The year of living free, camping on a beach on the pacific side, 60 miles north of La Paz, near flor de malva, for 8 days and nights. Heaven.
This was the longest solar eclipse I've seen for 6'48" of darkness. Pure hedonism, surfing, clamming, drinking, smoking, grinding and chillin, a true
nomad Baja adventure.
A journey to record and witness the event was embarked on by me and a few friends. We left L.A. for the peninsula on the 2nd of July around 4pm. We
got an old gas tank from a junkyard off a Peter-built diesel truck, bolted and strapped it down in the back of an old '74 Chevy 350, 4x4 and filled it
with 150 gallons of extra gas we got in San Ysidro, 110 gallons of water - 2 - 55 gallon white drums, 2 ice chests of beer, steaks, beef jerky and
tortillas, 2 telescopes, a video recorder, 3 cameras, lots of film, a 10'x20' framed tarp, 2 surf boards, golf clubs\balls, and camping gear.
Followed by the Toyota '83, 4x4, w GPS, compass, maps, 2 surf boards, fishing poles, 2 clamming pitch forks, we were loaded for bear. There was a lot
of hype of overcrowding and a possible lack of gas at gas stations down south, hence the diesel tank. We just siphoned the big tank into the trucks
when we ran out and to run the trucks for music without worrying about battery conservation.
We stopped in San Ysidro to fill the big tank, grind at Denny's and Mexican car insurance. We got to the border by 6pm and drove till tired around 2
am and pulled over to sleep on the side of the road somewhere near Catavina. Woke up on the 3rd w nobody was around on the road and headed for
Guerrero Negro for lunch. After lunch onto Loreto.
We made it to Loreto after sundown on the 3rd, bc we stopped along the way to see the old churches and towns. we hit up El Nido for dinner and drinks,
then headed to a family friends house in town by 11pm or later. We parked out front on the street, bc nobody was up and slept in\on the trucks until
daybreak of the 4th.
We hung out w them in the morning over bloody mary's and visited till 10 or so. Hit the road to Ciudad Insurgentes\Constitution and beyond. Got ice n
beer in Constitution by noon and headed for the coast. We drove til 9 pm looking for the right road to the beach, somewhere south of Isla Santa
Margarita. A very bumpy, washboard road, with vados and pot holes. I was driving the big chevy and hit a big bump, it flew the fan belt off the
pulley, in the middle of no where, literally, pitch black night, half drunk, I fixed it in no time. Couldn't find the road in the dark so we camped
somewhere near the beach in a wash for the night of the 4th.
On the 5th, at daybreak, we jumped in the ocean for a shower then moseyed along to find the road to the beach we wanted around noon. The roads were
narrow with overgrown cactus slapping the side view mirrors, I caught one in the right cheek, a 3 barbed, apple sized tip hit the mirror and flipped
around and stuck its landing dead center of my cheek. bullseye, lol. We stopped the trucks shy of the beach on the sand rise to scout the beach for a
good campsite. Soft sand, a loaded truck and a bad decision to go for it left the chevy buried in sand up to the front axle, just 40 feet down the
beach, Oops!, Oh Well, here's the campsite tonight. Too late and tired in the afternoon to dig it out.
After having a few beers, a joint and a smoke we figured we'd get it out tomorrow, 6 days before the eclipse. We had the Toyota to go back to town to
find some help and ended up with 2- 6"x10' boards to use as traction to back out of the hole, what a project this was. 4 guys digging out sand,
emptying the truck, except for the gas tank and managed to get her back up to the harder sand packed entrance. We let some air out of the tires and
moved camp to the spot we wanted by noon on the 6th of July. Phew!! Finally.
With the campsite set up 4 days before the 11th we enjoyed the time to ourselves, nobody around for miles north or south of us. We didn't see anyone
else the whole time except for the pelicans.
The spot we choose was dead center of the eclipse shadow. Surfing and barbecued rib eyes, corona beer w lime and some marijuana to sooth the hot days
in the breeze and shade of the tarp.
We brought a remote plane glider and set out to the hills north to fly it, on the 7th. We took the Toyota down the beach a ways and climbed up the 40
foot sand hills for a view and launching point. Hitting golf balls out into the ocean, frisbee and cards at night. Good fun. The tide came up that
night and covered where we got the chevy truck stuck, about 50 yards closer to the surf, good thing we moved to higher ground. We went clamming at 3
am one morning, as it was the lowest tide of the month, pitch fork in hand, two lanterns, no clams, the tide was so far out we walked 1/2 a mile out
before it was up to our ankles. We must have walked right past them, no moon out either. Just a calm breeze at night and so many stars, so bright out
there. Magical! The clams would have to wait till a later trip to Almeja bay where we did get more than we bargained for, but that's another story.
