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Natalie Ann
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Colorado River to the Sea of Cortez
In our flight South with Cap a couple few years back, we followed the Colorado River down to the Sea of Cortez. As we neared the Sea, the landscape
became more and more surreal... and incredibly beautiful.
pix #1
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Natalie Ann
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#2
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Natalie Ann
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Just so's ya know.... none of these photos have been altered in photoshop except to reduce file size. It really looked like this!
#3
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Natalie Ann
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#4
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Ken Bondy
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Breathtaking Nena!! Bravo!! I love that part of the world. Stunning.
Got any more??
++ken++
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Natalie Ann
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the end
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Natalie Ann
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Thanks Ken. These are the best of this particular area.
I am afraid you'll be forced to view a few more of my Baja memory shots over the next few days. This upcoming visit just has me going through all my
photo storage dvd's.
How about you? I'll bet you have some nice images of this little part of heaven, and I'd love to see 'em.
Nena
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Barry A.
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Beautiful pics, Natalie Ann----
In 1985 (about?) 4 of us paddled canoes on a 3-day trip down the Colorado from near the base of the diversion dam to the sea, and yes it was then, and
is now, really bazaar!!! You would think you were in the Amazon delta country-----tons of bird life, fresh water clams, coyotes, and vegatation so
lush that you were never quite sure where you were. The Mexican farm workers along the banks at the upper end just looked at us and shook their
heads, saying I imagine, "Crazy Gringos" to themselves. The second and third day we saw no-one until we came out near El Golfo. It was a great
experience, and one that I will never forget. The river was in full flood for a few years during that time, and we took full advantage of it----there
is a lot of wild country out there in the delta.
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Paulina
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Nena,
Those were fantastic. Something I've never seen before.
Mil Gracias,
P<*)))><
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Mango
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Wow, cool photos!
As an avid canoer (without a canoe  ) I have been dreaming and scheming a trip down
the Colorado from the Rio Hardy area to the Sea of Cortez.
I hear the tides are very dangerous and dramatic in the north of the Sea of Cortez, particularly around the mouth of the Rio Colorado.
Nonetheless it remains a dream/goal of mine to canoe. Does anyone know of people that have done this before? Is the river navigable? I would assume
that there would not be any rapids; but, I am unsure about diversion dams, log jams, low cables/pipes crossing the river, etc..
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Ken Bondy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Natalie Ann
How about you? I'll bet you have some nice images of this little part of heaven, and I'd love to see 'em.
Nena |
I wish! I have probably have logged 100 takeoffs and climbouts from Mexicali over that area, but I have a lot more memories than photos. I think I
was just more into flying than photography in those days  . Plus I have never
seen better photos of the delta than these you just posted so I'll just savor yours.
++Ken++
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Mango
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
Beautiful pics, Natalie Ann----
In 1985 (about?) 4 of us paddled canoes on a 3-day trip down the Colorado from near the base of the diversion dam to the sea, and yes it was then, and
is now, really bazaar!!! You would think you were in the Amazon delta country-----tons of bird life, fresh water clams, coyotes, and vegatation so
lush that you were never quite sure where you were. The Mexican farm workers along the banks at the upper end just looked at us and shook their
heads, saying I imagine, "Crazy Gringos" to themselves. The second and third day we saw no-one until we came out near El Golfo. It was a great
experience, and one that I will never forget. The river was in full flood for a few years during that time, and we took full advantage of it----there
is a lot of wild country out there in the delta. |
Thanks! LOL answered my question as I was typing! BTW... where/how did you wind up taking out the canoes?
[Edited on 9-12-2007 by Mango]
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bajajudy
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Que bonitas!
Gracias, Nena
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Skipjack Joe
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Stunningly beautiful colors Natalie. Don't know which I like most, but #2 as an abstract is probably tops. But #3 would be a close second with those
wonderful reflections.
Good job. May this year's trip be as fruitful for you.
