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David K
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BAJA 1/09... So super fine! Part 5: Bahia las Animas
Continued from Part 4 at: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=36261
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Once off the mesa and into the Tacoma, we went the 3 miles north and parked by the small lagoon past the fishing camp (empty) at Bahia las Animas...
A friendly dog came over to visit... I gave him a drink of water and a can of Spam for dinner... He very much enjoyed it while Baja Angel and I
relaxed in our chairs and had sandwitches and beer.
That's the mesa as seen from the bay... below is with the zoom lens: Look close and you can see the wall!
Driving back out, we paused by one of the walls near the mesa, on the east side of the road... wall or dam?
THIS TRIP REPORT CONTINUES... next, the road back to L.A. Bay, Las Flores jail and graveyard, El Rosario's newest motel (nice) and a remodeled Baja's
Best Restaurant!
[Edited on 1-6-2009 by David K]
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Barry A.
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Bahia de los Animas is truly one of the magical places in all of Baja---------my favorite beach anywhere. I started going there in the early 80's, and
have spent weeks there over the years. Love that place, especially with a good "tin boat".
Great Photos, David, as usual. (there used to be huge red-head crabs in that lagoon just north of where you took these photos---------------yummy!!!!)
Barry
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Sharksbaja
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I wonder if you had a telephoto on a previous trip you may have spotted the wall! Looks pretty quiet and peaceful down on the beach. Any other
visitors around?
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Bob H
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David, I have truely enjoed this most recent series of trip reports. You must have spent HOURS putting them together. Wonderful photos, etc. You
must have had a blast. And, thanks for posting all of this.
Bob H
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Mexray
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These 'walls' are indeed a mystery, of sorts...
...some thoughts occur to me:
1. many rock walls in the countryside, found in the New and Old world would seem to be built to contain domesticated animals of some sort.
2. it doesn't seem possible that the ancient Baja inhabitants (cave painters) would have built such walls, therefore:
3. they must have been built during the Spaniard's occupation while trying to religiously convert the 'indians' scattered about...
4. or some 'rancher' type that inhabited or visited the area in the years following the Spanish occupation... wouldn't seem likely way out there,
though.
5. I believe we can assume the countryside has remained in somewhat the same 'condition' over the past several hundred years or so, barring any
'rearranging' of the arroyos during flash flooding, etc.
6. if these 'walls' were built with an eye to 'defend' some territory - why would they have been placed where they are, running up and down the
mesa...don't really think these 'walls' were built for that purpose.
7. could it be possible the walls were built to contain livestock that 'ranged' below the mesa during the day, to drink from the pond formed by the
raised earth/rock barriers...then led to the rock wall 'corrals' on the mesa at night...the ends of the walls would have been spanned with fences
constructed of available shrubs, cardons, etc.
8. the walls are placed in their position, up and down the mesa, so the 'shepherds' could 'drive the animals through the gates at the bottom of the
mesa, and then, for the most part, not have to climb the hill themselves???
9. the rock circles upon the mesa could well have been places for the 'shepherds' to 'camp' when necessary... perhaps with light palm roofs for
protection... the rock circle walls keeping their supplies safe from the livestock.
10. I wonder if there is any evidence of a fire pit up there near the rock circles? it would seem if anyone were 'stationed' there for any length of
time, they would need fire for comfort and cooking???
11. it may also be true, that after all that work to build the pond's retaining wall, the ditches, the mesa walls, rock circles, etc., that the
climate proved to harsh to continue with it's intended use... that large palm trunk would seem contrary to this view, however...those palms were
introduced by the Spaniards, weren't they?
12. it would seem that sheep would have been the 'livestock' of choice to be herded into this rock walled 'pen'...goats would have been able to climb
those short walls with east...and the 'chute' area David K found may be the remnants of the path they used - they are good 'climbers'...
13. these mesa 'pens' may have been someone's idea of a better place to keep the livestock safe from the panthers and cougars that roamed the
mountains nearby.
