bigzaggin
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Morro Santo Domingo...
Just back from first ever trip out there and absolutely LOVED it. Great camping, nice people, excellent estero for rumaging about.
Two quick questions for any area vets:
1.) I'm normally pretty accustomed to/unfazed by any Baja military presence - revisions and some occasional random checks - but the presence in and
around this place (just outside Jesus Maria and on the road out to fishcamp) was markedly more intense. At one point on the road out, one of those
massive military trucks loaded down with soldiers, blocked my car, aimed mounted machine guns at it and gave us the shakedown. Of course within
seconds we were joking around with them, but the initial vibe was tangibly heavier than normal. And close to there, we saw more soldiers appearing to
surround a house near Jesus Maria.
Is this place a known "hot spot?" Any notable recent activity? Maybe we were just unlucky?
2.) Rounding the headland past the lighthouse reveals among the most gorgeous beaches I have seen in N.Baja- complete with white sand, arco y lobos -
almost Cabo-esque. But the road down to it - steep & sandy - looks like absolute death. Just following the goat track out there nearly buried us
- aired down to 13psi to get out - and we didn't dare chance the trail down to the actual beach.
Has anyone ever tried it? And, if so, how did you explain the missing car to your wife?
Thanks for any responses. Loved it out there. Hung out some with the old man in the shack at the estero mouth. Nice guy. Loved our extra
Dr.Peppers.
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Bob and jane
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Do NOT take that road down to the beach with the lobos and arco. Even if you see tracks. We used to camp at Laguna Manuela for a few days most
years. Think it's been 5 or 6 since the last time though. I've forgotten the name of the folks who lived in the trailer with the whale skeleton out
front? Anyway, we often walked up the road past the lighthouse and out to the Pacific beach with the crashing shore break. We spent afternoons at
the "lobos" beach. We saw definite signs of someone driving down to that beach and were astounded that they had made it in and out. We asked the
folks in the trailer about driving in there. Story was, just a week before someone had driven down but had to have a local guy in a tractor pull them
back out. Not a day later someone had seen the tracks and, yup, they had driven down and not been able to get back out. The tractor returned for the
second vehicle. Just because you see tracks doesn't mean it's a road.......................
In our day we never saw military there.
Lovely spot. But often wet and cool and windy. Of course, it's so hot and humid in Loreto today that almost sounds good.
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David K
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A couple of miles before (or from) the fish camp of Laguna Manuela see a road going north... it soon turns west, over the sand dunes (4WD here) to the
beach that goes forever north from the cliffs of the Morro Santo Domingo.
This is surf fishing heaven (at least it was in the '80's)... Calico Bass by the rocks and Croaker and Halibut off the sand... Whistler told me he
named it 'Variety Beach'.
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Bajatripper
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
But the road down to it - steep & sandy - looks like absolute death. Just following the goat track out there nearly buried us - aired down to
13psi to get out - and we didn't dare chance the trail down to the actual beach.
Has anyone ever tried it? And, if so, how did you explain the missing car to your wife?
Thanks for any responses. Loved it out there. Hung out some with the old man in the shack at the estero mouth. Nice guy. Loved our extra
Dr.Peppers. |
While looking for a place to camp one night two years ago, we were just passing the spot where the road comes to the water's edge at Laguna Manuela
when three Mexicans flagged us down and asked for help rescuing their vehicle "up ahead."
We took them aboard (two were hanging from the bumper and roof rack) and headed where they directed, which was--of course--to that beach at the bottom
of the steep, sandy hill. Against my better judgement, we went down and got to their vehicle as the waves were lapping at their back tires. In
addition to being stuck, they were out of gas from trying to get out. We had gas and were able to jerk them free with my tow strap.
I was really worried about joining them in their desperate situation, but my Karma was obviously on that night and, after airing down to around 10
pounds, we were able to get up the hill without any problems.
I did make sure to cut off my newly rescued friends (who wanted to give me their first-born male child for my efforts) on our way to the hill,
figuring I didn't want to be left behind. They also made it up that hill without any trouble. They were driving an older Mitsubishi Montero 4WD.
It wasn't one of the brightest things I've ever done, and I wouldn't have tried going down there just to see if I could. But all went well, in spite
of carrying a heavy load and my vehicle being a run-of-the-mill Toyota 4Runner 4WD with street tires.
