BajaNomad - Bahia Santa Maria?

Bahia Santa Maria?

eetdrt88 - 2-10-2006 at 12:54 PM

Just wondering if anyone has had any luck in this area about 34km south of San Felipe? I recently acquired a little place there on the beach and noticed the last few days a couple of pangas not to far off shore...I plan on launching a zodiac and motoring over to the points north and south...any info would be much appreciated :yes:

There is a reef south of you

Hook - 2-10-2006 at 05:20 PM

at El Coloradito that used to have fish. But who can say with inshore gill nets still rather prevalent.

Of course, south of Puertecitos is the Golden Reef and the Islas Encantadas.

I guess there are still a few small croakers and corvina caught around Pta. Estrella, north of you.

I never caught anything off the beach in the area just north of you that some now call Shell Beach.

David K - 2-10-2006 at 06:51 PM

I have been calling it Shell Island since 1977... Note the long narrow barrier island going north from Bahia Santa Maria in this photo of Punta Estrealla to El Vergel...

Hook - 2-13-2006 at 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
I have been calling it Shell Island since 1977...

That's great, David, but that doesn't mean that's the official name....or even a correct name. :rolleyes:

Continue to use the term Shell Island, if you choose........but it's not even an island about 90% of the time. :?:

It probably is most correctly part of the Laguna Percebu complex, geographically and tidally speaking.

I hope this doesn't offend your attempts at being crowned the modern day Howard Gulick.

Now, what does your reply have to do with answering the man's question? Nothing, as usual, in this area. Just more attempts at self-anointing.

It REALLY is getting old to many more of us than you realize. I am just willing to face the chastising from your clubby friends and tell you this, in hopes that you will someday change. Hasn't happened yet in the life of two websites......

Stick to posting in areas where you have knowledge. Quality trumps quantity.

mcgyver - 2-13-2006 at 06:30 PM

I have not fished north of Campo Coloradito and here at Campo Palaya Cristina at KM 54 S the gill netters have hammered all the reefs here and south of here on every tide for the past 5 weeks. 4 gills nets here the past 3 days took out about 400LB of fish (various kinds) but all of them where very small, most being 6" long up to a pound at best.

They also at low tide spray bleach under every rock taking every octopus of every size, most 6" or less.

When you take the number of gill netters just in San Felipe alone working nearly every beach from town to Puertocitos on every series of extra low tides and taking every fish regardless of size you don't have any breeding stock left.

I realize that they have to make a living but wonder what they will do when the gulf is completly barren? There have been 35 shrimp boats draging within sight of my camp for 4 1/2 months now, I find it hard to beleive there is going to be any left.

The first fair fishing you will encounter with your rig or from the beach will be South of Puertocitos where the rocks and deep water prevent gill nets being set from the beach, there are still some set by boat.

Any of the deep rocky spots are productive all the way to Nachos Campo, on of my favorites is off the end of the beach at Volcan Prieto, locally know as Black Mt. Take a gravel road east to the beach from the mine north of Puertocitos, at the beach go south to the end of the good road to a small mangrove swamp, good camping area and if you stay off of the cobble beach stones on the hard road it is easy access.

There are lots of other roads and trails down to the water all along the stretch through the Cuestas.

Of course you can drive 200 miles south to Las Animas and catch Yellowtail from the beach at times.

Good Luck

David K - 2-13-2006 at 07:08 PM

"Stick to posting in areas where you have knowledge."

Gee Hook... I kind of figure going and camping there for 30 years gives me a bit of knowledge... :rolleyes:

I simply added that bit of info (my calling it Shell island) so if ANYONE wants to see it, I have LOT'S of photos... under the heading 'Shell Island'. Geeze!

Didn't you like the satellite image? :?:

There was an attempt to make a camp there and it was called ISLA SAN MARTIN (isla means island)... The place has lots of shells... other gringos have called it Shell Beach... I just find that name unromantic and not totally accurate... also there already is a Shell Beach, in Baja... at Punta Chivato.

Capt. Mike's giant Baja map clearly shows it as an island...

I don't care what you want to call it... That is what I call it, nothing more implied... I also did not put that name on MY maps of the area... nothing official attempted.

So, cheer up... have a beer... don't be so quick to assume I have some egotistic intentions... I don't.

Also, Howard Gulick was a much greater Baja expert and map maker than I could ever dream of becoming.

Hook - 2-14-2006 at 10:50 AM

David, the guy was asking about fishing........not your name of an island. Did you conveniently forget that you're on the fishing board? Mac and the rest of us seem to remember.

Your reply was classic YOU. Irrelevant replies, just to get your name out there and to increase your number of posts. How can ANYONE conclude differently? You do it at every turn. You say no ego is involved, but your actions say different.

Stick to your areas of expertise. You are the unchallenged master of minutia on offroad travels in northern Baja. I commend you on that. Someday I hope to be able to use much of your info in short little jaunts south. Your help at organizing the La Vibora grade run at the El Rosario was much appreciated.

But when it comes to boating and fishing; THINK before you post. Ask yourself this question......is my reply answering the question posed?

Peace.

David K - 2-15-2006 at 09:26 AM

A thread often brings up sub-converstaions or splinter threads... It happens often in threads I begin... the subject can go way into left field, and I never get upset... It is a public forum.

I am not mearly posting to add to my number... I don't care how many posts I have, it is irrelavant...

I like talking/ writing 'Baja'... I was responding to your reply not eetdrt's question anyway...

You said Shell Beach, so I was letting eetdrt and all others know the Shell Beach YOU were talking about was NOT the one at Punta Chivato...

So, I posted a satellite image and the name I use for that barrier island north of Bahia Santa Maria... to clarify... as most Nomads have heard or seen photos of a place we mostly call Shell Island, here.

Peace to you too amigo!

You're right, David.

Hook - 2-15-2006 at 12:32 PM

I misspoke on calling the island Shell Beach. I meant Shell Island.

Roberto - 2-15-2006 at 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
I misspoke on calling the island Shell Beach. I meant Shell Island.

Of course! :lol:

Hook - 2-16-2006 at 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roberto

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
I misspoke on calling the island Shell Beach. I meant Shell Island.

Of course! :lol:

Now, don't YOU get him started, too. It just increases his "point total" :lol:

Old Dave

baitcast - 2-16-2006 at 02:01 PM

obviously has to much time on his hands,maybe a job would help!
Everytime he gets down here in the fishin section
he puts his foot in it. :lol:

BAITCAST

Roberto - 2-16-2006 at 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook

Quote:

Originally posted by Roberto

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
I misspoke on calling the island Shell Beach. I meant Shell Island.

Of course! :lol:

Now, don't YOU get him started, too. It just increases his "point total" :lol:

Well, we could debate what kind of points those add up to, but maybe it's better we just not go there! :lol:

David K - 2-16-2006 at 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by baitcast
obviously has to much time on his hands,maybe a job would help!
Everytime he gets down here in the fishin section
he puts his foot in it. :lol:

BAITCAST

Well.......... I really didn't pay attention to what forum this stuff on Bahia Santa Maria was in, as I just hit 'Today's Posts' when I read Nomad... There are many Bahia Santa Marias in Baja... I am very familiar with this one, having been there BEFORE it was given that name by Aniceto Madue?o about 1970.

I have 'a job', thank you.,.. actually, I am 'the boss', so if I want to read/yack on Baja Nomad after 8 am, I am quite proud that I have worked so hard building up my business that I can enjoy the finer things in life which (to me) include Baja Nomad! I don't even know when I was in the fishin' section, but if I put 'my foot in it' before... it was perhaps only to try and catch up to YOU!!!

:lol:

BOLABOUND - 2-16-2006 at 11:24 PM

David can you Drive all the way to shell island on the beach from

Punta estrella?

Shell island sounds great to me and I was born in Baja so I think being a

mexican citizen I can vote to give it the official name of Shell island :bounce:

Congradulations :yes:

Mr K

And I apreciate all your info because you always give great detail on

everything.

We should have a rule here no put downs on are fellow nomads.

Be cool Dude.., Relax... :cool:

David K - 2-17-2006 at 09:05 AM

Buenos dias BOLABOUND....

The north point of 'Shell Island' is across from Rancho/Laguna Percebu... You can drive from Percebu to Punta Estrella on the beach, or at least we used to quite often before they paved the road south of San Felipe.

