BajaNomad - Bahia de Los Angeles report

Bahia de Los Angeles report

Paulina - 7-30-2014 at 07:01 PM

Just a quickie report, the Internet sucks and may not even stay on long enough for me to post this.

Weather: it's been between 87 - 105, most days in the mid to upper 90s. The south end of the bay is typically cooler than town. The humidity has been around 60%. The sailboats are reporting water temps in the mid 80s, depending on where they are anchored. The winds have been mostly out of the north east, but they seem to be changing to out of the south east, bringing the humidity up. The nights have been very pleasant. We sleep outside, under the stars. Rarely will we need a sheet, but haven't yet had to resort to soaking that sheet in ice water in order to cool off.

Fishing: fishing has been over all slow from what we hear. With bait being scarce, yellowtail are biting jigs. The Dorado are here, but not right in the bay yet. A nice catch was made out at 7 mi. Reef last week. Yesterday we we told there were some down at Soldado. It's all about the bait again.

Supplies: Isla and Enrique's has nice produce. Ice hasn't been a problem. The town can't seem to keep up with our Coke Zero intake though! The coke truck comes on Thursdays.

Whale Sharks: They are down around the estuary in the south end of the bay. Yesterday Dern and I spent the day out at La Gringa where we paddled with five at one time, pretty close to each other. It was beautiful out there. The water was so clear that we could see Bonita chasing bait fish along the waters edge. They are collecting daily fees for camping. Not sure how much. Someone told me that it may be 50 p.

Fun stuff: the Toros have been making an almost daily occurrence right on our beach at high tide. They are SO MUCH fun to cast out and play with. Today we stopped at 7 as my arms were getting tired.
The mornings have been glassy, nice paddling conditions. Lots of bird life! Crazy rabbits running through camp.

Bad stuff: The bees! They are horrible this year. Bring a swatter if you come down.

That's all I can think of off the bat. Three more weeks to go, I'm starting to dread it already!

P>*)))>{

woody with a view - 7-30-2014 at 07:27 PM

enjoy some of it for the rest of us working stiffs!

David K - 7-30-2014 at 07:34 PM

I still remember July 2001, when you and Mike Humfreville swam with a whale shark at La Gringa... and that French kayaker attacked you guys for it! LOL... If the whale shark didn't like people around, he has the whole ocean to swim away to!

Bajaboy - 7-30-2014 at 08:03 PM

Happy for you two. Enjoy!

Santiago - 7-30-2014 at 08:45 PM

damn, I will miss the summer this year, won't make it until late Sept.

Tioloco - 7-30-2014 at 09:17 PM

Any famous wind this time of year? Probably would cool it off a bit?

BornFisher - 7-30-2014 at 09:32 PM

That`s what I call covering the essentials, great report, thanks!

steve5555 - 7-30-2014 at 10:24 PM

Thanks for the report that was quite timely for me. steve

redhilltown - 7-30-2014 at 11:46 PM

Thanks for the great report! Bees seem to be getting worser and worser every year in Baja and where I camp in the desert southwest. It never used to be this way...

Martyman - 7-31-2014 at 10:51 AM

Those big black wood bees?

Bob53 - 7-31-2014 at 10:56 AM

Thanks for the report, neighbor! I will be down on Saturday with a load of stuff for the house. I got your message and I will bring you some epson salt for your dog. I hope your dog is ok.

bacquito - 7-31-2014 at 10:57 AM

Thanks for the report.

Paulina - 8-1-2014 at 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
I still remember July 2001, when you and Mike Humfreville swam with a whale shark at La Gringa... and that French kayaker attacked you guys for it! LOL... If the whale shark didn't like people around, he has the whole ocean to swim away to!

David, I was thinking of that time with Mike as we drove out there, wondering if we would be so lucky to have it happen again. Five at once, even better. I think Mike may have made a post about that French " Sea World " experience.

Something else I forgot to mention in the original post, the public launch ramp is closed. It is being lengthened as well as bathrooms/ showers built. We were told it is going out 100m total, and expected to be finished in two months. Also, the road south is nicely graded. It was reported to be graded as far as PSF.

P>*)))>{

bkbend - 8-2-2014 at 10:11 AM

Thanks for the ramp update. It actually wasn't too bad for length after the last rebuild, except at extreme low tides, but the angle was was far too shallow. I hope the newest incarnation resolves that. I could keep the rubber dry but I hated seeing the locals backing in over the axles for launching. Not good for trucks that were shaky to begin with.

David K - 8-2-2014 at 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paulina

Quote:

Mike Humfreville's stories are all here: http://math.ucr.edu/ftm//bajaPages/Correspondents/BajaWithMi...

If I find where he talk's about the swim at La Gringa and being attacked by the French eco nut, I will post it.

Ken Bondy - 8-2-2014 at 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paulina
Just a quickie report, the Internet sucks and may not even stay on long enough for me to post this.

Weather: it's been between 87 - 105, most days in the mid to upper 90s. The south end of the bay is typically cooler than town. The humidity has been around 60%. The sailboats are reporting water temps in the mid 80s, depending on where they are anchored. The winds have been mostly out of the north east, but they seem to be changing to out of the south east, bringing the humidity up. The nights have been very pleasant. We sleep outside, under the stars. Rarely will we need a sheet, but haven't yet had to resort to soaking that sheet in ice water in order to cool off.

