Mike Humfreville
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Latest on La Gringa
Don?t Fence Me In
In Bahia de Los Angeles they?ve been doing some paving and grading. We took the La Gringa road yesterday. It?s paved now, well paved up to and just
beyond Daggets and Raquel and Larry?s.
Many years passed since we, Mary Ann and I and our two young boys, used to drive home between the village and our tiny hut north of La Gringa at Las
Cuevitas. In its glory days the small track ran along the shore, rising and dropping with the sand of the beach and the few desert cacti on the
inland side, climbing toward the desert.
Then, for a time the La Gringa road was graded, wide and patched with washboard. It remains that way today. There is, however, one major change that
has occurred within the past several weeks, while we were away to the north: La Gringa is now closed.
It?s nothing more than a gravelly and sandy beach and a small lagoon that fills periodically with water during universal and solar system events that
I don?t fully comprehend. So how could they close it? We all recognize that the Mexican Federal Zone protects everything approaching a body of water
or a border. So how can this beach be closed?
There have been numerous propositions about La Gringa, made by both the Mexican government, the local constituency and foreign governments and wealth.
Many of us never thought anything would have come by all this noise. Escalera Nautica indeed.
But there the fence exists. I?m momentarily taken aback, not just surprised by the actuality of a barrier but given cause for reflection over the
times many of us have spent there.
I?m not certain how long the fence will last. Plans here, like to the north, often have a way of running the show, taking off on their own. Concepts
form in talking heads, are strewn in the directions of investors who may or may not choose to speculate. Did anyone ask beforehand?
But the fence is there for the moment. I ask several people in town what?s up and get no meaningful answer. It?s not that they know and don?t want
to share. It?s just that a rumor mill is in full swing and no one really knows outside the confines of the selected few. I wish them well; I hope
they are thinking primarily of their constituents and secondarily of me and mine. No one wants to see Mexico succeed more than I do.
But it is a lingering question in my mind. What will become of La Gringa? We all know change is in the offing, can?t be stopped. But how will it
occur?
Following is a short post I made concerning this issue when Escalera Nautica was still the new kid on the block. I originally wrote this in around
Y2K, but have been proven wrong. That?s good! I hope it doesn?t happen this way.
La Gringa, 2010
April 14, 2010
Mary Ann - just a short note.
I passed by Bahia de Los Angeles yesterday. I decided to go out to La Gringa and ended up spending a week there. It's has really changed since we
were last here. I remember La Gringa from her simpler days, the days before her contemporary, high rise hotels were built, towering into her backdrop
of blue sea and sky; before they broke up the tan landscapes looking west across the thin peninsula, where no one came. I remember the sand, south of
Roberto's hut - the only permanent structure then - sand for miles; the myriad stingrays that idled and played there in the warm shallows. This was,
of course, well before they built the first of the many piers, pilings and protrusions that now house the hundreds of shops and restaurants drawing so
many folks here today. Now we have a nice collection of tennis courts and lawn bowling instead of the open desert.
The bay was so quiet in those years. We listened to the gulls and pelicans working bait all night long. We were often the only ones here for miles.
The dolphin and sea lions patrolled a shore so pristine the sun's reflection was as bright and pure as the sun itself. Now, the bay is so full of
docks, moorings, boats and ships that you can hardly see the water at all.
This morning I disposed of two dead pelicans from the tiny strip of sand that has yet to become populated with some other tourist attraction - the
last open 25 feet of beachline on the entire bay. The Great Grey Herons that once lived in the lagoon, and the egrets, are gone now. A parking lot
leveled and filled that tiny void. The green reeds and delicate water plants that were here have been replaced by curbed and manicured planters
housing fichus that can, ignored by man, survive the heat. The old dirt road that used to lead northward to Las Cuevitas is now an international
airport, bringing the thousands of visitors here weekly from the north and east. It is quite an accomplishment. La Gringa has become the new Cabo.
It's quite realistic, really; it's much closer to the border by car or by plane than the cape. And the money has been rolling in since the
development was begun, just a year or two ago. Property values are through the roof. The place is really thriving.
Remember back, in the early mornings, when the tide was out, we used to sit alone, just here, and inhale the sweet smell of seaweed drying on the
stones? Now in the morning we are treated to the oily stench of breakfasts, prepared for thousands, and to the rancid dankness of diesel from the
hundreds of boats that pull in or out throughout the day. It's a good thing there's often a strong breeze here; else the fumes would choke a horse.
