BajaNomad - LA Bay burial cave

LA Bay burial cave

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 02:58 PM

here's one for you BOLA guys. anyone visited this site?

The cave excavated by Dr. Palmer is situated on a granitic hill to the west of the bay, at an elevation of 30 ft. above sea level. Just below the mouth of the narrow fissure is a spring which supplies water to the little mining community. The cave itself measures 9 ft. in depth; it is 6 ft. wide and 5 ft. high at the mouth. Before Dr. Palmer’s excavations, miners of the Gulf Gold Mining Company had removed some stones—referred to in the Report as a “wall”—from the front of the fissure, thus exposing a few bones, which lay sun-bleached on the talus slope (Annual Report, 1888, p. 127).

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 03:00 PM

for those interested in the whole story.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/30385/30385-h/30385-h.htm

David K - 9-11-2013 at 03:07 PM

That was co-authored by the late William Massey who helped find many ancient sites in Baja in the 1950's and 60's... his ex-wife and ex-stepson are both Baja Nomads and have told great stories of archeology and adventure in Baja!

That is a wonderful link to share! :bounce:

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 03:21 PM

a fresh water spring? do you know where this is???? :?:

David K - 9-11-2013 at 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
a fresh water spring? do you know where this is???? :?:

Yes, it is on the side of the mountain next to the village... It was the source of water for all time for Bahia de los Angeles until the increased population in the late 1970's required a piped in additional water source from the dry lake area to the west.

The cave is at the springs... when in town, note the palms growing at the foot of the mountain.

My mom told me that Diaz' coffee was the best she had (1967)... and it was because of that spring water.

Edit... you can drive up to the spring caretaker and buy that water, out of a hose... I knew a man in 1983 who payed to fill his motorhome storage tank with that water so he could have great coffee for as long as it lasted!

[Edited on 9-11-2013 by David K]

willardguy - 9-11-2013 at 03:47 PM

that must be some tasty water! they ought to set up a little brewery!

David K - 9-11-2013 at 03:56 PM

See the green (date palms) west from the end of pavement:

Looking southwest, new image, closer:

[Edited on 9-11-2013 by David K]

shari - 9-11-2013 at 03:58 PM

thanks willardguy...fascinating read....I learned alot....very cool hairnets!

vacaenbaja - 9-11-2013 at 04:22 PM

Fishing guide Rafa Cuevas gets his water from there. He has
told me that he feels it is better than the piped in stuff.
I think that I remember reading that a very long time ago
a pipe was constructed from the spring all the way to the shore so that boats that arrived at the bay could take
on fresh water without having to make the up hill trip.

Osprey - 9-11-2013 at 04:32 PM

The hairnet find nailed it all down for me. I had heard rumors that many of the Borjeña flipped pterodactyl burgers at the McDinos and had to wear em even way back then.

David K - 9-12-2013 at 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Osprey
The hairnet find nailed it all down for me. I had heard rumors that many of the Borjeña flipped pterodactyl burgers at the McDinos and had to wear em even way back then.

larryC - 9-12-2013 at 09:39 AM

The spring water in town is better than the Aguamarga water that is piped in from the dry lake, but it is certainly not anything that I would drink. I have gone into the cave where the water source is and there are often dead birds, bats, and all sorts of rodents and their droppings in the catch basin. I use this water but only after a good dose of clorox is added and then only for household stuff. never for food prep or drinking. I do know of some that do drink the water without appearant ill effects.

David K - 9-12-2013 at 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by larryC
The spring water in town is better than the Aguamarga water that is piped in from the dry lake, but it is certainly not anything that I would drink. I have gone into the cave where the water source is and there are often dead birds, bats, and all sorts of rodents and their droppings in the catch basin. I use this water but only after a good dose of clorox is added and then only for household stuff. never for food prep or drinking. I do know of some that do drink the water without appearant ill effects.

It's the Water (and a LOT more)! See Olympia logo above!

Thanks Larry... I guess since the 1960's to 80's there is no maintenance to clean out the stuff in the pond! YUCK! :wow:

motoged - 9-12-2013 at 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by larryC
... there are often dead birds, bats, and all sorts of rodents and their droppings in the catch basin. ...

Guano....the secret to Starbuck's success :lol:

Yeah, I'll have a dead rat decaff latte with a double shot of guano with rat turd sprinkles ....hold the giardia, please .

:biggrin:

larryC - 9-13-2013 at 09:07 AM

the system does get cleaned out occasionally but since there is no seal on the catch basin it just gets contaminated again. I have a freind that does municipal water tank inspections in southern california and he says it is not uncommon to find dead birds and bats in the city tanks so bahia is not unique.

David K - 9-13-2013 at 09:14 AM

Is there no way to place a net or screen to enclose the spring? At San Bartolo, I was very impressed on how they harnessed the spring there for drinking water, plus have a recreational swimming pool at the same source.

[Edited on 9-13-2013 by David K]

Taco de Baja - 9-13-2013 at 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Is there no way to place a net or screen to enclose the spring? At San Bartolo, I was very impressed on how they harnessed the spring there for drinking water, plus have a recreational swimming pool at the same source.

[Edited on 9-13-2013 by David K]

Hopefully that swimming pool doesn't do double duty as the drinking water reservoir too.

And if not, hopefully the drinking water reservoir is at least upstream from the swimming hole.... :light:

larryC - 9-13-2013 at 09:43 AM

Of course there is a way to protect the water, and probably has been attempted in the past but you know how maintenance is in Baja. Things last a few years then go down hill. The water is fine just needs some extra treatment.

Santiago - 9-13-2013 at 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by larryC
I do know of some that do drink the water without appearant ill effects.

What does Buddy drink? Might esplain a few things......

David K - 9-13-2013 at 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Taco de Baja

Quote:

Hopefully that swimming pool doesn't do double duty as the drinking water reservoir too.

And if not, hopefully the drinking water reservoir is at least upstream from the swimming hole.... :light:

See all those pipes in the foreground? The source spring is uphill and the drinking water is piped away above the pool. Spring water pours like a waterfall out of the mountain there (underground river). BajaTripper showed it to us last summer... way cool!