To ensure that Carlos's memory and his great 'panga around Baja' story remains fresh for future readers, at least for a few more years, my web host
has saved it onto my site, here: http://www.vivabaja.com/CarlosFiesta/ should Carlos' go offline.
This was going to be published as a book, then Carlos and two others did not survive an emergency water landing when they were almost home from the
Baja 1000 trip in 2010. Sadly, the book was not published but his website www.bajaexpo.com is still online.Bajazly - 6-23-2019 at 07:05 PM
I think reading that whole story is what brought me here. Somehow stumbled onto Nomad looking for more. I remember finding the site and I couldn't
stop reading it. May be worth making that trip one day but maybe in reverse.fandango - 6-23-2019 at 07:38 PM
I love that story. When I read it, I printed it out so friends could read it.
When I go to Baja expo.com and click the link for the circumnavigation, a for sale page comes up for carlosfiesta.com.
Happy that it can be accessed on your page David. Gonna have to read it again.JZ - 6-23-2019 at 09:47 PM
I think reading that whole story is what brought me here. Somehow stumbled onto Nomad looking for more. I remember finding the site and I couldn't
stop reading it. May be worth making that trip one day but maybe in reverse.
I've done the SOC side a couple times. San Felipe to La Paz. Haven't done the Pacific side, but have spent years boating around LA and down to
Ensenada.
You'd definitely want to do the Pacific side North to South. It's rough on the Pacific. It's called the Baja Bash for a reason.
Read the article, he wasn't a very experienced boater at all and didn't have very much tech, which makes it all that much more impressive.
He did get lucky he didn't hit some really strong North winds in the SoC in November. He should have gone earlier in October. advrider - 6-23-2019 at 09:52 PM
i found that a few years ago, what a cool story! I'm not a boat guy, so no thanks.. David K - 6-24-2019 at 07:39 AM
Great that so many have enjoyed his story and now more can read about his midlife crisis cure: cruise around the peninsula in a panga: Southern
California to the Colorado Delta.fishbuck - 6-24-2019 at 01:20 PM
That was amazing what he did.
I've spent time on both sides and couldn't imagime myself doing it in that boat...
Now when I get my Sea Ray...fishbuck - 6-24-2019 at 01:22 PM
And it was fuel starvation that caused the emergency...
Pilot error.David K - 6-24-2019 at 03:38 PM
And it was fuel starvation that caused the emergency...
Pilot error.
It was extremely sad and preventable.
Carlos was a good amigo, he came to all my Viva Baja parties and was so cool to talk with.. full of passion for Baja!
They stopped to clear customs in Calexico and add fuel (but not top the tanks?). It was headwinds from there to the Pacific coast and it just consumed
more than he calculated. It sputtered out around Newport Beach and he put it down in the bay/ lagoon but the plane rotated onto its roof and trapped
the three men inside who all drowned. If I have any details wrong, please correct.
Doug, Michelle, Elizabeth, and I attended the memorial... It was huge with a classic warplane fly-over, with missing man formation. I think Doug
videotaped it and showed it here?
Some photos I have of Carlos Fiesta (Chuck Chambers)...
2000:
with Kacey Smith (The Lizard Lady/ Baja GPS Guide)
2001:
with Timothy Walker and Bajaboy
2002:
2003:
with Timothy Walker (the former TimsBaja.com)fishbuck - 6-24-2019 at 05:08 PM
It happened to one of the Baldwins too... flying home from a race.
Infront of Dana Point.
The pilot was an instructor at John Wayne Airport. I did not fly with him but my friends did...
3 fatal...David K - 6-24-2019 at 10:07 PM
I too flew with a Baja pilot who crashed into a mountain a few years after I flew from Alfonsina's to Oceanside, via Calexico (1999)... Doug Bowles.
On his last flight, he decided to fly into bad WX (weather) and he took his grandson's life as well, near Palm Springs.
Pilots have a name for this, "get-home-itis".
Remember it better to get there late instead of never!Mother of Dragons - 6-25-2019 at 05:27 AM
It happened to one of the Baldwins too... flying home from a race.
Infront of Dana Point.
The pilot was an instructor at John Wayne Airport. I did not fly with him but my friends did...
3 fatal...
Jason Baldwin was a lifetime good friend of mine, and Jeff TenEyck who was also on the plane, we grew up together.
I’m pretty sure it was the Baldwin’s pilot they had for forever. I’ve flew a few times with them and he was very experienced pilot.
Anyways thank you for the link David, look forward to reading the story.
[Edited on 6-25-2019 by Mother of Dragons]
[Edited on 6-25-2019 by Mother of Dragons]mrioux - 7-14-2019 at 12:00 PM
A great read, thanks for posting.rhintransit - 7-14-2019 at 05:29 PM
Thanks for the heads up. I read it through in one sitting. Really enjoyed it.David K - 7-14-2019 at 07:34 PM
thank you for the link David, look forward to reading the story.