Now, to get from Percebu onto Shell Island you go along the shore of the lagoon for a mile, then cut inland a bit onto the salt flats/ tidal mud flats for another 2 miles (unless it is a high lunar tide, then forget it). At 3 miles from Percebu, you come to a cross road... right goes to Hwy. 5 at Km. 26 and left goes onto Shell Island (if the tide is not too high)...

This access road was once an elevated causeway with a bridge at the island end, built in 1984. It has mostly eroded away and the bridge is useless since the roadbed is a couple feet lower than the concrete! See photo of Surfer Jim on bridge...

After high tide this area around the bridge is pretty muddy and will test your 4WD... after which the deep sand will.

The salt flat road continues south to Bahia Santa Maria where you can again get onto the beach and continue towards Puertecitos.

Looking north... low tide.

Oh, and we have fished the beach here! Catching corbina, croaker (both excellent eating), along with sand sharks and other toss backs... :saint:

BOLABOUND - 2-17-2006 at 09:52 AM

Muchas gracis David .

I love the pictures always very helpful and much more vivid to see it.

Thanks!

hey David...

eetdrt88 - 2-28-2006 at 01:54 PM

no worries on going off-topic on my thread,i'm not to worried about things like that...i'm a junkie for all knowledge of Baja and as your posts often enlighten me with new info on areas I love all I can say is...keep up the good work buddy :coolup:

As a Geographer------

Barry A. - 2-28-2006 at 02:49 PM

-------and after seeing that long sandbar in David's aerial photo, I can say without reservation that what I am looking at is a "barrier island"------that is the technical geographical term. It does not have to be totally surrounded by water to be classified as a "barrier island". Many of the "barrier islands" along the SE USA coast are very similar to this Baja island.

When responding to the posts on the "todays posts" forum, it is impossible to tell what specialty forums they came from, or so it seems to me.

I welcome ANY posts that have to do with increasing our understanding of Baja, or the folks that visit it, or live there------I believe that David's post always meet this criteria--------I have never been annoyed by any of David's posts.

David K - 2-28-2006 at 04:27 PM

Thanks guys!

I am ready to write my latest trip report from last weekend... Look at the Trip Reports Forum later on...

baja829 - 2-28-2006 at 04:29 PM

Best fishing at Santa Maria even from the shore and also at KM 40, Cielito Lindo.

bbbait - 2-28-2006 at 04:40 PM

I too appreciate the input! Only enhances info on the subject. We were at Percebu last weekend and got to see that "junket" that is beached there. I had previously read about it on another post here on Nomads and it was interesting to drive down the beach and see it in person. Kids were coming into the bar with buckets of clams they had just dug up out on the bare beach while the water was draining out of the bay. Nice area around there and everyone was friendly.

David K - 2-28-2006 at 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by baja829
Best fishing at Santa Maria even from the shore and also at KM 40, Cielito Lindo.

That is a different Bahia Santa Maria... As I mentioned earlier, there are so many in Baja, alone! :biggrin:

But, no reason not to thank you for the good fishing report... even if from the other side of the peninsula!

capt. mike - 3-1-2006 at 07:16 AM

Here's a "splinter" thread for ya.......Folks - my Gigante mapas de baja, referenced above via the "annointed one" :smug:

....(sorry DK, just too funny to resist!) are still very much available, just shipped one out yesterday.

you can find more info on older classifieds here, just do a search as the thread is deep in the past. But, alas - the mfgr has upped the price and i have had to raise correspondingly to $59.95 includes UPS ground anytown, USA. Ok, shameless plug over..... :light:

Also, this factoid just in off the Screaming Airlines hi-speed news wire:

One Mr. Seeum A. Cummin, a partner/owner co-developer of the Shell Beach residential lots development adjacent to Punta Chivato, north of Mulege, has purportedly begun a name and marketing change to "Shell Island" in an attempt to spur sagging lot sales.

According to his statement and press release, "Well, let's face it, an island has much more 'location' drama than does a beach. So, i figure we'll get more gringo $$ by promoting it as such".

It is not known at this time what the locals reaction will be, although several have lodged major protests and a few sit ins. stay tooned..... :yawn:

David K - 3-1-2006 at 08:55 AM

Oh jeeeze! :lol:

Bob H - 3-1-2006 at 11:38 AM

Capt. Mike - that was freek'n hilarious! :lol:

Bob H

Hook - 3-1-2006 at 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.
-------and after seeing that long sandbar in David's aerial photo, I can say without reservation that what I am looking at is a "barrier island"------that is the technical geographical term. It does not have to be totally surrounded by water to be classified as a "barrier island". Many of the "barrier islands" along the SE USA coast are very similar to this Baja island.

