Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Baja Looking Back/Mi Baja/Operation Intercept/Chapter 13
Almost blew it! Sitting here thinking and suddenly realized it is Friday again and I gotta post this thing.
Hope you smile as you read!
Operation Intercept
Early on in the 1970’s Lu Ann and I were sitting around the house trying to decide what we would do with our one-week of vacation. We didn’t have a
whole lot of money so we had just planned to hang out. I picked up the morning paper and noticed that the U.S. Federal Government had instituted a
new program at the border, “Operation Intercept,” which had gone into effect two days before. This was a new program to reduce the number of ‘illegal
aliens’ crossing into the United States at the world’s busiest border at Tijuana/San Diego. Typically, our Government had not bothered to contact
their counterparts in Mexico City. This caused a rapid, typical, and drastic reaction by the Mexican bureaucrats.
The Mexicans countered with a program where they were threatening to inoculate; Yes! with a needle, any gringo who crossed the border into Mexico. As
I read the story to Lu Ann we both began to smile.
We packed our old 1966 Dodge Van with our sleeping bags, water, a six pack of Safeway Brown Derby beer, a few Dr Peppers, some instant coffee and we
were off for Beautiful Baja.
We realized that the Mexicans Immigration Officers would not shoot us (inoculate) and that we would likely have most of Baja to ourselves. When we
got to the border there were no cars in front of us. We just waved and zoomed across the border.
We took the Libre road and as we climbed the hills past all of those white little crosses we were delighted to find that we had obviously guessed
right. There were no gringo cars in Baja.
We cruised past Rosarito Beach in record time. Our first stop was at ‘Raul’s’ Restaurant, which is just north of Puerto Nuevo. We wandered in and
found the place deserted. Looking around we found Yolanda back in the cocina cooking some pulpo. She was one of the owners of the place and she was
definitely not happy with ‘those guys in Mexico City.’ She told us that the threat of inoculations had totally killed her business and that we were
her first customers in two days.
We had a Corona and a coke as we chatted with her. We had known Yolanda for about five years, but in the normal course of business we had never
gotten to know her background. The lack of business allowed the three of us to relax and get to know each other better. We were surprised to find
that Yolanda and her brother had gone to Grammar School, in Los Angeles, with Lu Ann. Raul, her dad, was a Mexican but the rest of the families were
Americans.
Yolanda asked us if we would like some of the octopus that she was cooking. I said, “Sure, Great!” Lu just stuck her nose up in the air.
Yolanda laughed and brought us a plate full of fried pulpo with limes. It was very tasty even as it was a bit chewy. She told us how she had gone
diving down by the cliffs at the rear of the Restaurant and how she had caught the octopus by putting her arm into small caves at the base of the
cliffs. The octopus latched onto her arm and that is how ‘she caught it’. We had a few more beers, said our good byes and headed south on the ‘old
road.’
Wonderful, no traffic! We did have Baja to ourselves! Pulling into La Salina we found that the only people in camp were the Reagles. Peggy invited
us in for a drink. The road had been very dusty so were only too happy to accept. They told us that Larry and Peggy Pearson had just left camp
because they wanted to go fishing further south. Larry also had realized that the ‘inoculation bit’ would discourage tourists from visiting. Larry
knew that they would have the road to themselves all the way to Bahia de Los Angeles.
The Cantina was closed so we wandered down to the beach and spend a few hours all alone just playing like a couple of kids. I tried to talk Lu into
skinny-dipping to which she relied, “No way Jose! You gotta be out of your mind.” We spent the night at the “A” Frame. The quiet was so loud that it
was unreal.
Up early the next morning, we had coffee, peanut butter sandwiches, and we were off. We went back to La Mision and picked up the winding, hilly, Old
Road. We took our time and visited villages that we had not even noticed before. We wandered down the hills and through Canon de Tigre (Canyon of
the Tiger). The old timers swear that many years ago a sheepherder had found the remains of a Saber Tooth tiger; after a big flood had uncovered the
tigers resting place on the side of the canyon.
Soon we were approaching El Sauzal. You always knew when you got within a couple of miles of this small fishing village. The smell was always
horrendous! The only business in town was a Fish Cannery. Up with the windows until you hit the outskirts of Ensenada.