It's amazing you can get that level of clarity through a window. Mine never come out that good.
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Bajame
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Great Natalie!
Wow i would love to make that trip someday! Getting ready to head back to Baja hope to see you some day! love, Seva.
We all want a peaceful world, filled with love and laughter, but we fill ourselves with anger and hate trying to fiqure out how to achive it.
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Barry A.
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Mango-------
We put in just below Morelos Dam and it took us a good 3 days to the take out near El Golfo. But remember that the river was in full flood back then,
and even in Mexico after all the diversions it was still running at about 1000 CFS to the sea of Cortez. This was the first time in about 40 years
that it had run at this level, I believe, and I don't think it has run at that level since. The window of opportunity was for about 2 years in the
early 80's, as I recall.
There were no serious obstacles, but the river actually backed up behind a huge sand bar that had formed over the years upstream from Montague Island
forming a huge lake (which overflowed into the Laguna Salada filling it up) behind it and made things rather confusing. We did finally find an outlet
to the main channel south, but it was spooky and we were never quite sure that we were going the right direction. It turned out we were, so it was
alright. One of our members had aerial photos with him, which helped a great deal.
There were title bores at the lower end during high tide, but they all went by us in the night------my son was able to photograph the "bore" and those
photos have appeared in some technical journals since. The bore consisted of a standing wave about 2 feet high, moving upstream maybe 5 miles per
hour, as I remember. The main problem was finding camping spots high enough out of the water to avoid the "bore", but we did, and managed to stay dry
in camp. History tells us that in the "old days" the bore was big enough to upset boats.
I do not think the trip you contemplate is feasible now, as there is no water, as far as I know, reaching the "sea"----it is all sucked up by the
Mexican and American agricultural projects upstream, and of course the diversions for drinking water by S. California and Arizona.
Should we ever have another banner rain year like we had in the 80's then it will be another opportunity to canoe this river to it's mouth----------in
the mean time we just plan and wait.
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Natalie Ann
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Thank y'all so much.
I'm glad some of you are enjoying these photos. It was an awesome flight, and I am soooo looking forward to the next one.
Barry A and Mango.... I think it would be a real kick to canoe or kayak that area. Not sure if one might have to have advanced skills for such a
trip.... but perhaps it's like flying and simply takes a knowledgeable and caring 'pilot'.
I know your trip was back when, Barry, but if you have pix you could scan and post.... would be way cool.
Skipjack - Aren't those colors just amazing? We had lots of others which did not fare well being shot through the plexiglas windows of an older
plane, so felt very lucky with these.
We like best the same two... #2 is my favorite, #3 is my current desktop pix... just to help me remember what lies ahead.
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Barry A.
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Mango-----we crossed posted again 
We took out several miles upstream from El Golfo on a sorta dike that extended out from the Sonora (east) side of the river. We had arranged to be
picked up here, and friends drove down and met us there in 4x4's. There was a lot of planning, and pre-trips to set all this up, believe me. One of
our members, Steve Nelson, was the mastermind and main planner and he did a supurb job, leaving almost no detail un-planned. The trip went like clock
work (sorta) because of this planning, and it certainly would not have had he not done his "home work"------our bones would probably have still been
out there in the mud------oh by the way, lots and lots of mud, but no mosquitos, thank God. We were able to find some "sand" to camp in, out of the
mud.
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Natalie Ann
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Barry A.... Our posts crossed - I had not read your last one when I posted. What an adventurous trip you had! I envy you that one.
Seva... I've been trying to reach you regarding your return South. My email to you is being returned, so how's about you email me please and thank
you.
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Barry A.
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Natalie Ann-----I am sorry I have no pics------my son does, but neither of us know how to convert them to post----------I have never been able to get
technically skilled enough to post pics, and my son is several hundred miles away, and I am pretty sure he does not know how to post either, and he
has no scanner.
Sorry
Barry
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