titan
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Registered: 3-11-2004
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El Golfo - Don't go
Do NOT waste your time or money in El Golfo, Mexico. El Golfo Santa Clara is by far the rudest, dirtiest most dangerous experience you can ask for.
Our family and friends have been taking vacations to Mexico (Rocky Point and San Felipe) for over 15 years without major incident.
Camping in El Golfo
Once we arrived in El Golfo we found that there really wasn?t adequate camping for large trailers. The RV park in town was right on the main road and
consisted of about 12 spaces that might be okay for tent camping ? if you don?t want to see the ocean.
The Colorado River Adventure RV resort is ?members only? ? which really wasn?t a big deal because their park had 100+ units packed in like sardines
surrounded by an 8' block wall ? not pretty.
That left two possible options for RV camping in El Golfo:
1. Pull onto the beach near the first lighthouse (about 2 miles South of town).
2. Stay at the state maintained campground in front of the El Capitan restaurant.
We elected to camp at the state maintained campground in front of the El Capitan restaurant because the sand was too soft on the beach near the
lighthouse ? getting stuck would certainly be a constant concern there.
The State Campground
The state maintained campground is really a 50 yard diameter circle of hard pack dirt about 100 yards from the ocean. There are some small grass huts
around the park and a couple of out-house style bathrooms. The cost to stay is $2 per night. The enchantment ends there.
Here's where the problems with the state campsite begin:
1. It is a major drug drop ? local vehicles cruise the beach all night flashing their lights at the water to signal little boats with big engines to
come in and drop off drugs. Marijuana is extremely plentiful!
2. Constant vehicle traffic ? as the locals cruise the beach waiting for the boats they are constantly driving up, down and through the camping area.
Sometimes they drive slow scanning your possessions, sometimes they fly by with no regard for anyone.
3. The locals from surrounding communities use the campground on the weekend. The bartender at the nearby ?El Capitan? restaurant informed us that
these folks are the dirtiest, least accommodating lot of all. They start rolling in on Friday?s, and then pollute the beach with all of their trash
and bodily waste for the next two days.
4. The campsite bathrooms are gross and disgusting. If you?re not bringing your own restroom ? good luck.
5. The water at the beach was very polluted. There was thick, brown foam washing up on the beach for miles. There were also a number of jelly fish in
the water.
The Town of El Golfo
There is one main road that runs thru town. At the south edge of town (about where the state campground is) the road turns to dirt. Along the sides of
the road are a few restaurants, a few mini-mart type stores and about 10 tire shops.
As we cruised through town, we could smell marijuana. As we looked a little closer you can see people just sitting around tokin' it up. If you're a
pothead and you don't have any fear of corruption - this is the place for you.
What was disturbingly interesting about the town is that many of the grungy locals were driving late model: Tahoe?s, Suburbans, Ford F250
Powerstrokes, Jeeps, etc. Keep in mind that the people drove the vehicles as if they didn?t care; driving and splashing into the sea water, driving
fast over very rough terrain jumping them, etc. It was obvious that these nice vehicles were a disposable commodity. NONE of the vehicles had the
local ?SON BC? license plates. We saw plates from: Utah, Arizona, Colorado and California.
Another point of interest for the town is an abundance of ?Green Houses? located about 2 miles south of the first light house. The perimeter of the
Green Houses was fenced off?but you get the idea.
Checkpoints and Thieves aka Federallies
We?ve all heard of horror stories that happened in Mexico about the corrupt police force extorting money or raping and beating Americans. El Golfo,
unlike Rocky Point has an extreme presence of Federallies ? those machine gun toting, jack-boated, lawless thugs travel in packs like a bunch of dogs?
Much to our surprise, El Golfo proved to verify that Mexico still has an inadequate public security policy. As we departed El Golfo we were detained
at the first of three military checkpoints. Those lawless losers demanded entry into the RV trailers - no problem...then proceeded to go through every
drawer and cabinet. They stole jewelry, cash, even some of my kids little toys.
They stole these items right in front of us. We went down with a group of three families (all in RV's). All of us were robbed and treated without an
ounce of respect. We were put in a position of primal fear where you're just praying to get your family out alive.
El Golfo does not need the tourism, they don't like Americans and they obviously have their own income source. If you're looking for a great place to
vacation - skip this town of losers.
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jrbaja
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4863
Registered: 2-2-2003
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Mexico
If you consider El Golfo and Puerto Pe?asco "Mexico" after 15 years of your visiting these places, you would be better off going to Olvera Street
!
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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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JR,
True but be nice!
If you are still down south please get in touch with Sara and have her introduce you to Char. Got lots of medical equipment up here that is,
hopefully, headed down there to the clinic. Some real good stuff that Jimmy's nurse at the VA found and we put in storage up here until we can get
some help in getting it down there. Boy, do I miss that guy.
Paz
PS. No camping on Olivera Street
[Edited on 3-12-2004 by Baja Bernie]
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Barney
Junior Nomad
Posts: 37
Registered: 10-28-2003
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Where is EL GOLFO? BAJA OR MAINLAND?
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JESSE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3370
Registered: 11-5-2002
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Where the hell is this Golfo thing?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Jesse, it's your country! El Golfo de Santa Clara is in SONORA.... It is the most northern town on the Sea of Cortez/ Gulf of California, very near
the Colorado River delta. Miles of all sand beach and a tide that take the sea out for miles, when low! The town resembled San Felipe in the 1960's
when I visited it in 1983. Oso can tell you more, but I haven't seen him post here in ages!!??
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
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Mood: Sling time!
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OSO
is a moderator at www.baja.net .
he posts constantly there, tons of informative, lively and mostly entertaining STUFF!!
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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Punta Final
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: 1-28-2004
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El Golfo de Santa Clara
[Edited on 3-13-2004 by Punta Final]
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 2-9-2004
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The most pertinent points did not have anything to do with the friendliness of locals. I think anyone would find the midnight drug running a little
unsettling, as well as the thievery by the federal inspectors.
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MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
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Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
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Some things don't change.
I visited El Golfo ONCE back in 1973 and I am sure it was a tiny
village compared with today, but even then it was the same undesirable,
dirty spot it seems to be today. I have an old friend in Baja who never
passes up the opportunity to harass me when the name "El Golfo" comes up
over my talking him into going down there that one time.
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