Does anybody know the story of the Oasis Primer Agua outside of Loreto?
A pool was built up in an arroyo just south of town and off the highway 5mi or so.
Interested in when this was operating? What exactly it was? How long it lasted.....
any info is good, interesting place
History of Primer Agua
David K - 10-24-2021 at 07:33 PM
I am sure someone in Loreto will know more about the new waterpark or whatever it is... until they post, here is the history:
It was originally a farm developed as a garden by the Mission of Loreto. [Lower California Guidebook]
Located about 6 kms./3.6 miles south of Loreto, and approx. 4 miles inland via dirt road.
I will have some more history for you, tomorrow!
[Edited on 10-25-2021 by David K]
More Primer Agua history...
David K - 10-25-2021 at 09:57 AM
The following comes from the excellent book by Ann O'Neil and her husband Don, 'Loreto Baja California, First Mission and Capital of Spanish
California' c2001.
In 1781, a former Spanish soldier named Jaime Carillo was the rancher at Primer Agua.
About 1830, José Garayzar arrived in Loreto in a small sailboat. Coming from Spain to Baja California, Garayzar married a local girl (Dolores
Gastelúm) in 1835 and acquired Rancho Primer Agua.
Born in 1929, Idelfonso Green Garayzar (nick named 'Al')... the following from page 249 is too good to paraphrase!:
4x4abc - 10-25-2021 at 11:40 AM
Aside from plenty of water in Arroyo El Tular, Rancho Primera Agua was on the main route to San Javier and the ranchos in Valle Santo Domingo.
A hurricane John in 2006 and hurricane Odile in 2014 were devastating for the 5 lush ranchos in Cañada El Tular - Primera Agua was completely wiped
out in 2014.
The before and after images in Google Earth make you cry
David K - 10-25-2021 at 02:24 PM
The Primer (or Primera) Agua in question is not on the San Javier road, which seems to me where your map leads to? It is just a few miles south of
Loreto, inland from Nopolo (Loreto Bay Country Club).
Baja Almanac:
[Edited on 10-25-2021 by David K]4x4abc - 10-25-2021 at 03:46 PM
that is why I added a picture to help you get the concept
the trail up Arroyo Las Parras was the first (to Rancho Viejo) - but later more direct routes were added to serve Valle Santo Domingo.
Arroyo El Tular is one of the main ones.
As insurmountable as the Sierra La Giganta seems, there are 20 Cuestas (passes) from Cuesta Las Parras (Loreto) to Cuesta Blanca (Ligüi).
[Edited on 10-25-2021 by 4x4abc]4x4abc - 10-25-2021 at 04:28 PM
here are all Cuestas between Loreto and Ligüi.
Cuesta Blanca.
Cuesta La Palmilla.
Cuesta Las Higueras.
Cuesta El Aguajito.
Cuesta Altagracia
Cuesta Los Reyes.
Cuesta Santa Cruz.
Cuesta Enmedio.
Cuesta Dolores.
Cuesta Alta.
Cuesta Santa Maria.
Cuesta Santa Rosa.
Cuesta Tiombo.
Cuesta Las Cargas.
Cuesta El Manchon.
Cuesta Incha.
Cuesta El Tular.
Cuesta El Triunfo.
Cuesta Palbarco.
Cuesta Las Parras.
I forgot to add that the 'pool' was built in an arroyo and has since been DESTROYED.
There were bathrooms and a giant pool but after storms mentioned above or before the whole 'waterpark' was destroyed.
When and what was this place??
I'll need some help posting pics or maybe after our trip I'll get to that...4x4abc - 10-25-2021 at 07:32 PM
"Marv and Aletha Patchen with another couple hiked the mission road south from Mission Ligüí to Mission Dolores."
yeah, I read that
only it is not the main trail
[Edited on 10-26-2021 by 4x4abc]4x4abc - 10-25-2021 at 07:45 PM
the Arroyo at Primera Agua is El Tular
but I am aware that the 250k INEGI sheet has it as Arroyo Primera AguaBob and jane - 10-26-2021 at 06:34 AM
I talked with Lulu (of McLulu's) about Primer Agua in probably 2001 or so. She said that a family owned the site for a number of years. They built
the pools and landscaped the place. Loretanos could reserve time there and bring in food and drink and have wonderful fiestas. I believe this went
on for some years in the late 1990's and early 2000's. Then Fonatur bought the property with promises of development. Which never happened and the
place fell into ruin. The first time we visited, the place was mostly abandoned, though a caretaker was often there. The pools were still intact but
not functioning. You could see what a lovely place it had been. Fruit trees, flowers, palms, facilities. The last time we went a number of years
ago, there was little left to see. Even the fruit trees were gone. This is not a researched report, FYI. Just what I've been told and seen.Glidergeek - 10-26-2021 at 08:14 AM
Back in the early 1990's A friend that built a house in Nopomo took my family and I there for a day with his family. He somehow had exclusively rented
it for the day as I remember. I believe there were only 9 total of us and it was a blast. I wish I had pic's but it was well before digital cams. I'm
saddened that it is now gone.TLBaja79 - 10-26-2021 at 08:31 AM
Bob and Jane
Gildergeek
Thank you very much for the first hand account of this area. It really puts the whole story together for us!! David K - 10-26-2021 at 08:35 AM
the last good images of the pool were in 2003
110 ft long, 60 ft wide
BajaBlanca - 10-26-2021 at 10:47 AM
That is a HUGE pool! I bet it was such fun back in the day. Sure wish we had visited.4x4abc - 10-26-2021 at 12:29 PM
the pool in 2021
Bob and jane - 10-26-2021 at 12:41 PM
As I remember, it was actually two pools. Maybe the division between the pools is beneath the trees in the first photo. So sad to see it disappear. John Harper - 10-26-2021 at 01:25 PM
Looks like considerably less vegetation as well since 2003, maybe water table has changed/moved?
Looks like considerably less vegetation as well since 2003, maybe water table has changed/moved?
John
Harald stated earlier that it was flooded in the storms of 2006, and 2014.David K - 10-26-2021 at 03:45 PM
Flash floods really do rip away all trees, shrubs, the ground, anything! I always chuckle when I hear how off-roading destroys the land! Nature is far
mightier than us all!4x4abc - 10-26-2021 at 05:28 PM
2003
4x4abc - 10-26-2021 at 06:36 PM
2021
John Harper - 10-26-2021 at 06:52 PM
Wow, what a difference a couple decades make. Sad story for sure.
John
[Edited on 10-27-2021 by John Harper]LaTijereta - 10-27-2021 at 06:03 AM