The La Gringa spit, where we used to walk arm-in-arm collecting small shells is still here, of course. They've built a concrete breakwater that is
much tougher than the natural gravel bar that had served for so long. The breakwater, like the piers along the beach, is packed with tourist
businesses. It's rather nice, from either the beach or the breakwater you can look toward the other front and, in the evenings, see the thousand
lights, strung along the waterfront, reflecting off the ocean, when you can catch a glimpse of it. The Mariachi's play in the small streets until
midnight. After that the discos rule, loud throbbing and raw music pulsing off the hardwood dance floor, out the open windows and into the night air
where previously we had camped on smooth round stones, just north of the old pier. There was never a sound in those days except a few lapping
melodies caused as the small waves raked the stones. Back then we went to bed early, sweethearts, children, friends. Only a few of us endured the
hardships of the myriad stars and satellites. Now, with all the new activities, I am the one finding an early bedtime. Speaking of which? On the way
back to my room on the tenth floor of the La Gringa Ritz-Carlton I spotted a single pelican, squatting alone, along an unattended place on one of the
boardwalks. He wasn't supposed to be there, the folks here don't like the messes they make. Doesn't he know he not supposed to be there? Doesn't he
know his place in the order of things?
I'll be home soon.
All my love,
Michael
[Edited on 4-4-2006 by Mike Humfreville]
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
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Mike
Tears in my eyes as I sit here wondering if any of us will ever know our place in the order of things.
Please don't do this too often for it hurts far to much.
[Edited on 4-4-2006 by Baja Bernie]
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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bancoduo
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The beach of broken beer bottles and fish bones.  
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calacowboy
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Mood: wondering....
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Looks pretty good to me. Why would anyone want to fence this in??
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calacowboy
Junior Nomad
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Location: ca
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Mood: wondering....
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Failure to launch
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4baja
Super Nomad
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Location: morro bay ca
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you can still get there by boat!
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Our visit to La Gringa... starfish all over (Jan. '05)
[Edited on 4-5-2006 by David K]
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Mike Humfreville
Super Nomad
Posts: 1148
Registered: 8-26-2003
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Mary Ann and I will go to La Gringa today (Wednesday) and take a photo or two. As I have never attached a picture maybe someone can tell me how to do
it. Thanks in advance.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Thanks Mike
for checking it out.
It's worth dinner at Las Hamacas or CDS for you and Mary Ann when I'm down next.
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bahiamia
Nomad
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Registered: 12-16-2004
Location: Bahia de los Angeles
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Fence in La Gringa
Asked a good friend of mine what's up with the fence out in La Gringa...her reply was that it is a private dispute between three separate parties who
each feel they have ownership or title to the land out there, so one of them put a fence up. That's pretty much it.
[Edited on 4-6-2006 by bahiamia]
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MexicoTed
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Hey Mike:
Heard a rumor (who hasn't?) that there was a serious offer to the ejido members in Bahia to pay them for their land as a whole. The offer was in the
millions. What do you know about this??
Thanks,
Ted
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Mike Humfreville
Super Nomad
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Registered: 8-26-2003
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Mia and Ted
Mia - That's pretty much what I heard from Jorge el pescador who is apparently staying out at or adjacent to Roberto's house. Time will tell and
let's keep each other posted on the latest.
Ted - Rumors are the largest part of the information many of us get until the issue is over and done with. I have no clue but if I do get supportable
data I'll let you know.
While there is access to the gravel berm at the moment there is a fence that runs from about a mile south all the way north to the small tidal lagoon
there. The center road I described previously is still open but fence posts are positioned where you can see that the overall plan is to close it as
well. There are coils of barbed wire setting beside a new trailer there, waiting to be strung. There is no posturing with posts on the dump road and
Las Cuevitas and Rafael?s campo (unattended the last time I was there) are still open. The large gentle beach just north is also open. I took photos
but I don?t have my USB cable that connects the camera with the computer or my portable flash card where I could go to the village and download it.
DAMN! Anyway, you must interpret this information as you will as things might change tomorrow. I have asked around the village as to the purpose of
the closure but there are no valid data that I can put my name on for you.
For the few that used to camp at La Gringa I would say try it. If that fails, there are so many public and private beaches here it?s hard to go
wrong.
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BAJACAT
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La gringa update
Camp there saturday 04/08, indee La gringa is fence in but there is two guys that live on a trailer by the entrance and they charge $10 per cars or
$100 pesos.We where 3 cars so I gave the guy $300 pesos.. is a beatifull beach to be alone, the day before we camp at daggets it it was crowd it and
the charge $5 per person I hope this helps a little
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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