BajaNomad - For David K- Shell island

For David K- Shell island

Bajame - 9-6-2005 at 10:49 PM

David can you give me directions to shell island? Sure would like to visit there on my next trip down. Thanks. PS Have a ford escape will that be ok on those roads?

David K - 9-6-2005 at 11:01 PM

From the air, looking south (from just east of Rancho Percebu)

From Space, the thin barrier island (Shell Island) is between Laguna Percebu and Bahia Santa Maria

4WD is very helpful and lowering the tire pressure is mandatory ( to 10-20 PSI)... unless you just want to park at the edge and walk... It is 4 miles long and surrounded by water during most of the highest tides around a full or new moon... thus 'island' rather than 'beach' for the name.

Access is near Km. 26, at real estate signs, cinder block columns... about 2.6 miles in, over sandy road. A large salt flat that floods at highest tides backs the island and lagoons behind it. Once an elevated causeway was made to provide all tide access, but it has all but melted away since it was built in 1984.

Bajame - 9-8-2005 at 05:54 PM

A little more detail as there are lot's of those signs along the road. What town is it close to? Thanks.

bajajudy - 9-8-2005 at 06:08 PM

Come on, DK
Draw her a map!
We like maps.
Right? Bajame

Maps

MrBillM - 9-8-2005 at 06:13 PM

I'd be happy to come up with a map. It would get you SOMEWHERE, but probably not where you wanted to go.

comitan - 9-8-2005 at 06:30 PM

Bajame

I'm sure your heading south towards Mulege and others if you go to shell beach which is south of San Felipe you will have a hard road getting there and the same getting back to Hwy 1. If you do decide to go that way you had better research the tire articles.

David K - 9-8-2005 at 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by comitan
Bajame

I'm sure your heading south towards Mulege and others if you go to shell beach which is south of San Felipe you will have a hard road getting there and the same getting back to Hwy 1. If you do decide to go that way you had better research the tire articles.

Exactly why I like my name 'Shell Island' instead of 'Shell Beach' for the beach I camp on... because there already is a 'Shell Beach' near Mulege (Punta Chivato) that is off Hwy. 1!

Besides, mine actually becomes an island and 'island' is more exotic sounding than beach, don't you think?

[Edited on 9-9-2005 by David K]

Bajame - 9-8-2005 at 07:15 PM

Oh thanks, I will save that for another time as my buget does not allow for a new set of tires. And I have to admit that I have never changed a tire before. :?:

David K - 9-8-2005 at 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajudy
Come on, DK
Draw her a map!
We like maps.
Right? Bajame

I have several, mostly from over 20 years ago...
This one I drew when they built a new road south of San Felipe in 1982... It crossed over the Shell Island acess arroyo trail coming in from the older Puertecitos road, which caused a need for a detour trail around the elevated road bed...

Anyway, Bajame, I said Km. marker 26... and there are no other real estate signs or cinder block columns in the area... This is just over 3 miles south of the Rancho Percebu road. The closest 'town' is Ejido Delicias at Km. 35 (good food at Chela's) or go back north to San Felipe which is about 5 miles north of Km. 0.

Ken Cooke - 9-9-2005 at 08:22 PM

You don't need new tires to drive on the sand. All-Terrain tires work best in sandy terrain - much better than deep lugged Mud-Terrain tires which will dig you straight to China. Air your tires down to 12 p.s.i. and shift into 4WD LO and you will easily cruise across the sandy stuff to the edge of the sandy peninsula.

There is a campground located near the laguna which you can easily walk to for complete seclusion. If anyone has the GPS waypoints, you will know where to go. A word of caution, I got stuck in the slippery mud while playing around with some friends from my 4WD club (before I bought my RUBICON). So, avoid the mud, and clean up camp before going to sleep at night - coyotes from the hills will come into camp and look for food if they smell anything edible...

Bajame - 9-9-2005 at 08:49 PM

Thanks for the all the great info! will let you know how this trip goes. As so much has changed I plan to go to San Felipe for a few weeks in OCT and then go to Baja Sur in Nov and see from there how long I stay.

Anonymous - 9-11-2005 at 10:15 AM

Their is no such place as "Shell Island". DK, being the self appointed baja guru made the name up. It is just another beach south of San Felipe

David K - 9-11-2005 at 10:37 AM

Yes you marooon, I did make the name up! No news there... I say it all the time! :lol:

I am not a self appointed anything, that's what you do... Yankee made up the guru name... it's funny.

It is a beach, and it is an island (at the highest tides), it has shells... I first was there in the 1960's and began camping on it myself in the 1970's. I called it Shell Island because it fit. Others who have moved to the area in recent years call it Shell Beach... Big deal! There already is a place called Shell Beach in Baja, so Shell Island is a bit more unique and no mistking it for the Shell Beach at Punta Chivato.

Locals tried to establish a camp south of Percebu and named it Isla San Martin... So I am not the only one who calls it an island.

Call it Disneyland if you want to... 'Shell Island' sounds good to me and other friends who also use it.

Anonymous - 9-11-2005 at 10:41 AM

I think you just broke your lets just be nice, and if you don't have something nice to say rules all at once. Or are those just your rules for other people to follow?

David K - 9-11-2005 at 10:43 AM

I was being nice... You should have heard the first word I was going to call you! :lol:

Now, get a life... or stay at the other place where hating people is allowed...