When responding to the posts on the "todays posts" forum, it is impossible to tell what specialty forums they came from, or so it seems to me.

I welcome ANY posts that have to do with increasing our understanding of Baja, or the folks that visit it, or live there------I believe that David's post always meet this criteria--------I have never been annoyed by any of David's posts.

Interesting that you would base your decision as a GEOGRAPHER on seeing one photo of the SANDBAR (your term) and conclude that it qualifies as a barrier island. And this conclusion is reached without even knowing the state of the tides at the time of the photo.

It is NOT a barrier island. A barrier island is an ISLAND, by definition. The time that "Shell Island" is actually an island is probably a total of less than 100 hours a month and some months it NEVER becomes an island.

Of course there's still nothing preventing you and David from calling it Shell Island or attempting to turn this into common useage. Have at it. Even I use it, occasionally, for convenience.
People play fast and loose with definitions of islands all the time. Witness the proprietor of Shell Beach in Mike's post.

But don't justify it, "scientifically", based on seeing ONE AERIAL PHOTO.

I also welcome any posts that increase our understanding of Baja. Yours fall short of that mark, IMO. Your conclusion ignores the on-scene evidence.

It would be like calling the anvil-shaped peninsula with the lighthouse on Punta Santa Ines an island simply because, at certain tides and under certain wave heights, it becomes an island.

But it is not, geographically, a barrier island. It falls far short of the definition.

Hi, HOOK-----

Barry A. - 3-1-2006 at 01:54 PM

Well---------as a Geographer, you sent me back to the books, which is good. (it's been a long time)

From what I can determine, we both are wrong, technically speaking, me more than you. In Lobeck's "Geomorphology" they don't even define "barrier Island", suggesting that the term is a mis-nomer. I then checked "Websters Unabridged Dictionary" and there is no mention of a "barrier island", so your point is well taken.

I spent two years on the "Outer Banks" of North Carolina, and they locally refer to these "banks" as "Barrier Islands", even tho several of them are never technically "islands". This is what led me to my knee-jerk comments, and for that I appologize.

As a pilot, I am totally satisfied in my ability to interpret aerial photos, especially since I have taken several college classes in "aerial photo interpretation", and also I spent 2 years landing my seaplane in and about the Outer Banks, all of which are very similar to this sandbar some call "Shell Island", but on a much grander scale------I also have camped many many times on the beaches below San Felipe, but you do not seem comfortable with that, and I can understand that as you don't know me from Adam.

I will try to be more careful with my knee-jerk reactions------they do get me in trouble, from time to time.

The real bottom line is that this particular sandbar (technically known as a "barrier bar") near Percebu is really a jewel, and we all should try and spend some time there, if for no other reason than to just "chill out". What do you think? :yes:

Yeah, I do need to get back there.....

Hook - 3-1-2006 at 03:41 PM

....I now have a co-worker who is building a house at Bahia Santa Maria, just south. Probably will visit it in the next year.

The area is nice, no doubt. I wonder if the crude causeway is still there that allows direct access from the main road, without driving the beach from Percebu? Maybe David knows......

bajalou - 3-1-2006 at 04:04 PM

The "crude causway" is still there as of a month or so ago. Eroding a little more each year. But I heard someone was going to do some development stuff there soon????

David K - 3-1-2006 at 06:52 PM

El Dorado has bladed a new access road in... it leaves Hwy. 5 north of the Km. 26 'Shell Island' driveway, heads south-east, crossing the Shell Island road through the dunes and out twards the mud flats.

There is an El Dorado sign just past the northern most house at Bahia Santa Maria... The end is near amigos!

Hook, the causeway is melted down pretty bad... most of the way in across the mud flats is aparallel to the causeway with the east end by the concrete bridge splasing through water (except at the smallest moon phases, when the 'island' is not surrounded by water)...

By the way, here in San Diego we have a Harbor Island, Shelter Island, and Coronado Island... all of them are not surrounded by water... just mostly... :yes:

Hey, it's just my pet name for a great place... and it is more romantic than 'Beach'.

Viva Shell Island!