BajaNomad

Sea of Cortez Beach Escape Oct. 3-6, 2009: DAY 1 & 2

David K - 10-8-2009 at 07:53 AM

An escape from civilization, perhaps an escape from reality... call it what you will: Baja is an experience, not just a destination!

Every few months (or more often), we enjoy a break from our daily stateside routines so a camping trip is the answer. Not just any place, mind you. But, a place where we are 'at one' with the land and sea. Where sounds consist mostly of such noises as the sea, birds and a breeze.

We have a favorite beach, one that is only about 6 hours from our home. A beach I have been camping on since 1978 and remains the same now as it was back then... undeveloped, unpopulated and just plain beautiful! The beach is a barrier island that is surrounded by water during the highest tides or any storm surges, otherwise a four wheel drive or dune buggy can access it through a mud field at low tide if one is careful where he places the tires!

Because it is an island and the beach is made of a combination of sand and shells, I have called it 'Shell Island'. Local gringos who have moved to the area in more recent years, since the highway was built south of San Felipe, simply refer to it as 'Shell Beach'... As that is already a name used for an area at Punta Chivato, I think calling it Shell Island is more unique for this place.

Our original plan was to spend Labor Day weekend camping on the beach, but a hurricane to the south had us postpone that trip. My wife, Elizabeth ('Baja Angel') has to arrange days off in advance... so vacation would need to be refigured for our 'get-away'. I am self employed, and with the economy in such misery, my business is down compared to past years. The only 'good' part (if you can call it that) is the lack of work makes taking trips to Baja easier (if there is enough money)!

We got on the road about sunrise last Saturday and made our favorite breakfast restaurant in Vista, our first stop... appropriately named 'Sunrise Cafe' we had their fresh stawberry waffles and a side of bacon to get us to Baja! Next stop was El Centro then south to Mexicali, where drop down gates now control cars entering Mexico with several agents ready to inspect cars in line. We got the green light and an open gate.

The drive south was very easy starting with all green lights going through Mexicali (amazing). We noticed road widening work beginning near the El Chinero mountain and a full/ bridge interchange under construction at the Highway 3 (Ensenada) junction.

All southbound cars are now diverted into multiple lanes and being questioned or inspected, whereas last trip here (July 09) only northbound vehicles could expect to get searched.

Soon after the checkpoint, we entered the brand new road. Only 2 lanes, but with wide shoulders, well elevated above the desert and bordered by fences preventing any desert exploring if there was a ramp off the elevated road, as there were almost no places with an opening in this fence.

We got to San Felipe just after noon and opted to have some tacos along the sea front street. With full tummies and a full gas tank (7.41 pesos per liter/ 13 pesos per dollar = $2.16 per gallon).

There are two roads off Hwy. 5 that lead to Shell Island. The original (graded in 1984) is just past the Km. 26 marker and a newer one is just after Km. 25, that cuts across the the other, at an angle. These are about 3 miles south of the Rancho Percebu road (between Km. 20 & 21).

It is 2 1/2 miles to the island/ beach with the last half mile over a mud/ salt flat the regularly goes underwater with the highest tides and has some mud and water to cross the other times. Needless to say, four wheel drive comes into play here!

The island is 4 miles long, one to the south and three to the north from the road... Pick your camp site! A seasonally occupied fisherman's shack is just south of the road... it was unoccupied this trip. We soon discovered the entire island was ours to enjoy with nobody else in sight...

After setting up camp, we went swimming then relaxed as the tide went out... looked at the shells before it got dark... and had some quiet time.

Photos from Day 1:

















TO BE CONTINUED!

[Edited on 10-8-2009 by David K]

Great Spot!!

Borregoman - 10-8-2009 at 11:19 AM

I concur Dave, that area of Baja beach is the best closest most wonderful Baja experience within a short distance of Southern California. For us in Mission Viejo....7hrs and we are opening the front door in BSM.

We have a home at the northern most part of the beach in Bahia Santa Maria so we have a very short walk to experience that kind of solitude where just sit on the beach and feel like you are the only ones on the planet. We always enjoy our trips to our 'getaway" home in BSM, nothing like it.

David K - 10-8-2009 at 04:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Borregoman
I concur Dave, that area of Baja beach is the best closest most wonderful Baja experience within a short distance of Southern California. For us in Mission Viejo....7hrs and we are opening the front door in BSM.

We have a home at the northern most part of the beach in Bahia Santa Maria so we have a very short walk to experience that kind of solitude where just sit on the beach and feel like you are the only ones on the planet. We always enjoy our trips to our 'getaway" home in BSM, nothing like it.


