BajaNomad - The San Felipe submarine

The San Felipe submarine

juanroberts - 5-20-2012 at 09:08 PM

In the seventies, when driving into San Felipe, there used to be only two gas stations, one near the current rotunda that has two, the one on the Southeast corner being on the the original gas stations. The other one was on the same road closer to the ocean, just after you dropped the hill on the right side (opposite side of mercado Palillo) just before the drug store and curio shops. It was in this area just before the curios shops that there was what looked like a small 1-2 person submarine (not sure it was functional or just for show). Anyone remember it or the story behind it? Maybe someone has a pic?

David K - 5-20-2012 at 09:23 PM

Yes... and there was the Pemex station on the left (NW) corner at the end of Hwy. 5, called the 'La Puerta' (I think)... 3 all together, two on the right and the one on the left where the pavement ended. I remember a mini sub... just barely!

Edit: It was the EL PUERTO Pemex station.

[Edited on 5-21-2012 by David K]

David K - 5-20-2012 at 09:35 PM

I think it was the first to go when they built up the main (N-S) street with curio shops. Only the one that is still there, next to the traffic circle remains from the original 3 of 1966-ish. After the chubasco that wiped out the town in '67, the main N-S street was paved.

juanroberts - 5-20-2012 at 10:07 PM

Thanks David. As a kid I would see the sub as we were driving in to town and my imagination would take it far away.

David K - 5-21-2012 at 07:37 AM

Yah, I remember... I will keep poking around to find out anything I can about it.

Here is a bird's-eye-view map from the 1970 Baja Guide by Cliff Cross:

[Edited on 5-21-2012 by David K]

Close...

David K - 5-21-2012 at 09:13 AM

Here is a photo from the 1960's looking east, to the end of the pavement in town... the mini-sub was on the right...

Photo from the San Felipe History section on Gene Kira's MexFish.com

David K - 5-21-2012 at 09:28 AM

Approx. the same place today:

vgabndo - 5-21-2012 at 03:07 PM

DK, sorry for the highjack. From what I see here, you might be interested in a neat Google Street View based site: www.whatwasthere.com You could do Oceanside.

As a local historian I can upload historic images and with some moderate success overlay them on a view from SV.

Here's an example. click on street view, and then use the slider to vary the fade.

http://www.whatwasthere.com/browse.aspx#!/ll/41.314134,-122....

edit for:
Unless someone knows how to fix that link, just open what's there navigate to Mt. Shasta California and click on the 20.

I return you now to your submarines.....

[Edited on 5-21-2012 by vgabndo]

David K - 5-21-2012 at 05:53 PM

Here you go: Vagabundo's Link

vgabndo - 5-21-2012 at 09:13 PM

Thanks, for a spelling czar, you only missed my handle by two extra letters. :lol:

willardguy - 5-21-2012 at 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Here is a photo from the 1960's looking east, to the end of the pavement in town... the mini-sub was on the right...

Photo from the San Felipe History section on Gene Kira's MexFish.com

great stuff as usual david, oh if only we could go back in time

David K - 5-22-2012 at 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vgabndo
Thanks, for a spelling czar, you only missed my handle by two extra letters. :lol:

Oh, I thought your handle was an abbreviation... I just spelled it out! My appologies Perry!

Intersting link, but on my computer it only showed a few buildings from the past... unless that is all there was?

Shasta looks like a nice place!

saxman - 12-8-2013 at 02:07 PM

This is my first post. I have been trying to find out more info on this submarine for years and this is the first mention I have ever seen of it. My family started going to San Felipe in 1955 (five years before I was born) and I spent a lot of time in Baja California growing up in the 60's. My Dad was an avid fisherman and over the years we became very close with a Mexican fishing family in San Felipe who originally came over from mainland Mexico in a dugout boat made from a solid log.

Anyway, back to the submarine. I was fascinated by it as a kid (I guess I still am) and somewhere I have of picture of myself sitting on it when I was 5 or 6 years old. It was common knowledge at the time among the locals that the submarine was one-man Japanese sub. I also clearly remember the Japanese writing inside the sub.

We were also told that the submarine was moved to San Felipe from Ensenada. I wondered as a kid, and still wonder, whether this was a WWII relic. If it was "captured" or beached near Ensenada it makes me wonder whether it might have been trying to make it's way north to San Diego harbor. This is purely speculation on my part and may not be a war relic at all.

At various times over the years I have researched WWII Japanese mini subs and could never find a similar design mentioned. It is definitely NOT like the midget 2-man subs used at Pearl Harbor and seems to be smaller than those.

Growing up I remember the sub was sheathed in aluminum or Stainless Steel with a bright finish. The last time I saw it was in the late 70's where it was being used as a decoration in front of one of the local restaurants and had been brush painted tan or green with what appeared to be latex house paint.

If anyone has any other info I would love to hear it!!

Thanks!

DENNIS - 12-8-2013 at 02:24 PM

Welcome to BajaNomad, Saxman. Great first post. Keep 'em commin'.

David K - 12-8-2013 at 02:34 PM

Yes, thank you saxman and welcome to Nomad! I hope you find that photo (and any others of old days in Baja to share with us! I will help you with the procedure to post photos here, if you need it, as it seems to cause some difficulties for some. I also can post photos for Nomads who email them to me.

The San Felipe I remember had no paved streets other than Hwy. 5 coming to an end by the beach (just a block past that sub). Arnold of Arnold's Del Mar Café was the main guy in town, and the Riviera Hotel was called 'Augie's Riviera' back then... near the dirt airstrip! :light:

saxman - 12-8-2013 at 02:50 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome. I definitely have lots of photos of Baja in the 50s and 60's and lots of stories to share.

David K - 12-8-2013 at 04:57 PM

Saxman, I sent you a U2U (Private Nomad Message)... to access them, click the blue link in the top right corner of the Nomad page.

TMW - 12-26-2013 at 11:55 AM

From a friend in San Felipe.

Finally remembered to ask the water truck driver at Petes camp about the sub. His aunt was Lugardita Angulo. She owned where the Taco Factory/ Baja Mar is now.
Sub was owned by a family of fishermen from Ensenada, family name Negitivos.
Was at most a two man sub. Used to hunt for sardines. He believes it was home built. Operated only for a few years in early 60's.

David K - 12-26-2013 at 12:04 PM

Thanks Tom... I never heard back from saxman...

David K - 12-26-2013 at 12:53 PM

A related thread by willardguy on 6-27-12: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=60960

sancho - 12-26-2013 at 04:44 PM

DK, The 1970 hand drawn map has a couple places
of intrigue, Rudy's camp next to Camp Costa Azul
and it lists a Hot Sulfur spot on the point no. end of
the Malecon somewhere under the Boom -Boom bldg.,
which sits across the bridge from the Malecon

saxman - 12-26-2013 at 05:32 PM

Hi Gents,

I actually found some pictures of the sub. As soon as I can scan them I'll post them up. The sub definitely does not look home built to me and as I mentioned earlier there were data plates (or something like that) inside with Japanese writing. At the time (mid-60s), everyone referred to it as the "Japanese sub." I do remember hearing that the sub was brought over from Ensenada though.

David K - 12-26-2013 at 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sancho
DK, The 1970 hand drawn map has a couple places
of intrigue, Rudy's camp next to Camp Costa Azul
and it lists a Hot Sulfur spot on the point no. end of
the Malecon somewhere under the Boom -Boom bldg.,
which sits across the bridge from the Malecon

10-4 that... better wade out there at low tide and check. Same type of tidal hot springs at Punta Banda, Puertecitos, El Coloradito, Bahia Concepcion, near Agua Verde (San Cosme access), and perhaps many other spots on Baja's coast??

David K - 12-27-2013 at 01:13 PM

Sancho, another tidal hot spring was recorded by Padre Consag in 1746 during his sea expedition to the Colorado Delta to find future mission sites. The hot spring was marked by white rocks... in the area between Punta San Francisquito and Bahia San Rafael!

grizzlyfsh95 - 12-28-2013 at 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Sancho, another tidal hot spring was recorded by Padre Consag in 1746 during his sea expedition to the Colorado Delta to find future mission sites. The hot spring was marked by white rocks... in the area between Punta San Francisquito and Bahia San Rafael!

