BajaNomad - Stretch of sand/beach disappears at Los Frailes

Stretch of sand/beach disappears at Los Frailes

BajaNews - 4-2-2012 at 05:08 AM

http://www.bajafisherman.com/forum/showthread.php?972-There-...

Posted: 03-28-2012 01:38 PM
by Robin Wade, WON Baja Editor

"Sunday morning (March 26) the beach in Los Frailes disappeared --- lost forever were 200 meters of beachfront by 100 meters deep. The red line is where the beach was the day before. The angler that emailed the photo in said the beach disappeared very quickly and is now a steep bank that appears to still be slowly eroding."

[Edited on 4-2-2012 by BajaNews]

frailes-disappeared.jpg - 18kB

Desaparece tramo de la playa Los Frailes en BCS

BajaNews - 4-2-2012 at 05:12 AM

http://www.aztecanoticias.com.mx/notas/estados-y-df/104751/d...

Gerardo Zúñiga
01 de abril de 2012

Los Cabos, Baja California Sur.- Hoy a las 5:00 de la mañana ocurrió una especie de explosión y desapareció un tramo de la playa Los Frailes en Cabo Pulmo, Baja California Sur.

El delegado municipal de La Ribera (cabecera municipal de esa zona), Guillermo Sández Puppo señala que tal fenómeno nunca había ocurrido en la zona. Relata que hace 20 años pasó algo similar, pero nunca de la magnitud como el que se vio ahora.

Con la llegada de las vacaciones de Semana Santa, y en virtud de que muchas familias, suelen acampar en la playa Los Frailes en Cabo Pulmo durante miércoles, jueves y viernes de días Santos, el delegado advierte a los vacacionistas que se preparan para arribar a la zona, que si lo hacen, no acampen cerca de la zona de playa, pues desaparecieron millones de toneladas de arena y se desconoce qué fue lo que sucedió.

Los pobladores de la región se están atónicos, aunque se cree que el fenómeno fue provocado por una falla geológica.

[Edited on 4-2-2012 by BajaNews]

Desaparece-tramo-playa.jpg - 50kB

Osprey - 4-2-2012 at 06:19 AM

No real solid consensus locally about this sandfall but it has happened before (more than once). The beach lies atop a steep subterrainian cliff where natural sandfalls could occur and some believe there has been some small volcanism along the shores that could be the cause. (subbase chambers)

rts551 - 4-2-2012 at 06:52 AM

Thats something. I'll check with FishingRich. He is camping near there right now.

volcano - 4-2-2012 at 07:10 AM

perhaps related to the subsequent earthquake?

bajamedic - 4-2-2012 at 07:45 AM

Wow, you let the government manage the beach and then all of the sudden there is a sand shortage, I am supprised. JH :lol:

chuckie - 4-2-2012 at 07:46 AM

:lol:

BajaBlanca - 4-2-2012 at 07:47 AM

holy smokes !!! glad it happened BEFORE semana santa campers were on that beach ....

Barry A. - 4-2-2012 at 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by volcano
perhaps related to the subsequent earthquake?

Very likely!!! Beaches come and go depending on lots of variables. Our beach in Coronado had done it many many times, sometimes seriously!!!

Barry

Udo - 4-2-2012 at 08:42 AM

I have seen this erosion happen in numerous beaches in California, Baja, as well as Fiji.
May take a year or so, but the sand will return!

Leo - 4-2-2012 at 09:28 AM

Sounds to me like an April fools joke.
I was there early last week and 3 boats were quietly sitting for anchor and about 10 campers spread around from aryo to higher up. If this happened, quite a few pangas should have been gone, zodiacs and kayaks that were all parked close to the high water line.

vgabndo - 4-2-2012 at 04:32 PM

On Google Earth it appears there is quite deep water just off the beach just south of the output of the arroyo. It seems logical that occasionally that submarine sand pile would avalanche into the depths. I'm sure there's another name for it, but is is easy to sense how easily a mass of sand could be moved by submarine "liquifaction" in a seismic event.

