YARCRAFT AT HOUSE ANCHORAGE
WIDE ANGLE – COYOTE BAY HOMES
COYOTE CAMPING BEACH..NOW WE HEAD OUT OF THE BAY..TO THE OPEN SEA OF CORTEZ
1ST NEIGHBORHOOD BAY – PLAYA BURROS – BERTHA’S BEACH CAFÉ
THE BAY SHRINE – 2011 COLORS
PLAYA COCOS – CANADIAN TERRITORY?
PLAYA ESCONDIDO – REMOTER BEACH CAMPING – THAT ROAD GOES TO THE MAIN HIGHWAY NEXT TO POSADA – EASY TRAIL
MY OLD SAND SPIT - LUNCH BREAK ISLAND
THE POSADA CLUSTER OF HOUSES – HILL AND BEACH
MY SECOND HOME IN BAJA – 1977 RESOLD MANY TIMES..AND FOR SALE AGAIN.
OSPREY HOUSE…ON THE POINT …HAD OSPREY NEST ON CHIMNEY ..EARLY ‘BACK IN THE DAY’ BAJA GIRLFRIEND..SANG BALLAD OF 1000 BULLETS EVERY MORNING AND NIGHT
SANTISPAC BEACH AND CAMPING – ANA’S CANTINA FAR RIGHT
SANTISPAC LAGOON CAMPING – HIGHWAY SEEN IN BACKGROUND
FORMER HOME OF JOHN STURGES….MOVIE DIRECTOR..KELLY’S HEROS, BAD DAY AT EAGLE ROCK, ETC. WE DATED SAME GAL..OSPREY HOUSE! RIP, JOHN.
A GOOD, BUT LITTLE USED CAMPING BEACH NEAR SANTISPAC
EMPTY PLAYA ARENA – REALLY..HMMM…WONDER WHY?
OLD BAJA AMIGOS 2-STORY PALAPA – NOW MOVED TO COSTA RICA
MORE OF PLAYA NARANJOS – WIND CAPITOL OF CONCEPTION BAY – LOTS OF WHITECAPS IN WINTER
NEWER PALAPAS AND GOOD BOAT LAUNCH
ENTRANCE TO COYOTE BAY FROM BOC STRAITS
NEWER HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN BAY ENTRANCE – ALSO WINDY AREA, USUALLY
MEETING FISHING BUDDIES OUTSIDE THE BAY – WILBUR’S HOLE
ANOTHER FISHING BUDDY – A POOR FISHING DAY FOR THESE FELLOWS, THOUGH. NONE-ZIPPO-NADA
I MANAGED MY LIMIT, BUT THEY WERE SMALL, EASY CABRILLA AND PINTOS.
I WOULD HAVE LIKED A NICED YELLOWTAIL...LIKE THIS ONE CAUGHT EARLIER.
THIS HAPPENS OFTEN..TOPHEAD-HOOKED
A FAMILIAR LANDMARK…OSPREY ROCK
A PAIR ARE BUSY NESTING..AND FLYING RECON
ONE ALWAYS REMAINS WHILE THE OTHER FISHES…THIS ONE KEEPS A WATCHFUL EYE ON ME.
THE OLD MANGANESE MINE…WWII VINTAGE...ORE WENT TO THE GERMAN’S WAR EFFORT…CLOSED WHEN THEY WERE DEFEATED
ALL THAT IS LEFT OF THE SHIP LOADING PIER
SOMETHING IS CHASING ME!
AHA! OLD CORTEZ AMIGOS
THESE FELLOWS LOVE TO SURF!
AND JUMP, OF COURSE..
AND SOME WANT MY SARDINES ON A CRACKER!
TIME TO HEAD HOME….LET’S ROLL!
ALL SYSTEMS GOOD TO GO
A SURPRISE AWAITS AT HOME…A VISIT ON BIKES FROM DTBUSHPILOT AND MOTOGED.
THEY HAD BEEN AROUND THE BAY ALL DAY EXPLORING ON THEIR OFFROADERS.
NOW ENROUTE TO THE COMONDUS AND OTHER REMOTE MOUNTAIN VILLAGES. THE BEACH b-tch, CEDRIC GIVES THEM AN ESCORT TO THE HIGHWAY.
GOOD BIKING AND GOOD LUCK, AMIGOS!
….AND THAT’S THE END OF ANOTHER DAY IN BAJA…PRETTY BORING, HUH?
[Edited on 3-2-2011 by Pompano]Gaucho - 2-20-2011 at 07:03 PM
Great pics Pompano, thank you!BigOly - 2-20-2011 at 07:15 PM
Fantastic, clear photos. Thank you!krafty - 2-20-2011 at 07:42 PM
thanks for sharing!mcfez - 2-20-2011 at 07:44 PM
Pompano
I truly thank you for taking the time to do these great photo essays. These photos pose to show the true Baja
Was DTBUSHPILOT AND MOTOGED there a week or so ago? I know Motoged was heading southwardBarry A. - 2-20-2011 at 07:54 PM
Great shots, Pomp. Is NOMAD "Vince" 's home near yours? I know he and his brother Pat have one somewhere down there in Coyote Bay, but never have
seen it.
