BajaNomad

Back to Baja!!

Ken Bondy - 6-24-2014 at 08:08 AM

Just back from four magical days in La Paz. First time to Baja in 10 years. My daughter Coleen decided that it was time to get her son Sean (my youngest grandson - age 12) certified as a scuba diver. She did it through the Cortez Club, based at Hotel La Concha. It was a week-long course (she and Sean were there for 10 days) and my wife Pam and son Jesse and his girlfriend Dawn came down for the last four days. I got to dive with Sean on his first dive as a certified scuba diver!! What a thrill. Can't say enough good things about the Cortez Club, they arranged the whole trip, the certification course, the hotel rooms, transportation from SJD to La Concha, boats, everything. Sean's instructor, Marcos, was magnificent. We still like La Concha, she is old but still glamorous and the staff is wonderful. Here are some photos (I'll start with the underwater stuff - all from Los Islotes):

Sean with sea lion tasting his new fins:


Coleen and Sean:


Sea lion attack:


Coleen and Sean:


Los Islotes:


Lunch at a stunningly beautiful cove on Espiritu Santu:


Our group:

Sean the new diver:


La Concha is showing her age but it is still very nice:


La Concha from the water:


The Malecon is still beautiful:


Sad to see Los Arcos still in chains and this on the Cabanas:


And of course a stop at Tailhunter:


Pam at Tailhunter:


[Edited on 6-24-2014 by Ken Bondy]

David K - 6-24-2014 at 08:22 AM

Way cool Ken!

DENNIS - 6-24-2014 at 08:26 AM

Good to see you back, Ken. Just the other day, I was wondering how you were.

BajaBlanca - 6-24-2014 at 09:43 AM

How cool was that ! Thanks for sharing.

TMW - 6-24-2014 at 12:54 PM

Excellent, thanks

Barry A. - 6-24-2014 at 12:59 PM

Great stuff, Ken.

In the picture of "La Concha from the water"------what's with the road scars on the mountain behind the hotels? Why are they there, do you know?

Barry

DianaT - 6-24-2014 at 01:09 PM

What a great time for all! Love the photos --- especially the first three!

BajaGringo - 6-24-2014 at 01:11 PM

Didn't realize so much time had passed since your last trip down amigo. Loved the photos and report - Welcome back!!!

cabobaja - 6-24-2014 at 01:27 PM

I believe the road scars the Pedregal development. Nice homes!

Skipjack Joe - 6-24-2014 at 06:41 PM

Nice to see you back and posting again, Ken.

A couple of weeks ago Alex and I did a science projects on the inverts under our floating docks, here in half moon bay. You were on my mind. We even collected your favorite - a nudibranch.

[Edited on 6-25-2014 by Skipjack Joe]

Ateo - 6-24-2014 at 07:24 PM

Awesome. Love the underwater shots and the smiles that abound.

Ken Bondy - 6-24-2014 at 07:48 PM

Thanks to all of you!! Barry it's been so long since I've been to La Concha I didn't remember what those hills behind the hotel used to look like. It did look like there were some nice homes up there.