Talk about "off topic"

David K - 12-28-2013 at 10:09 AM

Unless the submarine was used to get to the hot springs in the Sea of Cortez!?? :lol:

saxman - 12-28-2013 at 05:45 PM

Here's a pic of me and the sub about 1966:

David K - 12-28-2013 at 05:52 PM

Thanks for that... I don't remember it as well as I thought! Where exactly was picture taken? I remember it on display along Hwy. 5 near the end of the pavement (by the main N/S street that got paved after the '67 chubasco).

saxman - 12-29-2013 at 08:04 AM

I'm not really sure exactly where that photo was taken, David. There is another photo taken at the same time from another angle that shows a fishing boat in the background, right behind the sub. The fishing boat is sitting up on steel oil drums so it must have been near the basin where they repaired the boats?

David K - 12-29-2013 at 12:31 PM

Please post any old San Felipe photos you have! Love it... a look back in time!

I wonder if there were two subs in San Felipe? I recall the one along Hwy. 5 to not be silver? But, I was young... and color blind! LOL

saxman - 12-29-2013 at 01:17 PM

Now, I'm recalling that the last time I saw it it was along hwy 5, but that was in the mid-70s. It had been painted a different color, maybe green or tan? I'm color blind too, so I'm not sure of the color, but it definitely wasn't silver any more.

I have bunches of pictures of San Felipe from the 50's and 60's. I'll scan them soon and post them in a new thread in the history section.

David K - 12-29-2013 at 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by saxman
Now, I'm recalling that the last time I saw it it was along hwy 5, but that was in the mid-70s. It had been painted a different color, maybe green or tan? I'm color blind too, so I'm not sure of the color, but it definitely wasn't silver any more.

I have bunches of pictures of San Felipe from the 50's and 60's. I'll scan them soon and post them in a new thread in the history section.

Correct! That's how I last recalled it. I did a Google search but turned up no photos or mention (except for here on Nomad).

I look forward to seeing your photos!

juanroberts - 9-9-2014 at 06:14 PM

I found an old picture of the midget sub in San Felipe on a blog page (see below, via loved Miramar waiter Mr. Francisco Olachea's Facebook page). Fascinating that the inside of the sub had Japanese lettering. The interesting differences between the silver picture of the sub is the mast and side fin, maybe it had a sail to be used as a backup for going longer distances? It almost looks like a spy or reconnaissance sub, one meant to skim the surface like a Colombian smuggler, more than a diver.

There was a fishing friend of my dad's that told a couple of weird sub stories. One related to this sub, that supposively a shrimp boat took it out to Machorro, and dropped it off in deeper water. However, the sub was not sea worthy, and divers had to assist and the sub never went into the water again.

The other odd story related to German sub parts being found in a bay near Loreto.

Enjoy the Baja myths, fantasies, and fun!

By the way, Mr. Olachea has made a habit of collecting old San Felipe pics and posting them on his FB page: https://www.facebook.com/franciscoj.olachea

http://dissenttheblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/baja-california-late-1970.html

[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2xOHD87FEvM/TDFqBEpUTuI/AAAAAAAAdnI/J8Jr546BAjk/s1600/71+apr+h7+8.jpg[/img]

Here you go Juan! Zoomed in to it, too...

David K - 9-9-2014 at 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by juanroberts
I found an old picture of the midget sub in San Felipe on a blog page (see below, via loved Miramar waiter Mr. Francisco Olachea's Facebook page). Fascinating that the inside of the sub had Japanese lettering. The interesting differences between the silver picture of the sub is the mast and side fin, maybe it had a sail to be used as a backup for going longer distances? It almost looks like a spy or reconnaissance sub, one meant to skim the surface like a Colombian smuggler, more than a diver.