BarryPompano - 2-20-2011 at 08:18 PM
mcfez..they stopped by on the 14th..then headed south.
Barry A...yes, I have known Vince and Pat since the 70's. Their house is the third from the left end of my Coyote Bay homes picture.
Both are doctors..and Vince recently saved my life by getting me to the ER in Chula Vista. I thank him..I fear the world does not. BornFisher - 2-20-2011 at 08:36 PM
WOW!! Too cool! Loved it!!
Really, that was great, thanks!Lauriboats - 2-21-2011 at 06:43 AM
Looks like a great Baja day to me.Cypress - 2-21-2011 at 07:18 AM
Pompano, Thanks.racheldarlin - 2-21-2011 at 07:55 AM
Pampano
Great photo essay. Particularly liked the Dolphin chase.
The Sturges movie you called "Bad Day at Eagle Rock" is actually titled "Bad Day at Black Rock." One of the best ever made. Spencer Tracey starred.
Lee Marvin first movie.Pompano - 2-21-2011 at 08:22 AM
racheldarlin...you are correct...my bad. One of my alltime best ...watched it many times. Ha...I have my own home movies of me and John dancing with
the same senorita at the Sat Nite Pig Roast at the Serinadad ..back in the day.
Some other great Sturges movies were:
Gunfight at the OK Corral, The Great Escape, Magnificent Seven, Ice Station Zebra, Never So Few, Joe Kid (I watched this for the umpteenth time just a
couple nights ago), McQ (John Wayne), Thunderbolt (loved this when I was a Kid), Old Man and the Sea (Spencer Tracy and one of my favorites of all
time...(damn that marlin was huge!)
By Love Possessed (not so good for me...)
The Law and Jake Wade (I always liked Richard Widmark)
The Hallelujah Trail ..Burt Lancaster..another favorite actor
and a whole lot more...Good Stuff!David K - 2-21-2011 at 09:39 AM
Thank you very much Roger! I specially enjoyed seeing the magnesium mine... I had not seen photos of it before. First heard about it in Jim Hunter's
1977 book 'Offbeat Baja'.
McQ
racheldarlin - 2-21-2011 at 10:00 AM
I was at Pacific Beach/Moclips a couple of weekends ago and was trying to remember the name of the John Wayne movie that was partially shot there.
"McQ"
I didn't know that it was a Sturges film.
I don't have all that you mentioned but I do break out The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven at least once a year. I guess that is why they call
them classics.watizname - 2-21-2011 at 10:10 AM
Wow!!!! How b-tchin was that!!! Thanks a million.Trueheart - 2-21-2011 at 10:34 AM
Pomp:
Really nice picture tour ... thanks.
Your 2nd home (1977) up on the hill .... I know someone (part owner) of a place up there, maybe even in your picture. His name is Jay Williams. I
can come up with the name of the other owner (longer term) but I'll need to do some checking on that name first.
Any connection there?
SteveDavid K - 2-21-2011 at 10:38 AM
I have Ice Station Zebra on my Netflix order... I remember that movie from when I was kid in the 60's...
[Edited on 2-21-2011 by David K]willyAirstream - 2-21-2011 at 10:42 AM
Thanks Pompano! Another super photo essay!
I grabbed a few of the pics for a current project, ok?Pompano - 3-1-2011 at 04:35 PM
Buenos dias, all.
Well, this day started off as another fishing day. So here we go:
Location: Mulege River Boat Ramp, Mulege.
Finishing the last of my breakfast, Pacifico with Clamato, I left the boat ramp around 6:14 to check out the water depth.
Lindsay’s Law kept running thru my mind: ‘If your depth exceeds your draft, you are most assuredly aground.’ ....now was he talking just
draft beer.?, or would that include bottled GMD's too?
Getting out to mid-river, I noticed the tide was good for my Yarcraft’s hull clearance all the way past the lighthouse and out to sea. A relief off
my mind….so far, so good.
I waded back, got another delicious ‘michelada’ and launched the boat.
Now an old ramp buddy, Ramon, was there waiting.. and for some reason thought I needed help launching..?? Well, his help is always appreciated...no
matter how strangely offered.
Good ol helpful Ramon..always smiling. "Want a brew, old amigo?"
Getting out of the estuary was easy like always. When I came to the highway bridge, I just made a neat U-turn and headed the other way.
Finding Punta Prieta was also easy..and as soon as I had shoved some goof-balls out of the way, I made lots of bait.
A real puzzle was that they all came aboard in perfect pairs, no matter the size...like those four laying at my feet.
Sometimes 10-12 at a time, like the photo above shows. Hey, it was just one of those kinda days out there.
Now here is where this Fishing Report makes a 180-degree turn. I looked at the moon…What the heck!...it’s a ‘Full Moon’?
What am I doing out here??
So about this time I decided to change the name of the fish in my live-well above from BAIT to CREW….and we all headed off
on a water camera- safari.
That’s a far-off view of San Marcos Island as seen from Chivato Point.
On old friends casa… Fox….and part of the original camping beach below.
We gave this peak a special name ‘back in the day’. Can you possibly guess what the name was/is?
Now we are going to take a little boat trip down the shoreline of Punta Chivato..revisiting some 80’s-90’s homes, the old Casa Grande where I lived,
the hotel, and so on.
If you are a homeowner on the shore at Punta Chivato, you will probably see your home somewhere in the following photos.
6.
‘Back in the day’ when I lived at the Casa Grande, the only two buildings were the hotel and the casa grande. Wait..plus the old smokehouse near the
ramp.
7.
The Casa Grande..home from 1978 to 1985.
8.
“On the hard.”
10.
The Hotel and our old rooster fishing grounds right below the patio.
11.
12.
Going on down the shore..Shell Beach, Fish camp, Dead Man beach. Houses, houses, houses.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Quite a few, eh?
21.
22.
25.
Yes, here are Russ’s photo subjects. The Commercials. A pity I left all those limpet mines back at the casa..
26.
Some pangueros from Shell Beach wave on the way home.
26.1
These beach scenes are from the Santa Inez camping beach…LOTS OF ROOM. ALMOST DESERTED. Look on highway for entrance signs. I know nothing about
rates or services or security.
27.
28.
Mexican Air Farce flies low-level formation. Every now and then…Whammo! Ker-splash!
29.
30.
Coming home to Mulege thru the estuary.
And that's today's fun boat ride.
Note: no baitfish were injured in the making of this photo-trip.
Cypress - 3-1-2011 at 05:24 PM
Pompano, Thanks for the photo tour.monoloco - 3-1-2011 at 06:11 PM
I believe that Doc Savage lives in the house above the old camping beach, Some old friends from Oregon Ron and Jenny have the house next door to the
north.
Old Manganese Mine...more info?
rhintransit - 3-1-2011 at 07:12 PM
thanks to Pompano for his recent post "Day on the Cortez..." I'd like to know more about one particular photo/site, that of the old manganese mine at
the tip of the Conception Bay Peninsula, so am starting a new thread rather than doing a hijack of that post. edit...oops, I thought I was doing
that, oh, well, will try again but leave this here...
I spent several days camping at the area two years ago, but no one in our party could come up with much history of the mine. a geologist in the
group had found the name of the company but drawn a blank when researching it. for some reason we all assumed it was part of the US war effort.
Pompano refers to it as "THE OLD MANGANESE MINE…WWII VINTAGE...ORE WENT TO THE GERMAN’S WAR EFFORT…CLOSED WHEN THEY WERE DEFEATED"
and from David K:
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Thank you very much Roger! I specially enjoyed seeing the magnesium mine... I had not seen photos of it before. First heard about it in Jim Hunter's
1977 book 'Offbeat Baja'.
I don't have access to that book but I'd like to know more about the history of the mine. the ruins there are quite extensive, it must have been a
big operation. are there Nomads out there who can tell us about it?
[Edited on 3-2-2011 by rhintransit]
San Marcos Island
Pompano - 3-2-2011 at 03:43 AM
Map of San Marcos Island
1974 - One of my neighbors, Jack Weyerhauser, Lois Black, wife of Blackjack (JW Black) and I visit the gypsum mine and mining village on San Marcos
Island. Everything gets covered in white dust.
San Marcos Island area is a long-time favorite for yellowtail anglers.
Water view of north side of the island...and the seal rocks, lighthouse, etc.
Just north of San Marcos ..towards the port of Santa Rosalia...are many good holes to yo-yo or live-bait fish for the fiesty jurel and delicious
cabrilla.
Below are just a few pics of some very successful fishing days at San Marcos.
Hot Tip: Make bait early!...Get to fishing grounds early!
A wee bit too early for some anglers...
Lots of marine life around the island.
Beachmaster..and rockmaster, too.
See the young light-colored seal pup? I took this Seal Rock photo in 1974. In the distant background, you can see one of Tres Virgens mountains...a
useful landmark for aviators back then...and even today.
These two photos below were taken on the east side of San Marcos Island. A shoreline dotted with grottos and great diving opportunities. A long time
ago, I went snorkeling/diving in these caves for lots of superb lobster and rock scallop dinners. What fun we had..
SAN MARCOS ISLAND - A FAVORITE OLD SEA HAUNT.
wessongroup - 3-2-2011 at 07:57 AM
Really nice... thanks.. almost like being in the boat with ya...Bob H - 3-2-2011 at 08:19 AM
Wow, what a photo tour x 2.... Thanks!!Vince - 3-2-2011 at 12:58 PM
Roger- I just returned from 17 days in South Africa and can count on your photos to get me back into Baja. That photo of Jack Weyerhauser was a bit
small but reminds me of all the times we had with Jack and McGee. Jack was a track coach at Stanford. Great guy. I saw him after he moved up to San
Diego when McGee died. Looking forward to another trip to Baja, but first we are going to Puerto Vallarta. Good to be back and hope you are doing
well.