Great! You are among other Nomads with homes in the Bahia Santa Maria/ Playa Hermosa complex (BajaRob and Baja Warrior)... We had a lot on the bay back in 1972 just a couple years after the Madueña's started Bahia Santa Maria. Never built on it... others who did on either side of our lot lost their homes when the bay changed shape in 1977-8. The original round houses sure morphed into some fabulous homes... See you on the island sometime!

Sea of Cortez Beach Escape Oct. 3-6, 2009: DAY 2

David K - 10-8-2009 at 04:35 PM

The breeze ws too strong for a campfire, so we made sandwiches and had some great Mexican cerveza and a new tequila drink in a can...



The next morning (low tide) we went looking for any unusual shells or sites on the sand bars. Baja Angel was yelling at me to check out a big murex shell she picked up and as we walked toward each other, the biggest hermit crab I have ever seen started to come out! I took a hurried photo as Elizabeth started to freak out...



Now, after the surprise was over... some more photos of Herman the Hermit:







The shade was put up at out camp spot...



A check north...



And a look south...



Nobody but us Baja Nomads... It must be beer thirty?



Sunset Sunday Night...



No wind allows a campfire... with a full moon rising...

(no flash)

(with flash)


Look who shows up to have some of Baja Angel's hot dog bun!





Continues here with DAY 3 & 4: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=41823



[Edited on 10-9-2009 by David K]

Bajagypsy - 10-8-2009 at 04:48 PM

Looks like you guys had a wonderful time. I love camping where there are no people. Wish we lived closer to be able to get away for a weekend to do what you guys did!

David K - 10-9-2009 at 08:39 AM

Yes we did... I bet there are many camping places in The Great White North without people, too... But, perhaps a bit COLDER than in Baja?!

I imagine someday, Bahia Asuncion will be your new home... Call it 'New Canada', perhaps?

Cypress - 10-9-2009 at 01:42 PM

David K., Thanks for the pictures and the report.

David K - 10-10-2009 at 11:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cypress
David K., Thanks for the pictures and the report.


My pleasure!:cool:

pal57 - 10-13-2009 at 05:13 AM

Hi David,
just read your report and look at those beautiful photos, I loved the one with the hermit, it was soo big.
you still make me remember of our trip in Baja, but this next time we want to rent a off road motocycle and vist the inlands from Mulege to San Ignacio and up towards Guerrero Negro.
:cool:
Bye Pal57

David K - 10-13-2009 at 08:05 AM

Sounds like a good plan Pal! Likewise, I hope to someday return to Italy and show Baja Angel the sights... and also visit your homeland... the Republic of San Marino!

BooJumMan - 11-3-2009 at 07:36 PM

That is the biggest hermit crab I've ever seen!! x100!!!

Nothing else says Baja like a kangaroo mouse at dusk right after dinner! ;)

Mulegena - 11-3-2009 at 08:00 PM

Glad you had another great time in Baja.

That hermit crab is cool. You can see them scuba diving at night
wandering around the ocean floor in their big shells.

Reminds me of being on a dive trip in the Caymans
and a big crab came meandering onto the dancefloor one night.

David K - 11-3-2009 at 09:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mulegena
Glad you had another great time in Baja.

That hermit crab is cool. You can see them scuba diving at night
wandering around the ocean floor in their big shells.

Reminds me of being on a dive trip in the Caymans
and a big crab came meandering onto the dancefloor one night.


Did he want to 'limbo' with the humans?:yes:

Mulegena - 11-4-2009 at 01:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Quote:
Originally posted by Mulegena
Glad you had another great time in Baja.

That hermit crab is cool. You can see them scuba diving at night wandering around the ocean floor in their big shells.

Reminds me of being on a dive trip in the Caymans
and a big crab came meandering onto the dancefloor one night.


Did he want to 'limbo' with the humans?:yes:

Limbo dancing, scuba diving crabs
and desert mice that eat out of your hand... only on Baja Nomad. ;)

David K - 11-4-2009 at 09:23 AM

'Yah mon' ;D:lol:

David K - 12-29-2009 at 08:15 AM

Heading back in a couple days...Just too beautiful to stay away for very long! Plus, the new truck needs to be tested on the bottomless sand of Shell Island/ San Felipe South! 4 wheel drive with front and rear limited slip differentials... Perhaps no air needs to be removed from the tires?

Shell Beach, David and Toyota

bonanza bucko - 12-29-2009 at 09:16 AM

For David K:
Super pictures of a super place. Thanks for them and for all the other good stuff you post here. You are a real help and a true friend of all of us who love Baja.

Question: Is you Toyota Tacoma tough enough for "That Road" south of Puertecitos? I have a 2004 Tundra 4X4 which I love. It has 151K miles on it and it's still running great and in good shape....it's been down That Road and back about twenty times and doesn't even have a squeek for show for it. But it's days are numbered and I HATE the new Tundras.....the only thing that separates them from an urban cowboy Dodge is the hood ornament and the bull's gonads on the hitch....too big. I also have friends who pretty much destroyed them on That Road.