That's quite a scene. Like many, I've stood right there!

mulegemichael - 4-2-2012 at 04:41 PM

just north of frailles, maybe 3-4 miles is an area that has been disappearing over the past 20 years or so....the "used to be" around a dozen houses right out there on the "edge" of the SOC....there's none now...still....it's a beautiful stretch of beach...ya gotta like that part!!

motoged - 4-2-2012 at 06:44 PM

I think it is a Commie plot....waddya think, DK? :lol:

dtbushpilot - 4-2-2012 at 07:13 PM

I've seldom seen a more obvious case of damage from climate change.....or the new marina....or the proposed development.....everyone knows that these things don't occur naturally :lol:

...dt

norte - 4-2-2012 at 07:16 PM

Next your going to say Munoz stole it! :lol:

Floatflyer - 4-2-2012 at 07:35 PM

"just north of frailles, maybe 3-4 miles is an area that has been disappearing over the past 20 years or so....the "used to be" around a dozen houses right out there on the "edge" of the SOC....there's none now...still....it's a beautiful stretch of beach...ya gotta like that part!! "

The above quote is somewhat inaccurate. The affected area is in Las Barracas and there was no damage to houses till after '97 as that is when I first had first hand knowledge of the area. There has now been 5 houses that have been destroyed and there are 3 more that are severly damaged and in serious jeopardy. This damage is solely due to wind, tide, and wave action. The ocean floor is very flat and under 40 ft in depth for a long distance from shore. All of these houses were built on sand dunes but at the time of building there was well over 100 ft of sand dune between the houses and the water. There has been some attempts at protecting existing houses but the long term prognosis is up in the air. This area is within the Cabo Pulmo Marine Park and is subject to scrutinity for any beach activity.

Leo: The Los Frailes event took place in less than a day. I went down and examined the area a day or two afterwards. There were never any campers in this area as it is directly in front of the now closed Hotel Los Frailes and that beach area is kept clear of campers. The new bay is just south of the arroyo and that area can have many campers and boats/pangas.

bajario - 4-3-2012 at 05:02 AM

Kind of creepy nonetheless. I wonder if you're relaxing on the beach with a cooler do you have time to make a run for it? Is it like quicksand?

woody with a view - 4-3-2012 at 05:11 AM

i'm sure the water would be churning and off color. or it might seem like the tide was coming up fast while right down the beach nothing was out of the ordinary. i doubt it would be quick like an avalanche, but who knows?

Cypress - 4-3-2012 at 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajario
Kind of creepy nonetheless. I wonder if you're relaxing on the beach with a cooler do you have time to make a run for it? Is it like quicksand?

Saw a small beach on a creek disappear, sank about 2" below the surface, made a hissing sound.

woody with a view - 4-3-2012 at 02:54 PM

pretty much like i thought.

lucky guess! :light:

Udo - 4-3-2012 at 03:39 PM

So much for global warming...raising the sea levels, huh?

rts551 - 4-3-2012 at 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
So much for global warming...raising the sea levels, huh?

You did have to ruin what was otherwise an interesting topic.

Floatflyer - 4-3-2012 at 04:11 PM

Just asking but what does a dead turtle contribute to this thread? :?:

woody with a view - 4-3-2012 at 04:36 PM

it adds to his post count. :light:

dtbushpilot - 4-3-2012 at 04:42 PM

You should have posted a picture of your dog like the rest of us DK :lol:

...dt

rts551 - 4-3-2012 at 06:01 PM

[img]

[/img]

Image (only) of the beach area

Frank - 4-3-2012 at 06:08 PM

Amazing. How deep is the new "bay"?

Osprey - 4-3-2012 at 08:05 PM

Now it goes down to the bottom.

bajario - 4-3-2012 at 08:12 PM

Now if that image above is as it's happening that is creepy! Just like Woody said churning and foaming.

Now where does it go? Does the sand slide out over a rock shelf? or sink straight down?

Maybe if someone down there isn't doing anything tommorow they could dive the area an give us an update.

Just cuz I'm interested, and creeped. And inquiring minds want to know.

greta-inbaja - 4-3-2012 at 08:38 PM

Hi,
We are in n. cal now so we asked a friend to check it out.. He said it is pretty incredible. Looks like the beach drops to 100 ft pretty much right off shore.. Frailes is usually our nice, quiet, calm beach when it is windy and rough everywhere else. We dove there in nov. can't wait to dive there when we go down at the end of april. Gotta wait for the sand and gunk to settle to make a dive worth while. The submarine canyon comes right into shore there, hence the pelagics. This thread is pretty intersting despite the snark. IF we hear anything from any local divers we will post it.

bajario - 4-4-2012 at 05:37 AM

Wow, if its straight down 100ft. it would seem the sand has built up against a shelf vs. on a shelf. Wonder how far back that goes? The thought of putting on the belt and sitting in the captains chair fighting a cow from the beach is intriguing. Or even from the bed of a truck. With the ebrake on of course.

rts551 - 4-4-2012 at 10:53 AM

David. I apologized to the owner of the photo, who I know. I suggest you remove the photo since it is nor yours.

