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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64520
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Baja Weekend: Shell Island & Matomi Canyon (Part 1 of 3)
While my kids are away for summer, Baja Angel and I took off for Father's Day weekend, as that is what I wanted to do!
Elizabeth loves Shell Island anyway plus she has always wanted to see Matomi Canyon after so much photos, hype and the videos taken by El Camote in
the past 6 years.
We left San Diego area Friday evening and headed for Calexico via I-8 and Ca Hwy. 98. It was cool having my cell phone ring out in the Yuha Desert
past Ocotillo and hear Graham Mackintosh's voice! Surely a good omen for a Baja Adventure! Graham wanted to know how to add a photo of the fire as he
was just up in the San Pedro Martir and was lucky enough to get me before I shut the phone off... Graham just joined Baja Nomad!
We arrived in Calexico at 9:30pm to find a line going into Mexico... that took 45 minutes!!! I have experienced lines in Calexico earlier on Friday's
but sure didn't expect one that late... Tecate NEXT TIME!
Going through Mexicali there is some new elevated roadway being built... some we drove on and some we drove along side as it was not yet ready... no
problems, however.
The military are now checking southbound traffic (at the Ensenada Highway junction) and have built multiple inspection lanes like they have for
northbound traffic. We were only questioned (no search), both ways.
San Felipe was pretty quiet after midnight and we only needed to top off the gas tank, then push on south to Shell Island... about 20 miles away.
I was anxious to see how my new Cooper Discoverer STT tires did on Shell Island's 'bottomless' sand... In the past, I would charge out across the wide
dry sand to where the resistance bogged the truck to a struggle. At which point I would stop and drop the air to 15 psi (from about 30) for good
floatation.
Well, even though these new beefy tires run at 40 psi and have a 3 ply sidewall, I made it across the dry stuff to the steep slope wet sand at full
air pressure...!! Wow, I was impressed. But, that was short lived... Now, keep in mind, it is after 1 am (Sat. morning) and I was pretty pooped.
Elizabeth did drive the first half of the trip, and that was really nice.
As we neared our usual camping area about two miles up the beach, the truck began to struggle with the deep sand. So, I stopped to air down from 40 to
25 psi (at first)... a little more struggle and I dropped to 20... then to 15 psi.
The moon had risen but was only a last quarter, so not much light... lot's of stars, naturally...
It was very warm and the air was super dry... I suspect the lack of humidity made the sand all that more difficult to 'float' on, plus I haven't used
these tires there before... Well, I was right by my camp spot sand dune, but wanted to circle around and not be struggling with driving on the sand...
15 psi wasn't floating and I thought (in my tired state of mind) that I would just POWER through this stuff... so I put the truck into 4WD LOW RANGE
AND locked the rear differential... BAD IDEA!!! LOL!!!
The tires just spun in the dry sand and my Tacoma just dropped down to the body! UGH!!! We were up to 3:30am jacking it up and putting firewood under
the tires only to have it rebury itself again after just inches from the first place.
That was it, the mattress was inflated and we crashed... no energy left!
The next morning we finished setting up camp... making the all important shade a priority and then went back to work to free my truck from the dry
quick sand of Shell Island! I gave my cool new tires a new name: GRAVE DIGGERS!!!
Well, before you think I wasted my money on them, you have to realize it was a learning experience... All tires will float at a certain air pressure.
It is even possible to drive 2WD cars and motorhomes onto the beach there if the pressure is low enough!
I jacked up all four tires and filled the holes with sand where the tires were and Elizabeth cleared the sand from the differential and front end, to
rid the friction or braking action of the sand... Next, I poured a bucket of sea water into the sand in front of each tire, so the sand would cling
and not act like a billion tiny ball bearings. I lowered the pressure to 10 psi, and put the transfer case back into HIGH RANGE 4WD.
You do NOT want tires to spin in sand... low range is what burried me... along with horse power and stiff sidewall tires (too much air still).
Anyway, I drove right out and the tires were terrific from that point on... 10 PSI was the magic figure. Later that day, a fellow named Duane from
Vista walked up to our camp from a mile away, where he burried his Baja Bug! The dry air is a factor, I do believe. It is usually more humid...
Anyway, I was even able to pull him out without getting myself stuck... at 10 psi!
Saturday, we had a great day... and went to Chelo's for an early dinner at Ejido Delicias (Km. 35)... I will post a report in the Restaurant Review
forum, with photos.
Sunday morning was fantastic, no wind and calm water for wonderful bathing, swimming, floating... We packed up by 9:30, went to Marina's for breakfast
(also in Ejido Delicias) the on to Arroyo Matomi... see the next part to this story of the trip up to the Matomi Canyon Oasis, following the photos of
Shell Island.
First photo shows our simple camp shade set up... takes seconds to set up: 4 buckets filled with sand, 4 bungees, 4 pieces of 1" PVC pipe at 5 ' long
and one at 8' (2: 4' pieces coupled together) with a longer bungee, and the tarp!
I needed a bucket for something else, so my blue water jug subbed for one of the bungee anchors...
The wind was little problem... nice, nice, nice!
NOTE: New web page with all the photos at http://community-2.webtv.net/boojum1/618
[Edited on 6-21-2006 by David K]
[Edited on 9-24-2006 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64520
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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The view south from our shaded camp...
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David K
Honored Nomad
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At low tide we drove the length of Shell Island (4 miles) looking for goodies... This is at the south end looking north... behind me is Bahia Santa
Maria...
[Edited on 6-20-2006 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
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We weren't disappointed!
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David K
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There were more than the usual whale and dolphin bones this trip... in fact, I have never seen these before here.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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I was sure happy with my 'Grave Diggers' once I got the correct air pressure dialed in!
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David K
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Here's Laguna (or Rancho now) Percebu from the north tip of Shell Island...
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Some of the homes of Percebu on the dune hill south of the arroyo, seen from across the lagoon.
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David K
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Another wider view of our easy camp... was great!
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David K
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There were two of these crude shade structures on the island... this one very near our camp. Maybe used by fishermen or another attempt at making a
campo on federal land?
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David K
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A final view of the north part of Shell Island... beautiful!
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David K
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Continued in Part 2 at: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=17888
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viabaja
Nomad
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Location: Georgia
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Dave,
FYI. Where you camp is a great spot for Corvina! There are 3 locations along that 3 mile stretch that usually produce.
Chris
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Where is the pix of the Toy stuck?
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bajalou
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Come on Tom, too busy digging for something like that----
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
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I'm with you, TW! No guts, no glory. Come on DK, take it back to Shell Island, get it stuck again and take and post pictures!
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64520
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Location: San Diego County
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You guys are funny...
Getting stuck is just for great story-telling... not photographs! However, my 'worst' stuck was photographed and I have posted it, including in this
trip report... It was in 1978, Arroyo Matomi flash flood!
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
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remind me never to drive over to shell beach.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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Bob and Susan
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you drive???
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
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yeah Bob, but only when i am drinking or drunk. gottta luv those mexican laws, anything goes, just pay money!!  
as Yakov Schmirinov says, "What a country!!"
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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