Every night was cooler than being on the East side, 70 not 82. We used the 4" refractor telescope to check out the stars every night, as the 10" was
prepped for the eclipse with a home made solar filter already attached. We saw lots of stars of what was out at night then, some planes, satellites,
shooting stars, no UFO's.
We didn't take a lot of pictures of those 4 days or video, we saved the film for the day of the eclipse. I found a whale vertebrae, good size, bigger
than a bowling ball and about as heavy. By the day of the eclipse we had relaxed enough to take in the solitude and peace of our location. We played
cards and dominoes at night, and talked story. Ribeyes, eggs and jalapeño wraps every morning for breakfast, ribeyes, potatoes and beer for dinner. I
worked for a meat delivery at the time and got a deal on 2 boneless, 20 lb each, rack of steaks. Slicing off 2" steaks to grill nightly. Not a lot of
veggies, but a sack of potatoes to boot. Just the basics, and lots of chips and salsa for munchies, Nomad style.
On the 11th we woke to sunrise and jumped in the ocean for a bath like everyday, wore wet towels and hats for sun shade like a muslim, had breakfast
and began the tasks for our reason for being there. With the 10" mead telescope set up w solar filter, powered by the Toyotas battery and the video
recorder w mylar filter to record the passing of the moon for the entire time of first contact to final contact along with some loud AC\DC playing in
the background of ambiance, we recorded for 1' every 5 minutes until totality.Then we recorded the whole almost 7 minutes of darkness, caught the
Bailey Beads and Diamond rings on film. Three tripods, lots of wires and anticipation. By 11:30 am we were ready for the 11:48 am start of the show.
Me and another were working the tripods and the others were taking pictures of the surrounding landscape before during and after to show the light
difference through the event. The video was longer about 2 hours before and after totality of 7 mins. We could feel the excitement in the air as it
approached, calling out the times of when to record and talking while we recorded each minute duration up to and after first and last contact of the
moon's passing. During totality we let the video run so we recorded all our reactions and comments. Some of it rated R not PG. That's life...
The shadow could be seen coming in over the pacific from the northwest pretty fast, the Sky was clear all morning and when the shadow was about 2 mins
before overhead the birds were flying inland and it was getting cooler. The hair was standing up on the back of our necks and arms. Calling out "here
it comes, Oh my god look at that!" etc.. The moon had come into the path of the sun and the entire area went dark, it was still lit by the refraction
all around, it wasn't pitch black but the difference was seriously noticeable, like being under an umbrella, way off in the distance you could see
where it was still lit on 3 sides of us as we were next to a sand hill to the east of us. Looking straight up overhead w the naked eye was amazing,
and through the 10" scope w the filter you could see the solar poles w streaming magnetic plumes in violet\purple like lightning constantly erupting
far out away from the black disk with a halo of white and purple light all the way around the sun. Amazing!!! What a trip to see! We all got to see it
taking turns during the 7 min ordeal, in the shadow of the moon on earth in the middle of nowhere was a sight to behold and an adventure to tell
stories about. As the end was near we waited for the light to come back by almost noon, and when it did it too was as memorable as seeing it cover us
in shadow. Like a slow uncovering of shade it brought back the full light and we all cheered its exit.
Baja, the place to be in July 91, by the end of the totality, we were sate with our accomplishment and began the tedious filming until the end of the
moon's passing, lighting up the hibachi for lunch and a cold corona or two or three and reflecting on what had just happened in our conversations.
b-tchen to say the least, purely profound. A day to remember and to share. The cook was busy with the steaks and dropped one in the sand, washed it
off and still ate it.
The rest of the day was storing the gear and jumping into the ocean. For the last night on the beach we had a bonfire, party and feast before the long
road trip back to the rat race the next day.
On the 12th we got up at daybreak, had breakfast and packed up our site and rubbish as not to pollute the world. By 9 am we left the beach and got
home by sunset the next day. The trip back was fun, but long, I don't remember if we stopped or drove straight through switching drivers. If we
stopped I couldn't tell ya where we did to sleep, but I remember we crossed the border around 4 pm on the 13th, as it was still day and very hot in
the long lines of cars with the kids selling gum and souvenirs. Also I do remember jumping into the pool at home and sleeping before we unpacked the
trucks.
[Edited on 9-4-2021 by ratoblanco]
[Edited on 9-5-2021 by ratoblanco]
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[Edited on 9-6-2021 by ratoblanco]KurtG - 9-4-2021 at 01:08 PM
On the spur of the moment I packed up my motorcycle (Suzuki gs850g) and headed for Baja Sur where friends had a house in La Playita near San Jose Del
Cabo. Riding in the mid-summer heat was ok going south but returning north was the hottest ride I have ever done especially between Loreto and Mulege
where my thermometer indicated 115f.