David K - 4-4-2012 at 10:56 AM

You provided the link, no mystery... I justy clicked on the photo to see if there were more of the beach or perhaps more info to varify... and that beautiful huge turtle photo was so interesting to see, I wondered why it hadn't been shown before... as a matter of historic interest (provided the turtle was taken when such things were 'legal').

David K - 4-4-2012 at 10:59 AM

Removed, no skin off my back... NOTE: if anyone wants to see a huge turtle photo, just click on the link that RALPH provided and click on the photo to see the others that are THERE for ANYONE to see. wow

rts551 - 4-4-2012 at 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
You provided the link, no mystery... I justy clicked on the photo to see if there were more of the beach or perhaps more info to varify... and that beautiful huge turtle photo was so interesting to see, I wondered why it hadn't been shown before... as a matter of historic interest (provided the turtle was taken when such things were 'legal').

So you took the photo with out notifying the author or without crediting the author.

David K - 4-4-2012 at 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rts551

Quote:

So you took the photo with out notifying the author or without crediting the author.

Nope, I didn't take anything... It is called a hyper link... to a public-open photo, on HIS site. Taking it would be saving it onto my PC or my photo album and linking it to my web site. I did NONE of that.

Back on topic... The beach over the years...

David K - 4-4-2012 at 11:49 AM

Is getting bigger... and there is an arroyo that will continue to add sand with each flash flood.

On June 16, 2002:

On June 19, 2003:

On March 22, 2005:

On February 4, 2006:

On August 13, 2009:

THE ABOVE 4 IMAGES ARE NOT MINE, THEY ARE FROM GOOGLE-EARTH and are shared here for EDUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO FINANCIAL GAIN OR INTELECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT. :light:

[Edited on 4-4-2012 by David K]

Leo - 4-4-2012 at 04:39 PM

I just can't believe it. Walking the high-water line there all around with my dog for it's twice a day one hour walk on March 22 and 23. Guess it was not our time yet.
Thanks DAvid for the file pictures. Amazing!

maspacifico - 4-4-2012 at 04:55 PM

Thanks David. Early Google Earth shot pretty much shows exactly where this new thing is, but it is a sharper cut right now. Funny how you don't notice gradual changes, but it went from the last back to the first....in a day. That is a lot of sand, and since 2009 I think it had filled in even more! There is a big hole out there.

David K - 4-4-2012 at 06:01 PM

I am still not sure about it... Wish one of our East Cape Nomads could go take a picture... and post it. El Jefe???

I also went underwater with GE and did not see any deep canyons next to the coast. One other idea is maybe a sudden flood poured from some water line break or a well drilled or ?? and that erosion (if real) is simply sand washed out to sea. It will come back, and the original WON reporter to say it is 'gone forever' must believe the sky is falling or that Global Warming was real?

[Edited on 4-5-2012 by David K]

rts551 - 4-4-2012 at 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
I am still not sure about it... Wish one of our East Cape Nomads could go take a picture... and post it. El Jefe???

I also went underwater with GE and did not see any deep canyons next to the coast. One other idea is maybe a sudden flood poured from some water line break or a well drilled or ?? and that erosion (if real) is simply sand washed out to sea. It will come back, and the original WON reporter to say it is 'gone forever' must believe the sky is falling or that Global Warming was real?

[Edited on 4-5-2012 by David K]

And the the photo by Mr Hernandez Taken on the 25th?

David K - 4-4-2012 at 06:17 PM

Great... let's see more than just one... from a different angle, etc.

Ateo - 4-4-2012 at 06:24 PM

There is a submarine canyon right off the beach at Frailes. My friends house is in those google earth shots David K posted. My guess is sand buildup onshore eventually top heavied the "cliff" that goes down underwater and "boom" and avalanche occurred. I remember swimming in this exact area and my friend saying the sea floor went down hundreds of feet just a few 10's of meters off the beach. Actually, I remember him sayin a couple thousand feet but he is also a chit talker. My son and I swam out to a buoy offshore when he was 6 yrs old. Good times.

woody with a view - 4-4-2012 at 06:47 PM

ateo, that would be similar to black's. i dunno, black's and places like puerto escondido are freaks of natur in that they are some of the world deepest submarine canyons closest to the sand anywhere in the world.

i'm not saying frailes isn't similar as 98% of my ocean experience has revolved around surf producing locales.

Cardon Man - 4-5-2012 at 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ateo
There is a submarine canyon right off the beach at Frailes. My friends house is in those google earth shots David K posted. My guess is sand buildup onshore eventually top heavied the "cliff" that goes down underwater and "boom" and avalanche occurred.

No doubt it was an underwater landslide or sandslide as the case may be. There was a mouring buoy just offshore in that spot which ,as I recall, was anchored in 100ft. It vanished during the event. Pulled under or swept away by the moving sand on the bottom.
This event has happened in exact same spot before. Though it has been many years.

