One evening while out capturing a spectacular sunset over the Sea of Cortez, as is his nearly daily ritual, the artist/photographer/adventurer/guide Tony Ballesteros watched a young man enjoying the same view from a wheelchair, its narrow tires sunk somewhat into the sand. Tony recalled his own experience in a wheelchair after a hospital stay at one point and thought, “what would it take to get a beach wheelchair down here?”…and so the quest began.
After conversations with friends beginning last Fall, putting in funds from his own venture Tony’s Mystic Whale Tours, along with a donation from the “Shake, Raffle, and Roll” raffle held during the recent Circus Mexicus weekend of Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Tony’s quest resulted in the donation of a lightweight PVC structure beach wheelchair to the local Tourism Auxiliary Unit (TAU) and ZOFEMAT office. Tony promises, “this is just my first.”
Ballesteros’ donation of this beach wheelchair is a welcome addition to strengthening accessibility efforts of the city in general and will make a sporting partner to the “amphibious beach wheelchair” already operated by the TAU – acquired through the local Rotary Club in 2020. Carlos Bravo, Coordinator of the local Tourism Auxiliar Unit, along with municipal ZOFEMAT Director Luis César García González, expressed appreciation for the generous donation and were visibly moved as Tony carefully pointed out each of the chair’s details.
Greg Ross, concert promoter for Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers “Circus Mexicus”, whose successful raffle helped make this beach wheelchair possible, remarked, “It will be great seeing people young and old alike enjoying the beach and the pool with everybody else. Thanks, Tony, for the opportunity to help!”
The new beach wheelchair joins the amphibious chair under the careful watch of TAU, and is located 9 am – 6 pm (or 5 depending on sunset as summer marches on) at the southern public beach access to Playa Hermosa (right behind Gamma’s restaurant). This chair can be lent out after signing up on a registry kept by TAU, who will also be checking people’s blood-pressure and vital signs as a measure to prevent any incidents. It’s important to note, emphasized Bravo, this new chair is not for going into the water, or rather not submersible, but to improve transporting someone along the beach. While the chair is lightweight and user-friendly (yep, with a friend-not on one’s own), it’s good to keep in mind the wheelbase does not easily turn left or right but can be maneuvered by carefully “popping a wheelie” to shift direction.
Tony’s not done yet. Ballesteros explains after this donation to the TAU, he envisions more places providing beach wheelchairs up and down our shores, adding even now another chair is on its way to Sonoran Spa, where he resides. In carefully examining the new chair, Ballesteros’ creative mind is already deciphering the mechanics to further develop accessible beach options for residents and visitors alike. “This is a great opportunity to expand accessibility and provide yet more options for people,” Tony gushes. In earlier conversations I had mentioned how great it would be if each resort had a chair of its own… “Sure would, amiga,” responded Tony, “…but we have to start somewhere.”