Since the eclipse was just before noon it was almost directly overhead and every bit as spectacular as you describe. I watched it through welders
goggles which worked well and the corona and flares that we normally can't see were incredible. We were on the south facing beach and so had the 360
degree sunset effect. In the middle of totality I took off the goggles and could see stars in the darkened sky and the eclipse itself was an absolute
black hole in the universe or so it appeared to me at the time.
After a lifetime with hundreds of thousands of motorcycle miles that trip remains one of my most treasured memories.BornFisher - 9-4-2021 at 01:41 PM
Great write-up! We joined about 100 people on a high hill in Todos Santos. Surprised not too many locals were out as they were apparently avoiding
exposure. Trucks below driving the highway didn`t stop at all. Just turned on their lights and kept on trucking. Wonderful t-shirts for sale, wish I
still had mine.
David K - 9-4-2021 at 01:44 PM
'M' and Graham attended the event, south of La Paz and I made a web page for her to show the photos from the 'event of a lifetime':
[Edited on 9-6-2021 by David K]StuckSucks - 9-4-2021 at 02:47 PM
ratoblanco, excellent write-up!
We also made a bonsai trip down to watch the eclipse.
We camped and watched at Punta Colorado on the East Cape along with a handful of locals. I remember during totality, a cross on a nearby church
illuminated adding to the surreal event.
Immediately after the event, a flock of people got in their airplanes and headed north.
Here's a video I shot, VHS-quality with freaky, spiritual music.
[Edited on 9-5-2021 by StuckSucks]JZ - 9-4-2021 at 02:48 PM
Make your plans now.
April 8, 2024
After August 21, 2017, the next total solar eclipse over North America visits Mexico, the United States, and Canada on April 8, 2024. This will be the
Great North American Eclipse! If the eclipse bug has truly bitten you, then you won't be able to wait until the next North American total solar
eclipse in 2024.
[Edited on 9-4-2021 by JZ]JZ - 9-4-2021 at 06:38 PM
There was an extra space in the html code.
[Edited on 9-5-2021 by JZ]surfhat - 9-5-2021 at 10:30 AM
Thanks for the memories of such a special opportunity to personally experience a true wonder of nature.
I was living in a small development on the East Cape in the Vinorama area at the time. We had a group of 30? come down and stay on our property from
Palo Alto who brought multiple telescopes and aimed them at different planets and stars for all of us homeowners to see something we could only see
during a total eclipse. Yes, there is always the nighttime. We had some great views of the heavens while this Palo Alto star crew was camping out on
our property.
These enthusiasts we were quite a bunch of unique, to say the least, characters. I suppose it takes something special to chase down an eclipse from
northern Ca. to the tip of Baja.
The shimmering of the atmosphere as the shade advanced over the landscape was amazing.
The local birdlife went noticeably silent. I would like to think they were as amazed as we humans were.
One of their telescopes was aimed at Saturn. That was a total wow for this observer to see the rings so clearly, and at noontime, no less.
I had obtained some filters for my binoculars so I could layback on the sandy ground and safely watch the whole time when I wasn't looking through one
of their dozen telescopes.
This was not my first total solar eclipse. Back in the 60's on the East Coast in NC, I watched a similar event through the method of looking at a
piece of cardboard reflecting the eclipse of the sun. If we had had some welders filters at the time, it would have been so much better, but knowledge
was rather primitive back then.
In 1991, the experience was much more real since we could all look at it directly through the use of safe filters.
My vision has not suffered, in fact, it has improved the last couple of decades. Good too know we can watch these occurrences directly using well
known safety protocols.
Being able to sequester in a spot where you can have a good view of the terrain as the shimmering effect moves across the land and the ocean is not to
be missed. If the gods of fortune allow, I will be back down for this event.
This visiting crew of stargazers took a lot of photos that we local property owners had the privilege of getting copies of. They are around somewhere.
We have all seen the wedding ring effect and other pics, so these are not new to most people.
Being there in person is well worth the effort for what you will experience. Bucket list item is a definite. Don't miss out!
Here are the pics that wont upload here... mahalo for the replys and compliments, Fly low and avoid the radar.... peace and aloha StuckSucks - 9-5-2021 at 01:39 PM
A very cool video from 1991... Is that you at the end StuckSucks (Jim)?
I'm the camera man, that's my friend Eric.elgatoloco - 9-6-2021 at 08:30 PM
Thanks for the stories and video. Surreal is an apt term for totality. I missed the 1991 eclipse due to an injury and barely got over it (missing the
eclipse that is). Been trying to make up for it these last few decades. 2001 wife and I experienced one in Zambia, 2006 on the med coast of Egypt,
2017 we drove to Casper, WY and 2019 we were at a private observatory in foothills of the Chilean Andes. Looking forward to driving to another in
2024. After that we are contemplating 2026,2027 and 2030.