We stopped at Hussong’s Cantina and found the bartender talking to himself. The place is never empty—but it was until we entered. Hussong’s is
without a doubt the best-known bar in all three of the California’s. You could’ve fired a cannon down Avenida Lopez Mateos (the main drag) and not
hit even a seagull. Next we visited Café El Rey Sol (Eye of The Sun) for a late lunch. A family who had emigrated from Argentina established El
Rey’s in the 1890’s. This is one of the finest French-Mexican restaurants anywhere. Not only is the food outstanding but their pastry cart is
supreme. Our neighbors in the States had dinner here one time on our recommendation and left town broke! They both love sweets and could not resist
the pastry cart. Thinking that desert came with the meal they had one of each kind of pastry on the cart! The pastries are expensive- and- they do
not come with the meal!
Heading south on the Trans Peninsular Highway (mostly a one lane road in each direction south of Ensenada) we came upon the olive stands just south of
town. I never can resist so we stopped and bought a couple of bottles (recycled-all sizes and shapes) of home cured green olives. We’ll stop here on
the way back for some corn on the cob with chili powder. The corn is always tough but tasty.
We’ll be turning off the Highway a little before we hit the farming community of Maneadero. This tiny village is the true jumping off spot in Baja.
Here you must display the proper papers or you may not proceed any further south. Should your papers include pictures of the various American
Presidents then the other more official papers could be waved and you were on your way!
We headed west to Punta Banda and La Bufadora (the blow hole). Winding up the hills toward the point, we pulled off the road at Three Sisters Rock,
and set up camp for the night. We made our camp at a spot at the edge of a cliff overlooking the entire south end of Bahia Todo Santos (All Saints
Bay). We were all alone! No one for miles. We passed the last house about 5 miles back and there was nothing and no one until we got to the
blowhole.
Quiet, quiet, deafening quiet. We watched the small boats scurrying back to their nests on the eastern edge of the bay just as night fell.
“Bam, Bam, Bang!” I’m awake in an instant. Who is shooting a shotgun and at whom are they shooting? I grab a flashlight and creep out of the van to
see if I can tell what is going on. It’s about 5 o’clock and the only lights I can see are far off in Ensenada. Man it is really dark and I mean
dark. No electricity and no lights. Nothing! Back to bed, but no more sleep that night.
Up at first light and still no clue as to the shotgun blasts.
As we drank our coffee we were visited by dozens of Brown Pelicans flying over us in formation. Their wingspans are as wide as I am tall! And I’m
over 6 foot. Using the updraft created by the cliff they sail above, just skimming over our heads. Nothing else, just us and the Pelicans.
Magnifico! (Magnificent)
We arrived at the La Bufadora at about 10 o’clock and found that it was low tide so the waves will not be forcing the water spouts through the rocks.
We’ll miss it but the Pelicans were worth the whole trip. We ordered a couple of fish tacos for breakfast. Interesting, all of the trash and
leftover food was tossed directly out a window and down into the gorge below. No wonder the place is overrun by sea gulls. And it stinks!
Talking with the guy who fixed our tacos gave us an explanation for the shotgun blasts in the night. It seems that the dolphins enjoy playing at the
base of the cliff.
After they leap out of the water they ‘splat’ back into the waves and it sounds just like a shotgun blast. You would be right if you say that the
dolphins scared the hell out of us.
Heading back to the States we both gave thanks to bureaucrats in both the United States and Mexico. Without knowing it they had arranged for us to
have this wonderful trip all to ourselves.
A once in a lifetime trip even for Baja.
P.S Didn't mention this in the book but I got Lu to agree to a game of strip poker back at the A Frame and I gotta tell you she laughed a lot and I
spent a rather 'cold' night san cloths.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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FARASHA
Senior Nomad
Posts: 848
Registered: 6-3-2006
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PHOO - almost forgot it??!!!! HOW could ya' - Bernie!!
Now I have this Picture in my mind - a cold guy - sans clothes  
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Just dancing through life
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The body was in much better shape back then.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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Bernie ......... who, that was caught up in it, could ever forget Operation Intercept. The streets were empty except for the shop owners who would
stand in front of their stores with a doomed look on their faces. Jeezo, it was sad.
Going north through the border, from the time you got into the line, you had enough time to drink all of your beer and sober up by the time you got
to the gate. The lines were short by todays standards but Nixon was determined to stop all that nasty drug smuggeling so the gate guards did all but
dismantle your car. What a mess. Could you imagine that happening today? A six hour wait in a line at San Ysidro which only went back to the junk
stands?
Thanks again, Bernie. Im looking forward to next weeks edition.
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Just dancing through life
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Dennis
Do you remember when the Presidente of Mexico gave that beautiful horse to President Reagan and Customs refused to cross the gift until it had been
held in quarantine.
Caused quite a stir.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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No, Bernie, I dont but, not surprised.
Rodney King may be an idiot but, his plea was right-on.
Cant we all just get along?
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