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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Baja Beach Weekends are the best! Memorial Day 2011 (Parts 1, 2 & 3) Done!
In a nutshell, a great weekend on Shell Island for Memorial Day 2011!
It would be the first trip there with Baja Angel's daughter Kristi... Her son Josh and his girlfriend Jonna would also caravan with us.
Jonna and Josh were last on the island this past Labor Day (Sept. 2010) and the four wheel drive wouldn't engage so they were stuck were the road
reaches the beach, then.
This trip, the Ford transfer case engaged and they were able to keep up with my Tacoma for the trek up to our favorite camping spot, a couple miles
away.
We left the San Diego area Friday evening around 7:30 (after dinner) and headed east on I-8 to Hwy. 111 to Calexico/Mexicali, which is the fastest
route to San Felipe. Coming home, we prefer the Tecate border (and it was a doozy last night with almost a 3 hour wait.. and we heard the other
borders were almost a 6 hour wait).
There were several dusty miles of detours in the Rio Hardy/ El Mayor area and again at Laguna Salada by the old canal location... On the way home, I
recorded about 7 miles of dirt detours. Our vehicles were searched at the military checkpoint southbound (but not northbound, 3 days later).
We arrived in San Felipe about 1:30 am, topped off the gas tanks at the station in El Dorado Ranch and headed right for Shell Island. We were
concerned for the Ford Ranger and expected to maybe need to pull it if air pressure alone couldn't help if the four wheel drive again failed. There
was no need to worry, as the Ford did fine!
We got camp set up, and a fire started to kick back... enjoy the Tecate Lights we bought in Mexicali... and realized that the glow in the sky was the
approaching sunrise! Man, was I sleepy! I think I got (maybe) 3 hours of sleep before the warming sun got me up... The day was beautiful, the water
was smooth, and we were in paradise!
Now, some photos... and more of the trip report will follow:
I hear the rumble of ATVs approaching...
BajaRob and Connie come with two bottles of champagne and champagne glasses to toast our arrival!
Good Baja friends... what fun!
Later, a pair of Jet Skis arrive and land on the island in front of our camp, it is Chuck and Chris (Baja Warrior) to say hello.
(Coming home on I-5 late last night, we pass them)
High tide was at midday and then the water goes back out again to expose new treasures to photograph...
Saturday, was a pretty mellow day with a nap or two. We did drive to Bahia Santa Maria to show off Rob and Connie's house to Kristi. We then drove
down the beach to El Vergel to look for 'El Vergel' (Vern)... found his Jeep, but not him... left my card on his widshield wiper. We then went to
Delicias for lunch at Aniceto's and it was very good. A return to Shell Island for a relaxing afternoon.
Low tide Sunday Morning...
We drive up to the north tip of Shell Island to see what has changed there, across the lagoon from Rancho Percebu.
A careful look for Tern eggs...
Mama or Papa Tern.
Much more photos and fun to come, stay tuned!
[Edited on 6-2-2011 by David K]
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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
Member Is Offline
Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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Nice DK!
Glad you had a good trip!
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mrfatboy
Nomad
Posts: 478
Registered: 4-17-2008
Member Is Offline
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LOL. I can see my campsite in your Percebu pic  We saw the same tern egg
nest also 
[Edited on 6-1-2011 by mrfatboy]
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Nice fotos DK...as always.
However..."we arrived at San Felipe at 1:30 a.m...."
What's with the night driving? 
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Von
Senior Nomad
Posts: 961
Registered: 10-1-2006
Location: Poway-Rosarito
Member Is Offline
Mood: getting ready!
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SAWEEEEET!
READY SET.....................
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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The Border line was brutal, and this was only the second half!
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Can you say HIGH Tide!!?!
Compared with the time I was at Shell Island in late April, the tide appears much deeper! The tides can really fluctuate!!
Shell Island (Rancho Percebu in background)
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaWarrior
The Border line was brutal, and this was only the second half!
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Chuck, what time did you get into line and how long? We dropped Kristi off in San Diego then headed north to our place when I spotted my 'got baja?'
sticker on back of a white truck!  I said that's Chuck and Chris... what a
small world!