I know That Road is gonna be paved by this time next year but I still need a tough truck for Baja. I would love to buy a Tacoma 4X4 loaded and then lift it and put overloads on it for Baja....if you say that would work.

I think Toyota may be delivering a new model Tacoma next year....they change models every 6 years and I think it's time. If they do that I think they may produce a Tacoma that is a little bigger and more like the old Tundra because the new, big Tundra has not been selling too well.

Anyhow...I would love your opinion...or that of anybody else who has one based on experience.

Bonanza Bucko (airplane driver and Tundra lover)

Mexicorn - 12-29-2009 at 09:21 AM

Heres one of my favorites spots...

David K - 12-29-2009 at 10:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bonanza bucko
For David K:
Super pictures of a super place. Thanks for them and for all the other good stuff you post here. You are a real help and a true friend of all of us who love Baja.

Question: Is you Toyota Tacoma tough enough for "That Road" south of Puertecitos? I have a 2004 Tundra 4X4 which I love. It has 151K miles on it and it's still running great and in good shape....it's been down That Road and back about twenty times and doesn't even have a squeek for show for it. But it's days are numbered and I HATE the new Tundras.....the only thing that separates them from an urban cowboy Dodge is the hood ornament and the bull's gonads on the hitch....too big. I also have friends who pretty much destroyed them on That Road.

I know That Road is gonna be paved by this time next year but I still need a tough truck for Baja. I would love to buy a Tacoma 4X4 loaded and then lift it and put overloads on it for Baja....if you say that would work.

I think Toyota may be delivering a new model Tacoma next year....they change models every 6 years and I think it's time. If they do that I think they may produce a Tacoma that is a little bigger and more like the old Tundra because the new, big Tundra has not been selling too well.

Anyhow...I would love your opinion...or that of anybody else who has one based on experience.

Bonanza Bucko (airplane driver and Tundra lover)


Thank you for the kind words!

I am on my third Tacoma now. The body style changed in 2005 to be bigger, like the older Tundra was.

Previous to my 2005 was my 2001 xtracab 2 door. Both the 2 door and the 2nd genertion Tacoma ('05) have been south of Puertecitos several times (photos of some of those trips on VivaBaja.com).

No modifications were needed for the Baja roads on either, however on my '05 I did install Ride Rite Air Springs (Bags) as the suspension was so soft it would bottom out with a load in the back anytime I hit a bump at the speed I like to drive. That solved the issue for good!

Now I just got a 2010 Tacoma (the same model as the '05) and we took it 4 wheeling yesterday out at Ocotillo Wells. The suspension seems to be improved/ stiffer... We didn't have a big load in back, but it seemed good as I was driving it hard. I saved the Ride Rite Air Springs and fittings to install on the new truck, but I may not need to if Toyota beefed up the rear springs?!

I suggest you visit your Toyota dealer and drive the newer Tacomas... If you want the best Baja set up, you will want the 4WD with the TRD Off Road package (not the Sport package).

The 2nd generation Tacoma is pretty close to the same size as the 1st generation Tundra. I sure hope they don't mke them any bigger... then they won't be the best on trails. Neal Johns doesn't even want to get the '05+ Tacoma because he feels it is too big for the trails.

See my 2010 Tacoma test posts in the Off Road forum... adding more info today.

baron - 12-29-2009 at 10:57 AM

Heading back in a couple days...Just too beautiful to stay away for very long! Plus, the new truck needs to be tested on the bottomless sand of Shell Island/ San Felipe South! 4 wheel drive with front and rear limited slip differentials... Perhaps no air needs to be removed from the tires?
I am reading with interest your postings. Do you have an opinion on the best portable 12v air compressor to carry after deflating your tires?

David K - 12-29-2009 at 12:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by baron
Heading back in a couple days...Just too beautiful to stay away for very long! Plus, the new truck needs to be tested on the bottomless sand of Shell Island/ San Felipe South! 4 wheel drive with front and rear limited slip differentials... Perhaps no air needs to be removed from the tires?
I am reading with interest your postings. Do you have an opinion on the best portable 12v air compressor to carry after deflating your tires?


Thank you!

Many posts on air pumps... and I have posted photos of mine (purchased at Harbor Freight)... You can by one here on Baja Nomad (see the Tienda Baja Nomad link at the top of every page)... here is the pump sold on Nomad, very similar to the one I have: http://tienda.bajanomad.com/index.php?act=viewProd&produ...

[Edited on 12-29-2009 by David K]

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