency is of course what Rescate (Res-cah-tay) is here for. We’ve been doing just that for 35 years now, beginning with a donated room, a volunteer ex-Army medic, his RN wife and their personal van. Now we have our own building with two treatment rooms, eight well-trained employees, and four ambulances. We are the first responders for our service area of 24 square kilometers, providing first aid, life support and transportation to San Carlos residents, business employees, and tourists. |
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Where are the Fish?
We had some slow times on the water this week, but you just never know when they’ll start biting. Many boats are getting a sail or marlin a day. A few dorado are being found, and some 15-20 pound tuna if you are lucky. Today, we caught one medium sized dorado and a sail on the reef. The tuna are lingering in that area and to the south. We hooked into something today that quickly ripped out 250 yards of line at an alarming rate. It showed no change in speed and I was seconds away from giving orders to turn and chase. The fish was on for only twenty seconds before it bit through the leader unfortunately. I’m guessing that it was a very large wahoo, but I can’t rule out a giant tuna or black or blue marlin. We’ll never know. Those are the moments I live for and why I keep fishing. Many people see trolling as pretty monotonous, but I’m always hunting with my eyes and know that at any moment everything can change and you could catch (or lose) the fish of a lifetime. I’ll be looking for that next one! Why does the wind always come up on the weekends?! Wind is predicted again for this Saturday. However, the wind didn’t stop many Nationals from trying to catch some fish this past weekend, or from enjoying Martini Cove. Some large sierra were found around the Haystack area. There’s always something around the bottom to make ceviche with. It seemed like the pangueros were plying the reef earlier in the week for mainly salmon and antennae fish. I guess that they were out early catching large snapper and some yellowtail by the Island. Now I hear that they are focusing on calico, cabrilla and grouper up the coast. It looked like a lot of work pulling up those heavily weighted handlines from 400+ feet deep — not to mention having to catch bait in the middle of the night and head out at three in the morning. Let them do the work and you can go buy some fish at the Bahia Esterito! Either that or give me a call. tight lines, |
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Commercial Fishing of Dorado
It is very important that anyone interested in voicing an opinion or making a presentation about whether the government should open up Dorado to commercial fishing interests show up at this meeting. Charter company owners should seriously consider attending this meeting with their boat captains. This is the same committee that I showed the dorado documentary to in Cabo San Lucas. These congressmen will vote on whether to bring a Resolution before the House that seeks to open dorado to commercial fishing interests. So it is imperative that the tourism community show strong support for sustainable sport fishing jobs and let these congressman know that the law SHOULD NOT CHANGE. I was planning on being down in Loreto to show the documentary this very same day but have had to postpone the trip for this very important meeting. Location: in Miramar at the Salon Nautico Villa de Miramar at 9 am. It is on the road to the Delfinario from Miramar. As you turn to go to the Delfinario from Miramar, it is about 1/2 a mile down the road in a big building on the left or West side of the road. Date and time: July 16th. Registration is 9:00am to 10:00am. Contact Vince at vradice@gmail.com for more information. |
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Guaymas Ostioneros Baseball: July Games
Orange = away game AP = Agua Prieta The semi-finals are July 30th to August 7th, and the finals are August 9th to 17th. Map to the Ostioneros baseball stadium For more information, see the Ostioneros website. |
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What’s Playing at MMCinemas?
The Karate Kid with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith (2010, not 1984 version). Watch the trailer. Sex and the City 2. Sarah Jessica Parker is back as Carrie. While wrestling with the pressures of life, love, and work in Manhattan, Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte join Samantha for a trip to Morocco, where Samantha’s ex is filming a new movie. Watch the trailer. Toy Story 3. This popular animated movie is back in 3D and is getting great reviews from kids and adults alike. It again features the voice of Tom Hanks as Woody. Tim Allen is Buzz Lightyear and Joan Cusack is Jessie. Watch the trailer. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. It all begins … with a choice. Who would you choose? Vampire Edward or werewolf Jacob. Watch the trailer. Most “Hollywood” movies for adults are in English with Spanish subtitles, but check before you go. Cost — Adults $47 pesos, $37 pesos on Wednesday. And, the first movie each day is only $42 pesos. MMCinemas has a new website. For a full listing and show times, click MMCinemas. In the upper right hand corner, click SELECCIONA TU CIUDAD — choose Guaymas, then Selecciona tu Complejo. |
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Happy Hours
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What’s Popular on What’s Up San Carlos’ Website?
If you’re looking to rent a house or condo, contact Sea Side Reservations. To talk to a licensed realtor about purchasing property, contact Long Realty Seaside. Visit IronSEO for web design, optimization and hosting. For more information on San Carlos hotels, see go2SanCarlos.
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What’s Happening This Week?Wednesday, July 14Special Event
Entertainment
Clubs & Organizations
Sports / Fitness
Thursday, July 15Entertainment
Clubs & Organizations
Friday, July 16Entertainment
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Saturday, July 17Entertainment
Sunday, July 18Entertainment
Clubs & Organizations
Monday, July 19Entertainment
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Tuesday, July 20Entertainment
Sports
Save these Dates: (see next week’s newsletter for more information on these fun-filled events):
If you’re asking yourself, how do I get my events & happy hour added, the answer is simple: Just email us and we’d be happy to list your events for free. |
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What’s Up San Carlos is published by David Irons and Christa ThomasSpecial thanks to Sue Fehrle, Johan Broere,Bryan Replogle and Janey Mclean for their help with this issue. |
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Jellyfish Treatment, By Sophia Reid
A Message from Vince Radice
Some of the movies now playing:
