Do any of you think that a trip in Kayak from BOLA to Loreto could be?
I don't know,how hard is it?
bajagrouper - 9-11-2004 at 04:42 PM
Hola Jesse, Back in `86 Valerie Fons rowed a sea kayak from San Diego to Yuma AZ. all along the Baja coast,maybe you could read her book(Keep it
Moving) and discover how she did it...I don't know if your male or female,but if this young lady did it how hard could it be?There are many people who
kayak Baja and write about their trips.good luckbajaloco - 9-11-2004 at 05:23 PM
That would be a great trip, but you know your gonna wanna see it all. Leave from La Paz and go to LA Bay. Either way it would be a blast. To have
enough time and the right people, that would be a trip....A lot of logistical things to consider, best time of year, full moon, ect...
How Hard
mcgyver - 9-11-2004 at 05:44 PM
There is a guy named Kayaker John, his brother lives at Daggets in BOLA and he hangs out there sometimes, He has done all of that and is a world class
adventure kayaker. If you could get in contact with him, maybe through Daggets I am sure he could give you some straight scoop. I takked with him
several times last year and he knows Baja water. Maybe someone on here knows his e-mail or could put you in contact.
Isn't going fom La Paz
jrbaja - 9-11-2004 at 05:56 PM
to Bahia de los Angeles sort of an "uphill run" so to speak?
Jesse, are you personally interested and if so, what time of year ?
up hill down hill
bajagrouper - 9-11-2004 at 06:34 PM
Hey JR, I see Jesse is asking about BOLA to Loreto,he would be going down hill ...oh yea JR did you ever get the E-mail of you with the dogs?
want to know?
capt. mike - 9-12-2004 at 05:37 AM
read Marv Patchen's book, "baja by land air and sea"
what they, 2 couples, did on kayaks is incredible! and in the 60's before a lot was known about it in that area. and with out all the hi tech fance
stuff you can get at REI sports now.
I was referring to Loco's comment
jrbaja - 9-12-2004 at 06:54 AM
but 2 years ago, we met 2 couples in their late 60's from Germany doing the trip. They were experienced kayakers and the trip wasn't without incident
but they seemed to be having a blast.
They baked us bread at Agua Verde of all things!
I did receive the dog photos. It brought back memories indeed. Like what my finger looked like before I remodeled it with the hatchet
hahahahahahahahaha
[Edited on 9/12/2004 by jrbaja]
The Ultimate Kayak trip
LaTijereta - 9-12-2004 at 08:20 AM
You have to read Dana and Ginger Lamb's book " Enchanted Vagabonds". They traveled from Long Beach down and up the Cortez, down the eastside to the
Panama canal This all took place in the 1930's, and is a great read, with some
nice photos of Baja. The trip was in a 16' home made canoe, that Dana built.
You can find their books through Barnes and Noble "out of print" books
One more kayak book
bajagrouper - 9-12-2004 at 01:37 PM
Sea Kayaking in Baja by Andromeda Romano-Lax...15 complete trips with original maps,equipment suggestions and prepartion tips...enjoyMexitron - 9-12-2004 at 08:30 PM
Cap'n Mike--I've read Marv Pachen's book--some great adventures in there including the double kayak! Good book!JESSE - 9-12-2004 at 09:25 PM
Yes everybody, this is a trip i personally would want to make, originally i planned on doing the San Felipe to Cabo route, but i think BOLA to Loreto
is a good first trip to make.
Here's Marv (with microphone) and I am holding that book...
David K - 9-12-2004 at 10:18 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Mexitron
Cap'n Mike--I've read Marv Pachen's book--some great adventures in there including the double kayak! Good book!
His (and wife Aletha's) Baja Adventures book is great... so many ways to have adventure in Baja. Their Baja cabin has been a welcome shelter for many
travelers... it's log book was published by Sunbelt 'Baja Outpost'... and Landon even put the cabin in his Baja Almanac! (next to Santa Ynez/Ines)
[Edited on 9-13-2004 by David K]wilderone - 9-13-2004 at 09:51 AM
Definitely doable. Same concerns as with any kayak trip - weather, skill and water. Coastal kayaking Baja has been done by many. Need to do your
homework fer shur.
Marv's "kayaks" were powered, weren't they?
Hook - 9-15-2004 at 09:52 AM
Havent read the book in some time, but I thought he lashed two canoes together with spars and created a platform in between. He then used some old
Swedish outboards as a method of propulsion. Not true kayaking, in the traditional sense, but still an amazing adventure.
There are a few commercial outfits that have done the trip you are contemplating and longer ones over the years. Usually they take place in the winter
months to reduce the heat exposure. With that in mind, they are almost always traveling north to south so the prevailing winds are at their back.
The tides will be a significant issue, if leaving from BOLA. David K - 9-15-2004 at 06:29 PM
That is correct... they also called the boats canoes and not kayaks I think. They looked like long canoes to me.
When I went to Remedios (Guadalupe)... I saw the cave they camped in... Graham camped in there too, I believe.
Deffinitely doable, but can be dangerous
Barry A. - 9-15-2004 at 08:06 PM
I have provided logistics for a small group of kayakers (2-3 people) for several years---- the group I have helped has circumnavigated the entire
peninsula, and is now working on the Sonora Coast. It is certainly an adventure. Fresh water is the main problem. That was my main
function---supplying fresh water as often as possible along the way. Check the tide charts, weather patterns, try to run with the prevailing winds
(usually N to S), have a land-based support group (if feasible), and 2-way radios are handy. My group even had a Sat-phone for emergencies---never had
to use it, tho. My group had a wonderful time. Plan carefully. The stretch you are planning took my group about 3 weeks to make. You might want to
break the trip up into three trips-----BOLA to Santa Rosalia, and Santa Rosalia to Loreto. Then, the best of all, Loreto to La Paz. BarryJESSE - 9-15-2004 at 09:24 PM
Thanks Barry, lost of issues to consider, what are the main hazards to watch for in your opinion?
Lack of Fresh Water
Barry A. - 9-15-2004 at 11:01 PM
Jesse, without a doubt in my mind the biggest hazard is being pinned down by high winds, sometimes for several days, and not having enough fresh
water. I resupplied my group about every 3 to 5 days, if possible, and it ususally was. They carried water in bladders, and had at least a gallon per
person per day. The stretches between Los Barriles and Santa Rosalia, and again between Agua Verde and La Paz, were the longest without resupply. and
actually there is a resupply point mid-way along each stretch, but it is hard for the land-based vehicles to reach them. If you pull a muscle during
one of those long stretches, it can get a little hairy. I sometimes carried a 14 foot Gregor with 15 hp outboard on top of my rig, which could be used
for a rescue, but was never necessary. Them having the SAT phone sure made us ALL feel better. I am not a kayaker, so really should not be giving any
more advice, but you should talk to some of the folks that do this often for details. My group members come from Washington state, and Arizona. My
group encountered high winds several times, and it really goofed up schedules and time lines. They usually make their runs in Baja during April, May
and even into June. Barry
This all took place in the 1930's, and is a great read, with some
nice photos of Baja. The trip was in a 16' home made canoe, that Dana built.