Paulclark - 4-5-2012 at 07:07 AM

The first picture I took on Monday, March 27th. I did not see the event, but a friend did and said "--------- was actually on the beach with her kayak the Sunday morning the "event" began. There was no boom or loud noise as some have reported. Approx. 50 yards of beach disappeared in the first hour, then the erosion tapered off. "

Since then soundings in the new bay reveal it to be 140 ft. deep, with what appears to be a large rock at the entrance.
According to local ranchers this happened in the late '60's or early '70's at the same location and at that time there was a fish camp there and they lost some gear and a truck.
Here is an animation using pictures taken from the top of the hill on the north side of the bay comparing 2011 to 2012.
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/eastcapehomes

[Edited on 4-5-2012 by Paulclark]

rts551 - 4-5-2012 at 07:57 AM

Great report Paul and welcome back. The link wants me to logon to view the animation.

Quote:

Originally posted by Paulclark
The first picture I took on Monday, March 27th. I did not see the event, but a friend did and said "--------- was actually on the beach with her kayak the Sunday morning the "event" began. There was no boom or loud noise as some have reported. Approx. 50 yards of beach disappeared in the first hour, then the erosion tapered off. "

Since then soundings in the new bay reveal it to be 140 ft. deep, with what appears to be a large rock at the entrance.
According to local ranchers this happened in the late '60's or early '70's at the same location and at that time there was a fish camp there and they lost some gear and a truck.
Here is an animation using pictures taken from the top of the hill on the north side of the bay comparing 2011 to 2012.
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/eastcapehomes

[Edited on 4-5-2012 by Paulclark]

Paulclark - 4-5-2012 at 08:21 AM

Try:
http://eastcapehomes.tumblr.com/post/20525422616/los-frailes...

or

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150898542288626

rts551 - 4-5-2012 at 08:29 AM

Thanks. that works

ursidae69 - 4-5-2012 at 09:15 AM

Having walked this beach many times, this thread creeps me out! Crazy....

Floatflyer - 4-6-2012 at 02:02 PM

Ok, here is the best photos I could come up with. #1 is looking to the north, note existing palapas, then arroyo, and some Semana Santa campers. #3 you can see the Hotel Los Frailes to the left(closed).

Looking south is mainly Semana Santa campers. A friend that lives in Los Frailes took his boat and fish finder and said that where the old beach line was, is now 140 feet deep.

[Edited on 4-6-2012 by Floatflyer]

David K - 4-6-2012 at 02:22 PM

Fantastic photos... Looks like an extra high tide, for sure... Isn't the moon FULL right now?

It does look like darker water (deeper) coming close to shore there.... so an undersea landslide into a undersea canyon? Otherwise, what was the former beach sitting on?

Thank you Floatflyer, well done! Amazing that when the slide happened, nobody heard it or saw a mini- tsunami form??

[Edited on 4-6-2012 by David K]

Ateo - 4-6-2012 at 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
ateo, that would be similar to black's. i dunno, black's and places like puerto escondido are freaks of natur in that they are some of the world deepest submarine canyons closest to the sand anywhere in the world.

i'm not saying frailes isn't similar as 98% of my ocean experience has revolved around surf producing locales.

Totally. Like I said I doubted the thousands of feet statement from my friend, but it does go down pretty deep....Supposedly.

No blacks for sure, that's not common. I do know a secret spot down in this area if you ever find yourself there on a 15 foot south swell or hurricane.

bajario - 4-6-2012 at 09:27 PM

If it goes down 140 ft now, then it might take a few thousand years to get that sand built backup to that level. Or one good hurricane. I don't know. But eventually it will build back. How many lifetimes is anybodys guess.
Those aerial shots clearly show the dropoff a few feet from the beach. I'm so used to gradual sloping beaches this unbeknownst phenom to me is crazy. I would pick another beach to camp on.

woody with a view - 4-6-2012 at 09:31 PM

very cool, in my opinion. just think of the pelagics that will be cruising within 10 feet of the sand!!!!

Los Frailes

Bajachief - 4-6-2012 at 09:45 PM

Was fishing at East Cape one year and the tuna were found at Frailes. We were fishing and catching 30-50 pound YFT right in front of the hotel. The whole fleet was in there.
Long boat ride from Rancho Leonero.
Next trip we went and stayed at Hotel Los Frailes but the tuna had moved elsewhere. It is DEEP as in hundreds of feet deep.

Cardon Man - 4-8-2012 at 08:46 AM

That area is in the park and well patrolled these days. They keep the fleet out of there for the most part.