So there I was at El Tomatal

I went to BOLA to get in the water, fish – the usual – but the wind blew. For three days. So I left and decided to check out …
El Tomatal.
Had no problem with the road going in, and because it had been dry the stretch across the salt marsh was hardpacked. So far so good.
Beautiful beach, great beachcombing, nobody there – my kinda place.


I explored around and found the mysterious rock formation. That is a puzzle. I wonder if, because the area where they are found was graded for whatever purpose that wall is for, that somebody did some rudimentary excavation to document an early habitation site. Dunno. No fresh meat was found within the circles; my voice wasn’t amplified. Ok – it’s just a tall tale.



Had a nice evening, and made camp near the beach. The roar of the ocean waves became louder and louder and kept me awake – I kinda wished I had made camp back behind the salt marsh. But, oh well. In the morning, I was aghast to find that the tide had come up all the way to the rocks – only about 25 yards from me – no wonder the ocean was so loud. If I had gotten up to check, it would have freaked me out.





So. I tended to delay testing my nagging worry – that my battery was dead. I had a third cup of coffee. Decided I better know one way or another. Turned the key and, vroom, started right up. ALRIGHT! Yeah! No Problem. Ha, Ha – I worried for nothing. I went in the ocean – so refreshing.


Beachcombed some more – lots of shells, coyote bones. Curiously, not much sea glass or drift wood. I also saw only a couple whale bones, one dolphin bone, two shark heads, two sing ray heads. Hardly any fish bones at all. But fun nevertheless.

I cleaned up, packed up, ready to go by noon. I turn the key and . . .
Rrr rrr rrr rrr. ‘bout had a heart attack. Tried it again. Rrrr. Rrrr. Rrrr – a little slower and weaker. And then, finally, gratefully, Vroom!!! She kicked in. Never happened the rest of the trip; hasn’t ever happened before.

Something is definitely weird about that place. The battery draining phenomenon is real.

This is great!! Good that you kept up to speed on the El Tomatal Mystery (Baja's E-T).

It would be great if 'M' came back on Nomad to re-tell the story of her encounter with spirits, sound amplification, dead batteries, fresh animal organs, rock circles at El Tomatal (or nearby)...

There is another Nomad who also experienced the El Tomatal Mystery, many years ago... Maybe that person will come forward, as I promissed top not reveal the name a few years ago when it was told to me!

Here is the web page I made for M of her El Tomatal story and photos... another person also added his photos and findings, linked at the end of M's part: http://vivabaja.com/et

This ET web page was made about 10 years ago, ignore the email address in it.

When traveling alone in Baja in really remote places, I always carried a new Costco or WalMart auto battery, fully charged up, and not connected to the "system". For the $60 bucks or so it cost me, I thought it was cheap insurance, and I never worried about a "dead battery" again. I always hate to worry when in Baja.

Maybe should be on "the list"?? (or maybe it already is??)

Barry

Turnoff from Hwy. 1 (16 miles north of Villa Jesus Maria, is well signed and at the military checkpoint)

28º29.50', -114º03.60'



Miller's Landing is where onyx was once loaded onto ships for transport... mined just east at El Marmolito.

1962: