BajaNomad

an airfield in BoLA.....for surfers?

Don Pisto - 8-25-2020 at 08:39 AM

big goings on in LA bay

https://cobertura360.mx/2020/08/24/baja-california/el-aerodr...

AKgringo - 8-25-2020 at 09:31 AM

I am not a pilot (or a surfer), and I am not aware if the airfield at B.O.L.A. is active, but I wound up there by accident in February of this year.

There is a military presence there, and they were both courteous, and helpful in directing me to the road where my friend lives.

The three inch waterline to La Gringa will be a boost to that area.

"For surfers?".......I think a surfer at B.O.L.A. would have to be a storm chaser to catch a wave, but what do I know!


[Edited on 8-25-2020 by AKgringo]

mtgoat666 - 8-25-2020 at 11:45 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto  
an airfield in BoLA.....for surfers?


the article did not state anything about an airport for surfers to go to BOLA.

the page included a link to an article about a guy building an airport at scorpion bay for gringos from socal,... (as if scorpion bay did not already have enough a$$***** from the OC)

LancairDriver - 8-25-2020 at 12:05 PM

In years past there was an airstrip that rolled right up to the Diaz house. That ended when a young gringo was on a motorcycle and crossing the airstrip in front of an airplane and was hit. I believe it was fatal. That ended the airstrip at that location. They then built a better paved one north of town that doesn’t get much use and may not be in operation now. I will have to check on that as I haven’t been there in a long time usually heading further south.

David K - 8-25-2020 at 01:17 PM

The town was getting too big for the Diaz runway to remain open. The government paved two runways just north but last word was it isn't 'open' but I think some pilots do land there?
The third airport was Captain Muñoz' nice strip, just south of Camp Gecko. Sadly, it has not been kept open. A fourth, to the east by Rincon, called Sammie's has been closed a lot longer.

David K - 8-25-2020 at 01:50 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto  
big goings on in LA bay

https://cobertura360.mx/2020/08/24/baja-california/el-aerodr...


Two different airport stories in that link.
The one at San Juanico (Scorpion Bay) is of interest to surfers, not the upgrades to LA Bay's airport, mentioned first.

AKgringo - 8-25-2020 at 01:56 PM

The link contained an interesting translation. In at least two of the stories, the plan is to "detonate" the tourist business. I hope they mean "explosive growth" rather than destruction!

John Harper - 8-25-2020 at 03:12 PM

Quote: Originally posted by LancairDriver  
In years past there was an airstrip that rolled right up to the Diaz house. That ended when a young gringo was on a motorcycle and crossing the airstrip in front of an airplane and was hit. I believe it was fatal. That ended the airstrip at that location. They then built a better paved one north of town that doesn’t get much use and may not be in operation now. I will have to check on that as I haven’t been there in a long time usually heading further south.


My dad and I flew into BDLA back in 1973. The pilot had to "buzz" the airstrip first to clear vehicles away, then landed at Papa Diaz place. Parked the plane right in front. This was before the road came in from Hwy 1. I think it was a Cessna 180 that we flew from Burbank to the border, then on to BDLA. I'm know we flew at a pretty low altitude since I don't believe the plane was pressurized, so less than 10K for sure, probably more like 5K?

A few other passengers and we stayed at the Diaz place. I recall we had turtle steaks one evening, met a couple with a van, we all found some big conchs (?) off the rocks one night and oysters as well. I assume it's all gone now. I'm sure my mom probably never slept a wink while we were gone, thinking of that little one engine plane flying low over all that hostile terrain.

John

[Edited on 8-25-2020 by John Harper]

David K - 8-25-2020 at 03:41 PM

Quote: Originally posted by John Harper  
Quote: Originally posted by LancairDriver  
In years past there was an airstrip that rolled right up to the Diaz house. That ended when a young gringo was on a motorcycle and crossing the airstrip in front of an airplane and was hit. I believe it was fatal. That ended the airstrip at that location. They then built a better paved one north of town that doesn’t get much use and may not be in operation now. I will have to check on that as I haven’t been there in a long time usually heading further south.


My dad and I flew into BDLA back in 1973. The pilot had to "buzz" the airstrip first to clear vehicles away, then landed at Papa Diaz place. Parked the plane right in front. This was before the road came in from Hwy 1. I think it was a Cessna 180 that we flew from Burbank to the border, then on to BDLA. I'm know we flew at a pretty low altitude since I don't believe the plane was pressurized, so less than 10K for sure, probably more like 5K?

A few other passengers and we stayed at the Diaz place. I recall we had turtle steaks one evening, met a couple with a van, we all found some big conchs (?) off the rocks one night and oysters as well. I assume it's all gone now. I'm sure my mom probably never slept a wink while we were gone, thinking of that little one engine plane flying low over all that hostile terrain.

John

[Edited on 8-25-2020 by John Harper]


Casa Diaz is still there, run by one of the children of Papa and Cruz (Sammi, I think). I stayed there in 2017, very basic but comfortable, hot showers, and cheap! It was the first time I stayed at Casa Diaz since my first time, in 1967.

2017:









1967:



John Harper - 8-25-2020 at 04:41 PM

I thought we stayed in some rooms just south of the main building area, along the beachfront IIRC. It's been a long time now. Could have been the rooms where your truck is parked, but I think we were south of the arched dining hall.

The place does look remarkably the same as 1973. Wow.

John

[Edited on 8-25-2020 by John Harper]

Paulina - 8-26-2020 at 07:36 AM

Regarding the landing strip in Bahia de Los Angeles, planes land here. A pilot friend who was here last week said that he files his plan to land in Gonzaga Bay, as the Bahia strip is not officially open due to fees not being paid, not the condition of the strip.

I´ve been a passenger back in the day, taking off and landing in town. If you look carefully you might still see the half buried tires in front of Casa Diaz that were used as tie downs.

Casa Diaz hasn´t changed much. The restaurant has been closed for a number of years. The hotel and mini market are run by Chubasco Diaz. Still the most economic place to stay, right on the beach, or up next to the compound.

P>*)))>{

David K - 8-26-2020 at 09:23 AM

Thanks Paulina... Yes, it was Chubasco who rented me the room, not Sammi. I don't know the boys that well... Boy, lol, they are closer to my age, a bit older, I think?!

JZ - 8-26-2020 at 01:13 PM

We went out on a boat with Diaz the last time down, in January. I think it was the day after New Years.



[Edited on 8-26-2020 by JZ]

L.A. Bay's three airports (in 1987)

David K - 8-26-2020 at 02:19 PM

This is from the 17th edition of Arnold Senterfitt's Airports of Baja California:









[Edited on 8-26-2020 by David K]

thebajarunner - 8-26-2020 at 03:51 PM

Prerunning the 1000 back in about 1973.
We pulled into LABay right after dark, stuck heads in Diaz' place where dinner was just being put on the big communal table.
The padre wandered in from next door, sniffed and said "Ah....turtle steak"
Yes it was, and yes it was wonderful
After dinner we drove up the airstrip a ways, found a nice sandy spot alongside the strip, tossed out our sleeping bags and slept right there. In those days most preruns ended up with a sandy wash bed.

We were up and gone long before the Diaz breakfast table was set, but that memory still is high on my list of Baja's finest times. In fact I think we rolled into San Francisquito in time to have some pancakes there.

David K - 8-26-2020 at 05:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner  
Prerunning the 1000 back in about 1973.
We pulled into LABay right after dark, stuck heads in Diaz' place where dinner was just being put on the big communal table.
The padre wandered in from next door, sniffed and said "Ah....turtle steak"
Yes it was, and yes it was wonderful
After dinner we drove up the airstrip a ways, found a nice sandy spot alongside the strip, tossed out our sleeping bags and slept right there. In those days most preruns ended up with a sandy wash bed.

We were up and gone long before the Diaz breakfast table was set, but that memory still is high on my list of Baja's finest times. In fact I think we rolled into San Francisquito in time to have some pancakes there.


Ah, the golden years of Baja travel!

Before the paved runways...

David K - 8-27-2020 at 01:13 PM

This was the main L.A. Bay airport (2 runways)... the south end was almost to Casa Diaz and planes would taxi to the rooms. This page is out of my 1972 edition of Airports of Baja California... the page originally is from the 1969 edition.

LancairDriver - 8-27-2020 at 04:11 PM

Years ago there was an amazing rescue at bay of la after an airplane that was traveling with another plane developed engine failure and went into the bay there. The rescue involved the other airplane and a couple of local Mexican fishermen who were on the beach and had pangas but no gasoline. Also couldn’t see where the plane went down and the remaining airplane was trying to spot the location. The rescue was accomplished against all odds. I used to have the story but I have lost it. Does anyone remember the incident? I believe the aircraft occupants and owners were LA firemen or police. I couldn’t find anything on Nomad search, probably for lack of expertise. The involved parties eventually published a detailed account somewhere but I can’t find anything on it.
Maybe someone here remembers the incident.

mtgoat666 - 8-27-2020 at 04:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by LancairDriver  
Years ago there was an amazing rescue at bay of la after an airplane that was traveling with another plane developed engine failure and went into the bay there. The rescue involved the other airplane and a couple of local Mexican fishermen who were on the beach and had pangas but no gasoline. Also couldn’t see where the plane went down and the remaining airplane was trying to spot the location. The rescue was accomplished against all odds. I used to have the story but I have lost it. Does anyone remember the incident? I believe the aircraft occupants and owners were LA firemen or police. I couldn’t find anything on Nomad search, probably for lack of expertise. The involved parties eventually published a detailed account somewhere but I can’t find anything on it.
Maybe someone here remembers the incident.


maybe this story: https://www.flyingmag.com/i-learned-about-flying-10/

thebajarunner - 8-27-2020 at 05:27 PM

I have flown that coast numerous times, mostly in my 172 Cutlass.
When I was first building hours one of my partners decided we needed a 210, so for a good learning outing I talked my instructor into going along to Punta Chivato, with a stopover, of course at Serninadad. Long story short, when we got ready to head back to Modesto we learned that avgas was in scarce supply up and down the peninsula, and we did not have enough to make it back to Mexicali.
Soooooooo, over the waves to Guaymas. Man that was a long hour, looking down on that endless stretch of blue.
A very stressful way to get checked out in a new type, I must say.

LancairDriver - 8-27-2020 at 07:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by LancairDriver  
Years ago there was an amazing rescue at bay of la after an airplane that was traveling with another plane developed engine failure and went into the bay there. The rescue involved the other airplane and a couple of local Mexican fishermen who were on the beach and had pangas but no gasoline. Also couldn’t see where the plane went down and the remaining airplane was trying to spot the location. The rescue was accomplished against all odds. I used to have the story but I have lost it. Does anyone remember the incident? I believe the aircraft occupants and owners were LA firemen or police. I couldn’t find anything on Nomad search, probably for lack of expertise. The involved parties eventually published a detailed account somewhere but I can’t find anything on it.
Maybe someone here remembers the incident.


maybe this story: https://www.flyingmag.com/i-learned-about-flying-10/


That’s It! Thanks for the find Goat. Nice data mining job. I will hang on to it now. Nice read for anyone who might be riding over water in a light plane. The same situation that unfortunately didn’t turn out well for Carlos Fiesta and his passengers.