We arrived at the end of the line (at the Pemex station) at 7:18 pm and got inside the 'ol USA at 10:07 pm. The border gaurd had a helper who told us
there will be a lot of unhappy people behind us when they shut the gate promptly at 11:00 pm!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
Compared with the time I was at Shell Island in late April, the tide appears much deeper! The tides can really fluctuate!! |
It was about a 15 foot high tide the day I took the photos, but it can get over 20 feet. It was enough to fill the lagoon as far back as our camp for
some soaking in calm water... and then a couple of Jet Skis even zoomed up and down past us from Percebu. I call it an 'island' for a good reason!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
Nice fotos DK...as always.
However..."we arrived at San Felipe at 1:30 a.m...."
What's with the night driving? |
Life is short, so much Baja... so little time!
Have you seen my lights? Night?.. I don't see no stinkin' night!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mrfatboy
LOL. I can see my campsite in your Percebu pic We saw the same tern egg
nest also
[Edited on 6-1-2011 by mrfatboy] |
Very cool...
So, who had the surf board that was drug around the beach behind a quad with someone on it!?
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaWarrior
The Border line was brutal, and this was only the second half!
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Chuck, what time did you get into line and how long? We dropped Kristi off in San Diego then headed north to our place when I spotted my 'got baja?'
sticker on back of a white truck! I said that's Chuck and Chris... what a
small world!
We arrived at the end of the line (at the Pemex station) at 7:18 pm and got inside the 'ol USA at 10:07 pm. The border gaurd had a helper who told us
there will be a lot of unhappy people behind us when they shut the gate promptly at 11:00 pm! |
We passed you up when you were in line to check the line conditions then turned around and got in line behind you by about 70 cars near the gas
station. So I guess about 8 p.m. and we were through by 10:50 p.m.
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Oh, cool... Lucky you got in before 11!!! Freaky, huh?
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Oh, cool... Lucky you got in before 11!!! Freaky, huh? |
I would not have been very happy if that had happened...
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaWarrior
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Oh, cool... Lucky you got in before 11!!! Freaky, huh? |
I would not have been very happy if that had happened... |
Next time, drive up alongside us... and I will 'stall' my truck long enough for you to cut in front! Baja Nomad brotherhood, afterall!
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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Thanks!
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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mrfatboy
Nomad
Posts: 478
Registered: 4-17-2008
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by mrfatboy
LOL. I can see my campsite in your Percebu pic We saw the same tern egg
nest also
[Edited on 6-1-2011 by mrfatboy] |
Very cool...
So, who had the surf board that was drug around the beach behind a quad with someone on it!? |
I didn't see that guy. But I sure was peeed about the 6am wake call every morning by the same quad guy. For some reason he had to gun the damn
thing right in front of everybody's tents every single morning.
Also, some huge group came in on Sat morning 3am. He turned on a generator to pump up his 30 mattresses. Unbelievable. Some people just don't have any class
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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On with the show!
The purpose of the trip was pure rest and relaxation, but also to introduce the place to Kristi... who studied marine biology and worked on a research
paper for Scripps Institute of Oceanography (was published)... so she has a fascination with the sea, already!
Here are some photos I took walking around our camp area...
He curled his tail like a scorpion when he ran!
Our camp as seen from Ken Cooke's campsite of July 4, 2011
Okay, 18 more photos to post... Stay tuned!!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64741
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mrfatboy
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by mrfatboy
LOL. I can see my campsite in your Percebu pic We saw the same tern egg
nest also
[Edited on 6-1-2011 by mrfatboy] |
Very cool...
So, who had the surf board that was drug around the beach behind a quad with someone on it!? |
I didn't see that guy. But I sure was peeed about the 6am wake call every morning by the same quad guy. For some reason he had to gun the damn
thing right in front of everybody's tents every single morning.
Also, some huge group came in on Sat morning 3am. He turned on a generator to pump up his 30 mattresses. Unbelievable. Some people just don't have any class |
That's why we camp elsewhere... alone or with family and fellow Baja Nomads when possible! We go to Baja to get AWAY from noise and civilization most
trips! Even when camping ion Shell Island with Nomad friends, we all give each other some space after sharing time together around the campfire...
Here is my camp, edm-1 (Art's) camp and beyond is Ken Cooke's camp last July 4th:
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mrfatboy
Also, some huge group came in on Sat morning 3am. He turned on a generator to pump up his 30 mattresses. Unbelievable. Some people just don't have any class |
I don't like campgrounds for that reason. Shell Island is 1000 times quieter.
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