I was afraid something like this might happen. Graham Macintosh has given me the “Baja Bug.” That is to say I’m going exploring. I just got back
from my first training expedition and I’m feeling pretty good about the whole experience.
I haven’t read all of Graham’s books but I read Into a Desert Place, his first book and was struck by the lunacy of the man and the plan. I was also
struck by the fact that Graham sure can explore but he’s lousy at book titles. Into a Desert Place first made me think it was about a guy who goes to
Vegas, blows all his dough, gets in trouble with the law and dies in jail. Journey With A Baja Burro conjures up a picture of a hobo walking the
tracks carrying a bag which contains the bottom part of a burro. Nearer My Dog To Thee has just got to be about a dog or it’s a religious tract with
a play on words about a popular hymn.
I digress. I have a few years on Graham but I can still get around. I’ve traveled all over Baja California in every kind of conveyance but I have
not walked or hitched rides. Lived off the sea. I once stayed nine days at Bahia Concepcion eating only the things I took from the sea. I did go to
Mulege several times during that trip for beer and ice. (I fudged a little here because we all know beer is food)
Now I live in Baja Sur so my first expedition was short, close to home. Here’s my thumbnail account (this may one day be a part of a larger work, a
book perhaps).
Planning: Like Graham (he lets me call him by his first name now) I planned to stay along the shore. For convenience sake my jumping off point
would be from my house which is right on the beach. I would travel east and southeast staying close to the water. My destination: a resort called
Punta Colorado. On the map there are two roads to the resort. One is a good dirt road about six kilometers. The other is twelve kilometers of paved
road and 3 kilometers of graded dirt. I estimate the distance along the shore to be about 4.2 kilometers.
The trip was to have two stages: walking to the resort and then, somehow, getting back to my house.
Equipment, supplies and preparation: In a net bag I carefully placed a pair of Croc shoes, my snorkel mask, a small baggie of fishing lures, in
another small baggie some pesos (careful to have every denomination from coins to 200 peso notes). Preparation consisted of a thorough coating of SP
40 sunblock, my usual morning sitdown and coffee, checked the clock, grabbed my Shakepeare ultralight rod and reel with new 8 pound test mono and 4
pound flouro leader, kissed my wife goodbye. (I don’t carry water. I don’t drink water. I drank water once when I was 12 years old. It was
tasteless.)
Stage one: The first leg of the trip from my house to the shore was relatively easy and uneventful. I did see and wave to Raul, a nice guy, a
cementero and Bey, a very bad guy on a bicycle (I did not wave or smile). I also saw a western coachwhip snake and the tracks of 2 seasnakes which
make their nests along these shores. It was a quiet, calm morning with high thin clouds. The sea was like glass, a few mullet jumping. I headed
east. At a place called La Boca, where a pond is held inshore by the berm of the beach, I could see some surface action on the sea side so I threw a
small Castmaster lure for jacks or ladyfish. Got only one bump in 30 casts so I moved on.
Another 400 meters eastward on the beach brought me to a little development of expensive seaside homes. I marveled at the newest one under
construction which is dangerously close to the water. I’ve heard the main house will be 10,000 square feet with 3 auxiliary buildings which total
another 10,000. Further down the beach at La Salina, another inshore pool, I stopped to snorkel over a large rock slab which sometimes holds huge
schools of Mexican goatfish, triggers, parrots and more. The water was pretty murky and last winter’s winds had covered most of the huge rock slab
with sand.
Just before the resort property I threw some small to medium Crocodile lures above the rocks for cabrilla or pargo. Lost 2 lures so I moved on.
I climbed the stairs to the outside patio of the resort looking all the while for Fidel, my favorite bartender. I was gravely disappointed to see
that the owner’s grandson, Cuco, 12 years old, was playing bartender at this early hour. All the hotel charter boats were already out so the patio
area was deserted.
Just when I was in the mood to celebrate I was drowning in despair. I wanted one of Fidel’s splendid Bloody Marys. I needed it, I deserved it. Now
I was going to have to choke down one of Cuco’s noxious elixirs. He is infamous. The poor fishermen try to show good will, good humor as they watch
him experiment with his ever-changing recipes, his hit or miss chemistry lab approach to the delicate art of mixology. In a weak and shaky voice I
ordered a drink.
I could not watch. I turned seaward on my barstool but in my mind’s eye I could almost see the globs of horseradish, the great lumps of pepper, the
extra-heavy squirts of Tabasco. Some movement on the far edge of the patio caught my eye. Fidel? Was that Fidel? It was, I was saved. I waved and
got up from my perch as he came forward.
“Fidel, Fidel, you’re a sight for sore eyes. I just finished a long walk on the beach from my house and I need one of your special Bloody Marys.”
Cuco scowled and poured his mistake down the drain.
While Fidel made my frosty libation I inquired about a ride back to the house. Fidel said Alejandro would be going home about ten and he would
arrange a ride for me.
Now all that preparation was paying off. I gave Cuco some coins, paid for the drink with a bill large enough for a handsome propina for Fidel and had
the exactly appropriate bills left in the little baggie to say thank you to Alejandro for the ride home.
So, Graham, I guess we can all learn from others. When you see my first book be looking for Into A Bloody Mary Place or A Brush with Death by Poison
in Baja Sur.David K - 4-4-2008 at 10:59 AM
WONDERFUL!
Thanks Osprey... very creative...Von - 4-4-2008 at 11:02 AM
Wish I could join you instead of being here at my stupid jobfishbuck - 4-4-2008 at 11:05 AM
Graham's book had the same effect on me. I applaud your adventuous spirt.
A walk down the beach to the bar is a good start. I think I'll try it now!Bajagypsy - 4-4-2008 at 11:26 AM
That was wonderful!Martyman - 4-4-2008 at 11:41 AM
Quite an adventure. Water is over rated.
I once ordered a margarita at a bar in Bahia de LA and it was Blue! One of the worst drink I've ever had, but...I drank it anyway.Sharksbaja - 4-4-2008 at 11:59 AM
Bravo! Waiting for stage two.DENNIS - 4-4-2008 at 12:13 PM
Good one, Jorge. Future generations will be infected with wanderlust at reading your journals but, you need more chapters as compelling and
imaginative as your first. You will, no doubt, be inducted into The Explorers Club on the first ballot. Salud.DENNIS - 4-4-2008 at 12:17 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Martyman
I once ordered a margarita at a bar in Bahia de LA and it was Blue! One of the worst drink I've ever had, but...I drank it anyway.
Waste not...Want not. When I was young, the penguin suited nuns at school would caution us against waste by saying, "Remember the poor pagan children
in China who don't have a Blue Margarita." [ updated for emphasis ]Graham - 4-4-2008 at 10:52 PM
Osprey,
You have inspired me. I am dropping everything and heading south to Baja. Keep up the good work. GrahamSharksbaja - 4-4-2008 at 10:58 PM
Take spore prints and tissue samples please!!bajajudy - 4-5-2008 at 07:09 AM
Sea Hawk
That was mighty fine reading...thanks
Now I will have a bloody mary, please.mulegemichael - 4-5-2008 at 05:37 PM
jorge...i have many times made that trek between punta colorada and la ribera and it leaves me with many many fond memories...i have now moved my life
north to mulege and am so happy here in this little oasis.... i was the guy who was building the purple casa up by the hwy by super mini rey....fell
in love with another gal and bought our casa in mulege...but yeah, lots of really super, fun memories of la ribera and punta colorada....and
fidel...and, my favorito, alejandro....if, and when you see him again, give him a big HOLA from miguel
