BajaNomad

Campo Rene

BajaBlanca - 1-17-2016 at 04:02 PM

We decided to have lunch at Campo Rene today - the weather was gorgeous - super blue skies, no wind, and Sunday.



Since I know many of you love Estero Coyote (the official name for the area), I took some photos.




Looking out thru the restaurant window:








Outside:








Hard to see but the Osprey was landing and it was a beaut of a bird:











and we met a couple who will be spending months traveling around baja - I do hope they come to La Bocana and Jim said he planned on joining bajanomad - he has a new vehicle that needs super low something diesel and I told him you all would surely be able to help.



Here is me - my mom who is here for the month - and Lenore, who is traveling with Jim:











The menu is extensive with lots of breakfast and lunch options:





quesadillas with guac on the side:












shrimp tacos:







David K - 1-17-2016 at 04:14 PM

Thanks for the photos!

Here's a map for StuckSucks:



[Edited on 1-18-2016 by David K]

StuckSucks - 1-17-2016 at 04:30 PM

Where is this Campo Rene you speak about?

rts551 - 1-17-2016 at 04:36 PM

Blanca....is Chula still cooking or is the regular staff back?

woody with a view - 1-17-2016 at 04:45 PM

shrimp tacos? those don't look good, nope! not at all.....:biggrin:

Roger182 - 1-17-2016 at 06:08 PM

did you happen to notice if the runway is open for use

Maron - 1-17-2016 at 09:02 PM

WOW, thanks for the report and photos. David, again, thank you for the map.

cliffh - 1-18-2016 at 08:40 AM

great pics and great that the restaurant is still open. Hi Les and Blanca from the old couple

Meany - 1-18-2016 at 08:47 AM

Thanks Blanca and Les. Loved that place.:bounce:

Marc - 1-19-2016 at 07:51 AM

Glad to hear the place is open. I have used Campo Rene as a safety valve to escape the heat.

rts551 - 1-19-2016 at 08:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by cliffh  
great pics and great that the restaurant is still open. Hi Les and Blanca from the old couple

I suspect the restaurant will stay open. The Abreojos has owned Campo Rene for at least 5 years now. The originally had plans to renovate the entire camp, but for a vaiety of reasons put some of it on the back burner.

David K - 1-19-2016 at 10:00 AM

Can anyone here answer Roger182's question about the runway being open?

rts551 - 1-19-2016 at 10:13 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Can anyone here answer Roger182's question about the runway being open?


What runway? no official runway there. The salt flat has been flooded off and on from high tides the last 6 months. So best to check right before going.

Roger182 - 1-19-2016 at 11:08 AM

There is a runway there, have landed there many times, its great, land and taxi right up to by a casita unload, and its time to relax and have a beer and enjoy a night or 2. The runway is right in front and marked off by painted white rocks, just need to time the tides correctly.

rts551 - 1-19-2016 at 11:26 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Roger182  
There is a runway there, have landed there many times, its great, land and taxi right up to by a casita unload, and its time to relax and have a beer and enjoy a night or 2. The runway is right in front and marked off by painted white rocks, just need to time the tides correctly.


I live in Abreojos, so I know about both salt flats.....just pointing out neither are "approved" runways. At one point the military tried to eliminate the one at Estero Coyote (the real name for Campo Rene) by digging a ditch across it. Yes time the tides since lately the water has been spilling over the beach into the flat. Also has totally engulfed the point beyond the oyster shack at times eliminating any camping or boat launching out there... Things have changed a little with this years el nino.

BajaBlanca - 1-19-2016 at 03:09 PM

The runway - as such - looked great and bearing in mind the tides, is still in use. It is not an official runway as Ralph mentions, but we saw planes there last year. None when we just went the other day.

the old cooks are back and happy! the food was not good and the views just amazing.

Campo Rene or Estero El Coyote is between highway 1 and Punta Abreojos. If you have your own boat, you can go fishing. One of our Canadian friends fly fished there for months.

Marc is certainly not the only one to use it when the weather is hot on the SOC - many stay there for as long as it takes for the cooler air to arrive on sea of cortez.

From the pilot's guide: AIR BAJA! by Galen Hanselman

David K - 1-19-2016 at 04:57 PM

To show how stable on unchanged this runway has been, here are two older pilot books on it. One is about 19 years ago and the other, 23 years before that...


1997 Data
=========================================================

Airports of Baja California by Arnold Senterfitt


1974 Data
Arnold's 1980 page is pretty much the same.

I was last at Campo Rene in 2007, runway was beautiful and one plane was tied down there, as I recall.



willardguy - 1-19-2016 at 05:13 PM

okay so who knows the real story? the two new bamboo huts with a single bed and hot water showers are bad to the bone, and couldn't have been cheap to build, who built them?
the original cabins should be torn down, but at the least be re-roofed (there is absolutely no roofing on any of them),we stayed there during a rain storm and the concrete bed pedestals are covered with mold, the showers are a cold trickle.
we still had a fine time for a group of old crusty gringo's but I can't imagine many folks tolerating the condition of the place......;)

micah202 - 1-19-2016 at 05:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by rts551  
....... time the tides since lately the water has been spilling over the beach into the flat. Also has totally engulfed the point beyond the oyster shack at times eliminating any camping or boat launching out there... Things have changed a little with this years el nino.


.....been some more 'king tides' last week,,likely the cause of recent extra high water levels

Roger182 - 1-19-2016 at 05:50 PM

Thanks for the update, will try the runway in April and let you know, fun to fly over from Mulege and have lunch, and pick up some oysters

rts551 - 1-19-2016 at 05:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  
okay so who knows the real story? the two new bamboo huts with a single bed and hot water showers are bad to the bone, and couldn't have been cheap to build, who built them?
the original cabins should be torn down, but at the least be re-roofed (there is absolutely no roofing on any of them),we stayed there during a rain storm and the concrete bed pedestals are covered with mold, the showers are a cold trickle.
we still had a fine time for a group of old crusty gringo's but I can't imagine many folks tolerating the condition of the place......;)


The COOP had a contractor come in and build them. They were going to do this for all the cabanas...but decided to wait.

rts551 - 1-19-2016 at 05:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
To show how stable on unchanged this runway has been, here are two older pilot books on it. One is about 19 years ago and the other, 23 years before that...


1997 Data
=========================================================

Airports of Baja California by Arnold Senterfitt


1974 Data
Arnold's 1980 page is pretty much the same.

I was last at Campo Rene in 2007, runway was beautiful and one plane was tied down there, as I recall.





Well since you were there in 2007, you must have the "real" story.

David K - 1-19-2016 at 05:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Roger182  
Thanks for the update, will try the runway in April and let you know, fun to fly over from Mulege and have lunch, and pick up some oysters


Hope you have a great time...
Flying Baja used to be a major factor for sportsmen to enjoy the peninsula... before the ditching of up to 200 runways and bureaucracy and plane thefts! If you are inclined or have any, would sure love to see aerial photos of Baja places! Here is the Private Pilots forum, on Nomad: http://forums.bajanomad.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=36

rts551 - 1-19-2016 at 06:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Roger182  
Thanks for the update, will try the runway in April and let you know, fun to fly over from Mulege and have lunch, and pick up some oysters


Unless it rains, Its been a little wet this winter. Send a message and I can let you know.


Commuterfisher - 8-22-2016 at 03:32 PM

I hope to waterski there 2nd week of Sept 2016. Alonso's been working on my boat and hoping to try my new 5 bladed power prop for and improved hole shot.

Thinking about going to Bahia Conception if the wind it light. Great skiing and diving there.