FREAKY FOURTH: MONDAY 7-4-11 (part a & b: Pta. Baja, La Bocana, La Lobera)

Spending the night at the Baja Cactus Motel in El Rosario was sheer luxury (specially compared to the $60 cabins of Sacrificio)... The room we had reserved for Monday night (205) was already occupied, but another was available (108) with two king beds... I took photos of 205 and will be showing them later...

We told Ed (last night) that we would be returning for breakfast and he knows I like his high quality chorizo for breakfast burritos (with hash browns)... So, that is where we had breakfast!


Baja's Best Restaurant/ Bar/ Bed & Breakfast

Across the street (Mex. Hwy. 1) is the Turista Motel and they now have a restaurant... We have stayed at the Turista twice (when Baja Cactus was full or when the west side town water system was down) and it is a very nice alternative with comfortable beds...



The first El Rosario mission site (1774-1802) is just a block off the highway between Hugo's Tacos Mision and Mama Espinoza's, up on the hillside... Kristi isn't as excited about missions as I am, so we pass #1 take her to the second mission site (1802-1832) next to the road to Punta Baja, in the twin town of El Rosario de Abajo, across the river and west 2 miles from El Rosario de Arriba.



To halt the melting of the adobe walls, INAH (the national archeology and history institute) has coated the walls with some kind of plaster.







Punta Baja:













From Punta Baja, we drove back north to the El Rosario valley and took the 4WD road west to La Bocana Beach... then drove north on the beach to the cliffs for an afternoon of relaxing in the sun, making lunch and drinking beers (Tecate Light). There are some interesting erosion of the cliff there. Some local boys were fishing off the cliff with a hand line and whistling at Kristi...




The sand was soft and deep, and I had to air down at this point (to 20 psi).












No problema at 20 psi on the Pacific sand... The Gulf of California sand is a bit coarser and contains crushed shells making floation harder and requires more air removed from tires.

To Be Continued... La Lobera, the sea lion crater!




[Edited on 7-10-2011 by David K]

LA LOBERA (KM. 47.5 & 3 miles west) July 4, 2011

Monday afternoon we returned to El Rosario from La Bocana beach (5 miles) along the north (2WD) road and filled up the gas tank at Baja Cactus Pemex (8.93 pesos per liter, 11.30 pesos per dollar= $2.99 per gallon).

It is 6 miles north on Hwy. 1 to the La Lobera road, between Km. 47 and 48. Note the branch power lines going over the highway to La Lobera facility at the turnoff. It is 3 miles to the coast at La Lobera. A day use fee of 30 pesos per vehicle is collected when you arrive.

La Lobera is a giant sea cave whose roof collapsed except for the entrance tunnel that the seal lions (lobos or lobos del mar) use to get to their beach.





Since we were last here, a viewing platform was cut into the side of the crater.



































It is a rugged and beautiful coast, well worth the time to visit. The facility is a sea food cultivation plant that raises abalone, lobsters, and other yummy treats. The original plan was to have a restaurant in the first building, upstairs. A commercial kitchen was installed. Sadly, the drop in tourism and perhaps the failure of the Diamante del Mar project (that was 'next door') prevented the opening.

See photos of La Lobera from our first visit in May, 2005: http://vivabaja.com/505/page4.html

We returned to our room at the Baja Cactus Motel in El Rosario... See the room photos and our lunch stop Tuesday at the oak grove campground by the first Santo Tomas mission site... on our way home.

TO BE CONTINUED!

[Edited on 7-10-2011 by David K]

Four more at La Lobera...

Very interesting site, David. I hope to check this out in the future.

EVERY time we have driven in (many times) since 2005, someone walked to us with a clipboard and collected 20 pesos or 2 dollars... this time it was 30 pesos. All other cars were approaced and money collected to park (a 'day use' fee).

I guess that you looked like a local and not a P-nche turista!!??

really dramatic photos ... but boy was I surprised to see LA BOCANA mentioned



we have never been to the "other" Baja Norte La Bocana ..... no houses or businesses there ? just miles of beach ??? looks wonderful.

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca really dramatic photos ... but boy was I surprised to see LA BOCANA mentioned we have never been to the "other" Baja Norte La Bocana ..... no houses or businesses there ? just miles of beach ??? looks wonderful.

Hi Blanca, there are MANY La Bocanas in Baja (as there are 'Agua Calientes')... La Bocana (The Open Mouth to the Sea) is used where a river or lagoon meets the ocean... as Agua Caliente is used at most hot springs... not very original...

The La Bocana where the El Rosario river meets the sea has no population or structures, just an open beach and lagoon (river) on the south end, and those cliffs in my photos on the north end, a mile or two away.

Primo named his restaurant in El Rosario 'Bocana Beach Restaurant' in front of the Sinahi Motel and RV Park... I did see the name Sinahi Restaurant recently added, however.

Here are some older photos of La Bocana, 5 miles west of El Rosario:



Nov. 2004



Mar. 2005



See the lagoon/ river in background.



My first Tacoma at the north end



Feb. 2006



My second Tacoma at the north end



July, 2006 My daughter and Baja Angel at the north end

Two ways to get there from Hwy. 1:


EL ROSARIO to LA BOCANA (High Road)

0.0 mi. Turn Right off highway at the sharp bend in town.

Continue west passing by the road left to El Rosario de Abajo and Punta Baja.

0.8 mi. Fork, go right.

1.2 mi. Fork, go right... road heads uphill.

1.5 mi. Pass palapas and banana trees, climb hill.

2.2 mi. View point, see La Bocana beach.

2.6 mi. Go straight, left is a poor road.

2.9 mi. Fork, go left... Ahead is a locked gate.

3.0 mi. Fork, go left... Right is the entrance gate to Diamante Del Mar.

3.6 mi. Fork, go ahead/ left. Right is a poor road.

3.9 mi. Fork, go right, to the beach.

5.3 mi. La Bocana Beach

View towards the beach from the hills above the petrified forest, above the high road:



Nearing the beach on the 'high road':



See the petrified forest: http://vivabaja.com/206/ and here: http://vivabaja.com/705/page6.html



EL ROSARIO to LA BOCANA (Valley Road, 4WD)

0.0 mi. Turn Right (west) off Highway 1 at the sharp curve in El Rosario.

In about 100 yards, turn left on road for El Rosario de Abajo and Punta Baja.

Cross over El Rosario river culvert pipe and soon turn right in the river valley, some water crossings before reaching the south bank of the river and entering the town of El Rosario de Abajo.

1.5 mi. El Rosario Museum, on left. Photos taken inside at http://vivabaja.com/505/page6.html

1.6 mi. Rosario de Abajo mission ruins, on right.

2.5 mi. Road left for Punta San Antonio and the coast south of Punta Baja.

2.9 mi. Road left for Punta Baja, continue ahead (west).

3.1 mi. Turn right for La Bocana, deep water crossing soon.

4.2 mi. Come to a fence, turn left to opening then continue west, Deep sand ahead.

5.1 mi. La Bocana Beach

[Edited on 7-27-2011 by David K]

It's all about air pressure, in sand!