14. now having said all that, if some holy father entrusted me with the safe keeping of a nearby outpost's livestock, I'd look around for a place to
collect water, and some 'high ground' to keep the flock safe...and a hill top place to rest where I could take advantage of any available breeze,
while keeping above any dust blown down the arroyos from the mountains, or off the sea...and safe from any tropical storm flash flooding...now all I'd
need would be the help some indentured indians to do the heavy lifting...seems possible to me...and OH, the view from up there closer to heaven, as it
were...
All in all, great pics and descriptions of another wonderful of Baja's outback...many thanks David for sharing with us all!
According to my clock...anytime is \'BAJA TIME\' & as Jimmy Buffett says,
\"It doesn\'t use numbers or moving hands It always just says now...\"
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Barry A.
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All great points, Mexray-----------bump
Barry
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makana.gabriel
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I feel like I have been on a great adventure this morning. Many, many thanks for all the work involved in sharing this with us!!!!!
FAITH sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible!
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Katiejay99
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Hi David K:
I have been looking into some information about the missions on your maps. I found a little book that has some information in it regarding some of the
missions. I also found this online link: If you click on it and in the search block key in Magdalena it will show you the other pages where it has
been mentioned. I hope this is some help to you.
Book in Spanish about the old missions
[Edited on 1-6-2009 by Katiejay99]
[Edited on 1-6-2009 by Katiejay99]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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A letter from Choral Pepper's son, yesterday!
A footnote: Choral liked to be called 'Corke' by her friends and family (the e is silent, say it like 'cork')... Her son Trent just sent this to me
and said I could share it with you all.
1-5-09
David, thanks for sharing your find with my family. To think several times so close and then a satellite image helps you to I.D. the location. It's
unfortunate the historians lost interest in this site. With infrastructures, the location and forever unknown possibilities-much room is left for
speculation and conclusion. A historians dream. But you know what I'm more impressed by are the considerations you and the other contributing Baja
nomads offer in the blog.
I don’t portend to be at any level near what you, Elizabeth and the frequent explores of Baja expertise. I can comment that Corke would be proud to
have associated with you and be remembered in your find.
As a kid in ’63 I stayed home when Corke went with Uncle Earl, J.R. and the rest of the team to Baja. So much was revealed in their stories/ writings
yet it amazes me how much was forgotten. You would have thought with the Bell helicopter, J’R’s “Grasshoppers and Pak-jacs vehicles designed to
explorer Baja, and very capable people every site would have been surveyed and charted. This was roughly done and with minimal impact.
Hell, I was in seventh heaven when we went back in following years, we had no doubt Corke's findings would be revisited. “I’m sure it’s on the other
side of that saguaro, Oh, I remember that old tire fire next to the road, we’re near,” she would say. More times than not we overshot the site but
ended up finding new things to dwell on. Using the same tools of exploration, “feel, stubbornness, a few notes”, 30 some years later Corke made her
last trip to Baja with Denis. The results she wrote about.
What I learned from those years is they all recorded the “moment”. The people (past and present), technology, superstition, speculation came together
for that moment to reveal parts of Baja past and then to retreat as if it was sacred ground “forgotten”.
What I love is the time line of discovery and rediscovery. You are walking the site some 45 years later. Who was there before you? Were those shells
left in the last 30 years?
Was that cave man made? Will your boot soles be around when the next explorer discover the site?
Keep in touch.
Happy new years and thanks,
Trent
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Hi Katiejay,
There is a visita northwest of Mulege built by the Dominicans called San Jose de Magdalena with visible ruins. Also, not far away is another visita
built by the Jesuits that was called Santa Maria Magdalena.
I have seen recent publications done in Mexico that have called it a mission and place it where San Jose de Magdalena is... Your online book is about
Dominican era sites and they have misnamed San Jose de Magdalena as Santa Maria Magdalena... and in either case, is no where near the mission on the
1757 Jesuit map called Santa Maria Magdalena 'empezada'.
Thanks for sharing this and anything that seems interesting, I do appreciate it!
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David K
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Thie trip report continues with Part 6: Las Flores at: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=36278
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windsurfeddy
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David, I have been hoping to run into you in Baja, and surprisingly just missed you! We were at Bahia Las Animas on 1-1-09 for 2 nights--we camped at
the furthest spot north of the fish camp, past the mangrove swamp. We were in 2 white Sportsmobiles.