[Edited on 7-15-2010 by Bajatripper]
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TMW
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This is my favorite fishing area in Baja. I've been all around the sand roads without any problems and never had to air down except the time I went on
the beach. The beach is composed of mostly shells and large grain sand and is not good to drive a truck or SUV on at any tire pressure. I've ridden my
XR600 motorcycle all the way north on the beach, it's about 13 miles. I cut the tail off a rattle snake at the Lighthouse when it went under the
concrete and couldn't turn around. I think I still have it. Never been in the town when the military was there.
I should add from a fishing standpoint the Baja Catch book covers this area in detail.
[Edited on 7-15-2010 by TW]
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bigzaggin
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Bajatripper - You did that AT NIGHT? That is a ballsy move. As much as I trust people down there, I might have thought twice about tearing down a
steep sand incline in total darkness to rescue strangers, out-of-gas, at the surf's edge. Major kudos. That is good Baja karma for the rest of time.
And for whatever reason, you sure do seem to see a lot of older Mitsubishis down there...
Regardless of your bravado, I am glad we didn't try it (I have a 4x4 Tundra, with a very heavy load at the time). Bob & Susan's story sounds all
too plausible. That beach does look awesome though...next time I'm gonna park up top and hike down to hang for the day, throw out lines.
TW - Where are the flatties? We thought the bay would be halibut central...
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Bajatripper
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
Bajatripper - You did that AT NIGHT? That is a ballsy move. |
No, I didn't think of it as a ballsy move, or even bravado, but rather, I knew it was a stupid thing to do from the get-go. But I couldn't turn my
back on someone in need as I always ask myself what I would hope someone would do for me. And there was no "tearing down"...it was more like "this is
really, really stupid" all the way down the hill (I ain't the calvary, you know).
From my experience with my fellow Nomads on the Santa Maria Mission Run, I can say without a doubt that I'm not the only one who would put his/her
vehicle in jeopardy to help out a fellow traveler. Many of us may think we wouldn't do something so stupid, but when we are placed in a situation
where we HAVE to decide, you might be surprised at the decision you make.
If you do go back, there's a turn off to the beach just before you get to the big sandhill that takes you down closer to the water's edge, overlooking
that beautiful beach. As I remember, it's a bit rocky there, but I'd think one could camp there if they were so inclined.
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woody with a view
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it's never a ballsy move at the time. in addition to the actual reality of it all there is very little mental space left for the thought of said balls
being crushed....... know what i'm sayin?
good on ya!
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bigzaggin
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Listen, I've been dug/towed out a good handful of times myself, and you're right, you can't ever turn your back, hill-of-death or not. I'm gonna
stick to my original assertion that you were ballsy nonetheless. You can be driven by duty and gutsy at the same time as far as I can tell.
Here's my favorite pic of some big-hearted locals saving my ass...a good reminder to always payback the favor.
[Edited on 7-17-2010 by bigzaggin]
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woody with a view
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that guy on the right deserved 2 beers from the looks of it!
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bigzaggin
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That guy got through 3 Tecates and a can of Pringles in under 5 minutes. They could have had all my food & beer for all I was concerned (well,
not all the beer, but most). Those guys rolled up on me - at last light, BURIED, spinning in moondust, in the absolute middle of nowhere, in howling
wind - in an old Bronco, the frame held in place with ROPES. They saved my ass - twice - once by pulling us out, twice by advising us on the rest of
the road ahead.
[Edited on 7-17-2010 by bigzaggin]
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TMW
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
TW - Where are the flatties? We thought the bay would be halibut central... |
The best place we found for Halibut was the far right cove when standing at the light house. There was an old man that use to live in a trailer
several years ago at the buildings when you come in to the fish camp. I don't remember his name but his girl friends name was Shirley. They both have
passed away, early 90s. Anyway he told me that a good place for Halibut was the shallows across the small inlet on the east side. I never tried it
because I didn't have a boat and it looked too difficult to try and drive around to get there. The yellow fin croakers and corbina were everywhere.
The large whitesea bass I'm told can be found in the rock piles area at the south end of the long sand beach. I've tried it a couple of times but
maybe they don't like me.
At seal cove (where the seal colony is) I've caught spot fin croaker using a plastic worm.
[Edited on 7-17-2010 by TW]
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