Fishing: fishing has been over all slow from what we hear. With bait being scarce, yellowtail are biting jigs. The Dorado are here, but not right in the bay yet. A nice catch was made out at 7 mi. Reef last week. Yesterday we we told there were some down at Soldado. It's all about the bait again.

Supplies: Isla and Enrique's has nice produce. Ice hasn't been a problem. The town can't seem to keep up with our Coke Zero intake though! The coke truck comes on Thursdays.

Whale Sharks: They are down around the estuary in the south end of the bay. Yesterday Dern and I spent the day out at La Gringa where we paddled with five at one time, pretty close to each other. It was beautiful out there. The water was so clear that we could see Bonita chasing bait fish along the waters edge. They are collecting daily fees for camping. Not sure how much. Someone told me that it may be 50 p.

Fun stuff: the Toros have been making an almost daily occurrence right on our beach at high tide. They are SO MUCH fun to cast out and play with. Today we stopped at 7 as my arms were getting tired.
The mornings have been glassy, nice paddling conditions. Lots of bird life! Crazy rabbits running through camp.

Bad stuff: The bees! They are horrible this year. Bring a swatter if you come down.

That's all I can think of off the bat. Three more weeks to go, I'm starting to dread it already!

P>*)))>{

I am living vicariously through you guys Paulina! You are wonderful!!

FOUND IT! Mike Humfreville 1-28-2004 post

David K - 8-4-2014 at 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paulina

Quote:

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=2310#pid14769

Per David's Suggestion, an excerpt

"...We are clustered, sweating in the sun at La Gringa and I want to swim so strip off my shirt and dive in as Mary Ann and Michael and others are sharing time on the beach. Soon I am a number or yards off-shore and floating face-up or down, regaining sensibility and independence from The California Connection, when Paulina is beside me and telling me there is a whale shark further out in the bay. Will I swim out with her? This information comes from the same lady that takes her boat several miles off-shore when it's too hot at 4 in the morning and jumps into the deep blue in pitch-black, no-moon weather.

Friends on the beach encourage us and we find ourselves swimming toward the fifteen-foot long by four-foot wide monster from the sea, in its own element, while we are out of ours.

As we swim toward the beast we notice and discuss the two kayaks that seem to be working the shark away from us, bumping against him and trying, unsuccessfully, to move him in another direction. It becomes apparent, from our low angle of observation that the shark wants to investigate us but the kayakers want to prevent that from happening.

Regardless, the shark swims passively to us, between the kayaks. Paulina pumps adrenaline, swimming for the shark, reaches it and makes a pass for its dorsal fin; she just misses it. Now the Kayaker passes between us and the shark and he says this (with a heavy French accent):

'Thees iss not Seajworld, jyou know.'

"Paulina has some words for him.

"I listen to and observe the situation, trying to understand the ethics and morals of the two sides. Then the kayaker gets belligerent.

"He says 'Ah, you Americans are all F'ing AHs

"I try to tone him down with:

'You're attitude sucks, pal.' Which he doesn't like.

"He moves his dual-paddle for his kayak, held in both hands, just so, to what I interpret as an offensive position. I note that I have two choices if the AH gets more aggressive. I can turn his kayak over perhaps creating even greater aggression and risk, or I can bend his rudder (never seen one of these on a kayak but there it is) and leave him floundering at sea and Paulina and me unmolested by Frenchie.

But when push came to shove I watched the light go out of his eyes and he sank his paddle into the sea and faded from the scene.

"The shark is now upon us. We swim directly up to him and he turns, yaws at a 30-degree angle. His mid-body dorsal fin is available as a handle to hang onto, which Paulina does, climbing aboard his back as he pulls slowly forward in the water. She rides a few feet and the shark yaws a bit more and Paulina slips gently off his back. He circles for another pass. Paulina tries again and misses and the big guy is off for other waters, his mouth open and baleening the sea surface for plankton.

What an absolute trip. It takes us twenty minutes to get back to shore where the Amigos gang is ready to head back to camp. We get some laughs about Frenchie and discuss the issues of manhandling wild sea life. We gradually wind our way back over the afternoon. Mary Ann and I stop in the village..."

So there you go. But this piece is really in opposition to my original point of the relative peacefulness of those folks who go about their adventures without using engines to do their work. There are always a few jerks on both sides of the coin. In locating and copying the above excerpt, I began to remember just what a wonderful time we all had. Looking forward to Matomi II.

redhilltown - 8-4-2014 at 11:37 PM

Oh crapola...do I have to stop eating french fries again???

David K - 8-5-2014 at 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by redhilltown
Oh crapola...do I have to stop eating french fries again???

Only when swimming with whale sharks!

durrelllrobert - 8-5-2014 at 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by redhilltown
Oh crapola...do I have to stop eating french fries again???

....and Escargots too :lol:

elgatoloco - 8-5-2014 at 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
enjoy some of it for the rest of us working stiffs!

Hear that! Pet a whale shark for us! Just kidding. :dudette:

Have fun and stay :cool: