Who hasn't yet read Carlos Fiesta's Baja adventure story?

Baja Expo host and amigo Carlos Fiesta (Chuck Chambers) left us when his private plane crash landed while returning from watching the Baja 1000, in San Juanico... some 15+ years ago. Years earlier, he solo-piloted a panga around the peninsula... and wrote about it:

https://vivabaja.com/carlosfiesta/

Some images from the online book:

Carlos Fiesta’s
BAJA CIRCUMNAVIGATION
“A YUPPIE PUSHES 50”
~ A mid-life crisis by Carlos Fiesta




Carlos Fiesta tied up to the SS Catalina waiting for the fog to burn off.




~ Chapter Four ~ (some of)

San Quintin to Santa Rosalillita
“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”~ William Shakespeare

Despite the noise made all night by the renegade anchovy, I slept well and was up at dawn to take advantage of the high tide to leave the shallow bay. Fortunately another fishing panga was leaving the other Old Mill pier at the same time, and I was able to follow in his wake to stay in the deepest part of the bay to get to the entrance. I could use all the luck I could muster up today because I already had a lot of work cut out for me. Today was going to be the longest leg of my entire trip…over 150 miles. That may not seem like a long distance but running at 18 miles per hour it becomes an all day trek.

My destination for the day was Santa Rosalillita, a large and beautiful natural harbor where the Mexican government had big ideas. In addition to planning this bay as one of the main supply stops for gringo boaters traveling the planned Nautical Ladder, Santa Rosalillita held the distinction of being the west port of the 86 mile “land bridge” that Mexico had on the drawing boards to truck yachts from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez. But to me this small seaside fishing village held only one special distinction…it was the only place for 250 miles where I could get gasoline for the Vaka Viti.

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric

I read some of that a while back. Ironic (and sad) that after he managed to circumnavigate the Baja peninsula in a skiff he drowned in 3 feet of water in Laguna Beach. A while ago I was at a garage sale and an "old salt" had a nice collection of books about "blue water" sailing. He was not having any luck selling the books so he gave me the whole collection for free. This is sort of a genre; people go on long sea voyages then write a book about it. The archetypical example being Slocum, describing his solo voyage around the globe in his boat called Spray. The thing that struck me was that eventually almost all of the people that engage in this sort of activity end up wrecked on a reef or sunk by a rogue wave, including Slocum, who vanished on a sail across the Atlantic never to be seen again.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric   I read some of that a while back. Ironic (and sad) that after he managed to circumnavigate the Baja peninsula in a skiff he drowned in 3 feet of water in Laguna Beach. A while ago I was at a garage sale and an "old salt" had a nice collection of books about "blue water" sailing. He was not having any luck selling the books so he gave me the whole collection for free. This is sort of a genre; people go on long sea voyages then write a book about it. The archetypical example being Slocum, describing his solo voyage around the globe in his boat called Spray. The thing that struck me was that eventually almost all of the people that engage in this sort of activity end up wrecked on a reef or sunk by a rogue wave, including Slocum, who vanished on a sail across the Atlantic never to be seen again. 3 South Bay men killed in crash of Torrance-bound plane https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2010/11/21/3-south-bay-men...

Carlos Fiesta loved "Everything Baja"...

Carlos was truly inspired by the "Western Flyer" and John Steinbeck's story with all the adventure that it provided in Baja. He originally told me many years ago, that he had seen so much of Baja on land and from the air that he wanted to see it by sea. He did. Good for him. It was part of the fun he was always looking for in life. The book was a keepsake more for his daughter (now 37 with Carlos's granddaughter and his Wife (She has remarried to a wonderful man whose family also embraces adventure and a love of Baja). The Vaka Viti still provides "juanderful" sea adventures to young and old alike. It lives in San Juanico. People are still amazed that Carlos did the entire Peninsula in it. We all still celebrate the joy that Carlos brought to everything he did. Thank you David for keeping his memory and love of "The Baja" alive!

So good to see you back here, Juan!
I pop in to try and keep some Nomad memories alive...
Most folks surf Baja now on Facebook, I think.
Chuck was so cool... he is greatly missed by all who knew him!



at my 2001 Viva Baja party (sitting next to Graham Mackintosh, Baja adventure books author)



at my 2000 Viva Baja party with Kacey Smith (aka Lizard Lady, author of the Baja GPS Guide).

Carlos lived per his rule:

"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta

[Edited on 7-20-2026 by David K]