BajaNomad

Loreto - Lopez Mateos Trip, Sun/Mon (yesterday, 9/8)

bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:11 PM

After coming up empty Saturday on my first foray out of Loreto after the storm in search of marlin, I trailered my boat to Puerto Lopez Mateos Sunday to try my luck on Thetis Bank and to see first hand what Jimena had wrought on the Pacific side. The trip to Insurgentes was notable only for the work crews repairing the power lines and replacing downed poles and towers. The road between Insurgentes was passable, although I managed to get stuck in the mud on the return trip, with much less standing water than after the storm(s) last year. Wind damage in Lopez Mateos was considerable with few properties that incurred no damage at all, and many that were damaged significantly or destroyed. There were many downed or drooping electric/telephone lines as well as felled trees which made negotiating the streets with a car a challenge, let alone a truck towing a boat with a T-top. I would not recommend that anybody who is not very familiar with the town tow their boat there for the next couple of weeks. I don't think that any of the few motels in town were open. When I left yesterday afternoon (Monday) there was running water and some telephone service, but no electricity. The army was in town in force coordinating the clean-up effort.
As to the fishing, It has cooled off in the wake of the storm along with the surface water temperature. I found no wahoo on Thetis Bank or the high spots to the north in 80 degree water that before the storm had been 85. Logging about 150 miles on the water yielded only 5 small yellowfin close outside the boca on the way back in. I saw not a single other boat of any type all day. The tuna I gave to Ruben Duran who had made up a list of families that might appreciate them.

This is one of the hundred or so towers that collapsed between San Carlos and Loreto leaving Loreto without power for four days until generators were trucked north from Cabo

[Edited on 9-8-2009 by bill erhardt]

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:13 PM

Sign in Insurgentes

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:15 PM

Another

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:17 PM

Insurgentes to Lopez

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:19 PM

more

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:22 PM

more

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:24 PM

more

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:26 PM

Much wind damage

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:29 PM

and damage from felled trees

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:31 PM

the motel that many fishermen stay in lost the front porch, some of the roof, and is closed for business

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:34 PM

the cannery suffered significant damage and is shut down for the foreseeable future

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bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 12:36 PM

the dock and whale watching facilities next door were relatively unscathed

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David K - 9-8-2009 at 05:42 PM

Thanks Bill! Any word on the Hoyt's business out there somewhere?

bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 07:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Thanks Bill! Any word on the Hoyt's business out there somewhere?

Bob weathered the storm fine. I didn't see Diane yesterday. She was talking last week about a trip to La Paz. Bob got all his boats out of the water and filled them with water so they wouldn't blow away. It worked. The cabins out on the island took a hit, however.

mulegemichael - 9-8-2009 at 07:47 PM

thanks bill; great report...we'll be down there by the weekend for cleanup at our casa in mulege...i'd rather be fishing!

Von - 9-8-2009 at 07:52 PM

Awesome report My friend~~

YARDSAIL - 9-8-2009 at 08:05 PM

Bill......How did Ruben and Vicki fare through the storm??....Brian

bill erhardt - 9-8-2009 at 08:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by YARDSAIL
Bill......How did Ruben and Vicki fare through the storm??....Brian

Brian.......Ruben and Vicki are fine. Two palm trees fell in the yard, but Ruben had them cut up and out of the way before I got over there. Ruben helped me find a path to the launch ramp through the debris and downed electric/telephone wires, and put me up at a friend's house Sunday night. The day before the storm he moved the Raptor out of the river and tied it up at the cannery. The cannery didn't fare so well, but the Raptor rode it out in fine style and is back at its dock in the river.

David K - 9-9-2009 at 08:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bill erhardt
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Thanks Bill! Any word on the Hoyt's business out there somewhere?

Bob weathered the storm fine. I didn't see Diane yesterday. She was talking last week about a trip to La Paz. Bob got all his boats out of the water and filled them with water so they wouldn't blow away. It worked. The cabins out on the island took a hit, however.


Thank you... Pretty smart of Bob to do that!