There was a fishing friend of my dad's that told a couple of weird sub stories. One related to this sub, that supposively a shrimp boat took it out to Machorro, and dropped it off in deeper water. However, the sub was not sea worthy, and divers had to assist and the sub never went into the water again.

The other odd story related to German sub parts being found in a bay near Loreto.

Enjoy the Baja myths, fantasies, and fun!

By the way, Mr. Olachea has made a habit of collecting old San Felipe pics and posting them on his FB page: https://www.facebook.com/franciscoj.olachea

http://dissenttheblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/baja-california-late-1970.html

[Edited on 9-10-2014 by David K]

juanroberts - 9-10-2014 at 08:48 PM

Thanks David! I did some research and read that a private submarine (non-military) is actually called a submersible. Not sure which this is! :no:

juanroberts - 9-10-2014 at 08:52 PM

Oh, and the amphibious boat is another story. I remember it would shuttle anglers from downtown to where the Bonita, Cucu's sports fishing boat, would be waiting, usually where the shrimpers got their diesel and ice, before the Darcena days. It would even handle the sand to get there, but there was only inches between the waterline and the top of the boat, and that always made me wonder...

David K - 9-11-2014 at 10:12 AM

I remember watching the fisherman aboard that amphib truck/boat being taken out to the fishing boat!

euphoto - 9-12-2014 at 06:56 PM

Hi gents:
I have good news to all of you regarding the submarine in San Felipe. The reason for the good news is that the owner of the submarine, taken from Ensenada to San Felipe, is my father-in-law. His name was: Alfonso Arambula ("El Negativa") (1932-2005).
Hi DavidK: I'm the person who took a picture of your daughter Sara, swimming or body surfing with dolphins, in Carlsbad in the early 2000's. I was with my wife at sunset. My wife is daughter of El Negativa.
More of the submersible coming soon. I'll give a preview: it has to do with Jacques Cousteau.

bajadogs - 9-12-2014 at 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by euphoto
Hi gents:
I have good news to all of you regarding the submarine in San Felipe. The reason for the good news is that the owner of the submarine, taken from Ensenada to San Felipe, is my father-in-law. His name was: Alfonso Arambula ("El Negativa") (1932-2005).
Hi DavidK: I'm the person who took a picture of your daughter Sara, swimming or body surfing with dolphins, in Carlsbad in the early 2000's. I was with my wife at sunset. My wife is daughter of El Negativa.
More of the submersible coming soon. I'll give a preview: it has to do with Jacques Cousteau.

AWESOME!! Can't wait for the real story! Welcome to the sandbox euphoto.

saxman - 9-12-2014 at 08:02 PM

Great! I've been wondering about this for almost 50 years. All I know about it is things I heard as a kid. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Thnx 4 SF !

El Vergel - 9-13-2014 at 07:43 AM

Greetings All,

Thanks for this post and welcome new Nomads. What great images and lore. I too remember that first drive into town, barely. I think I was about 5; 1962? I recall the gas stations and the submarine. Dad had to stop and check it out as a Navy man. We always had to get ice from the ice house on the point. The window hung air-conditioner on the Rambler and wet towels used up lots of cooler water!

Thanks again for the images and stories. Please post more. Peace, Love and Fish Tacos to all!

Vern

David K - 9-13-2014 at 09:21 AM

Quote:

HELLO! Yes, I remember you two and we exchanged contacts because of the dolphin photo with Sarah in it, maybe Christopher too? I think that was back in the Amigos de Baja days before Nomad? Maybe I need to search... do you have that photo if I don't find it?
Sarah is 24 now, and the mother of a 4 year old who is nearly a twin of her...

juanroberts - 9-23-2014 at 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by euphoto
The reason for the good news is that the owner of the submarine, taken from Ensenada to San Felipe, is my father-in-law. His name was: Alfonso Arambula ("El Negativa") (1932-2005).

it has to do with Jacques Cousteau.

I cannot wait! Extra bonus points for sharing how Mr. Arambula got his nickname. I feel so foolish to not have thought of a connection to Cousteau. Tick tock, tick tock. I cannot wait. Thanks and welcome to the group!