We thought the black dog [we called him Pancho] belonged to the gringos in the blue van with motorcycles. Now I feel bad we did not feed him, but our
dogs were rather territorial.
We came in always taking the left fork, and found the road was a bit overgrown. I take it you turned right at the first fork. Should have come back
that way, but the flats made me nervous. Great pics and story. Thanks. ciao.
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David K
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We heard from the people at Costa del Sol motel who were at Las Animas the day before (Dec. 31) there was a lady in a jogging outfit, but they never
saw any campers. That was Baja Chris, wife and another couple in off road prepped Broncos/ Blazers...
We didn't see anyone... even the fishermen were gone. Just the black dog, Pancho.
Yes, the right fork goes by the dam and palm... over some flats that would get wet from super high tides, some silt then rejoins the left branch.
However, you can only see the wall from the left branch... but you must look at the mesa to notice it up there.
[Edited on 2-7-2009 by David K]
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capt. mike
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isn't that also close by
where www.bajaairventures.com runs one of its soft eco adventure campo resorts accessable by boat from BOLA? around the south point from BOLA?
for get what they call it but just remembered bahia las animas, the bay of souls?
oh - theirs is La Unica.
check their website.
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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55steve
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| Quote: | Originally posted by capt. mike
where www.bajaairventures.com runs one of its soft eco adventure campo resorts accessable by boat from BOLA? around the south point from BOLA?
for get what they call it but just remembered bahia las animas, the bay of souls?
oh - theirs is La Unica.
check their website. |
Mike,
I'm pretty sure bajaairventures and La Unica went their separate ways several years ago. I was enjoying a marg at Guillermos and chatting with the
baja air owner and he told me that the owner of La Unica (BoLA town mayor) & he had a falling out and that he was planning on building a fly-in
getaway at Animas...haven't seen anything happen yet though!
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David K
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La Unica and the newer resort are both between L.A. Bay and Las Animas... not at Las Animas itself. Only can be reached by boat, as far as I know...
Look at Google to confirm.
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Paulina
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La Unica WAS owned by Fermin Smith Valdez. Over the Christmas/New Year holiday I was in Bahia and talked to both Pepe and Memo, Fermin's brothers. I
mentioned that I hadn't seen Fermin around town. Pepe told me that Fermin sold La Unica for $3mil. bought a Hummer and took his family to Cabo.
P<*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Paulina
La Unica WAS owned by Fermin Smith Valdez. Over the Christmas/New Year holiday I was in Bahia and talked to both Pepe and Memo, Fermin's brothers. I
mentioned that I hadn't seen Fermin around town. Pepe told me that Fermin sold La Unica for $3mil. bought a Hummer and took his family to Cabo.
P<*)))>{ |
Are you refering to the sale of development rights when the conservation easement was established a few years ago? Or are you refering to a recent
sale of the fee property?
The establishment of a conservation easement over the land was quite a positive event in protecting the area from crass development. If there was a
recent RE sale, hope the easement is honored...
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Paulina
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Sr. Goat,
I am only repeating what Pepe told me, "Fermin sold La Unica for three million dollars, bought a hummer and took the family to Cabo." Period. Our
conversation was on the dance floor during the New Year's eve town celebration, and I didn't think to ask him about the development rights,
conservation easement or the fee property. Darn.
We can only hope the place isn't ruined.
P<*)))>{
[Edited on 8-1-2009 by Paulina]
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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55steve
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Location: Warner Springs, CA
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David - Awesome write-up. You folks are truly an inspiration to me - I thought I was a well-traveled baja person but your in-depth reports make me
realize how little I actually know of the place.
My goal this year is to at least venture from our place for a couple days and check out some of the cool stuff you've posted. I've only been to
Animas from the boat (fishing, of course) but I'm thinking that a land visit in the cards when I head back down in a month or so - The boat isn't
making the trip this time so maybe I'll have some incentive.
Hey Paulina,
Post some more pics of New Years! Better yet, do a trip report!
[Edited on 1-9-2009 by 55steve]
[Edited on 1-9-2009 by 55steve]
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