Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:54:06 -0800
Reply-To: mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Subject: Baja trip report, whales, rain, GO!! long
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Just returned from a whale watching trip to Baja. 1400 miles, 4 people
in a passenger Syncro, friend and family, camping each night. The whole
Baja desert was beautiful and lush from all the rains this year. The
main road was pretty good, a few washed out bridges with bypasses until
repaired. I have not seen things so green there in so many places in a
long time. Dry lakes that are far from dry right now and seemingly
dormant plants are bursting out with new life. The wild flowers are
going to be something really special in the next month or so, some
already happening.
We went to the main Grey Whale calving lagoon area on the Pacific near
San Ignacio, in 2 days of driving from San Diego. We camped and did some
minor sightseeing along the way but mostly pressed on, arriving
afternoon second day. Taking our chances, we drove out from the town
many miles out a shaky dirt road to the lagoon, hoping to find a
suitable camp near one of the small businesses that run whale watching
boat tours during the calving season before the whales migrate north
again. Arriving at the lagoon shore after what seemed like a very long
and desolate dirt stretch we soon saw a couple options but didn't care
much for the looks of the first few camps. With the sun getting low in
the sky we went a little further, hanging our hopes on the small wooden
signs advertising whale watching outfits up ahead. After a couple more
rough miles of now sagging hopes we came to a place where I was
determined we would camp no matter what. A young bilingual Mexican woman
came out of a tidy looking building and waved us over. She said if we
wished to camp to follow her and she walked a ways over to a spot right
at the water's edge, following a drive path lined with seashells to a
camp site ringed with them as well. She pointed out the restrooms and
showers and said meals were available by arrangement in the cafe and
whale watching trips could be done in the mornings and afternoons. We
had the only vehicle camped that night but we found out that other
people were there inside the cabins and tents they also offer, mostly
for people who arrive by shuttle van picked up in the town. We somehow
had lucked into a special place run by special people.
http://www.kuyima.com/whales/camping.html
We ate breakfast in their rustic cafe with about 20 whale viewing
gringos, before the 9:00 whale trip in one of their boats. The customers
were divided up among the small boats with our group of 4 getting
assigned our own boat and guide while other boats carried 8. The boat
ride was 2 hours total, with a 15 min zip out to the viewing zone. We
saw many many whales, some within arms reach of the boat. At times we
could see 10 or more in our close field of view. There were more whales
in all directions, some doing various stunts for no apparent reason. It
was magical. I kick myself for never doing this before, in all my Baja
trips.
After watching the whales we had lunch at the cafe, then packed and
headed back north a few hours to another town where we spent the night,
2 of us camping and 2 getting a room. In the morning we grocery shopped
and filled our big water jug at the purified water machine inside the
market.
A couple hours later to the north we turned off east to Bahia de Los
Angeles for an afternoon of beach/sun on the Sea of Cortez, a night and
intended early departure. Arriving there, the beauty and solitude soon
overtook us and we dug in for a little longer stay. We had a long white
sand beach to ourselves, with islands and colorful skies to look at. It
was mesmerizing and delightful. There was an older VW camper van along
with a mini RV parked at the next cove, with Wisconsin and Washington
plates. It cost $5 per vehicle to camp for each night with no amenities
provided. During the days the wind blew at times but after the sun set
things calmed down and we sat out on beach blankets and welcomed the
nights, gazing out at the water and up at the stars.
I could fill in many more details of things we saw and did but you
really need to be there to get it. GO!
Mark
|