| Pages:
1
2 |
geoffff
Senior Nomad
Posts: 710
Registered: 1-15-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
Beaches with narco activity?
I usually operate under the assumption that as long as I don't linger near the border, I won't get into trouble. Down to Ensenada or San Felipe, and
I'm fine. I don't worry about crime in Baja.
But I was just reading Pappy Jon's 2007 trip report about heading out to the beach ("Ensenada Grande") east of Coco's Corner -- twice. (GPS) Well, this is just the kind of place I would go to myself.
Are there any other remote beaches suspected/known to be narco drop-off points that I should avoid?
-- Geoff
[Edited on 4-30-2012 by geoffff]
|
|
|
Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5938
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
Popotla area..........I hear............but I don't remember where I heard that -- so disregard.
[Edited on 4-30-2012 by ateo]
|
|
|
Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy!
|
|
We found a couple of Chinese AK-47s, a foil-wrapped kilo of pot, and a couple rainjackets near our camp in the Seven Sisters...been laying there for
awhile so somebody didn't show up to their dropoff point apparently.
|
|
|
Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5938
Registered: 7-18-2011
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Mexitron
We found a couple of Chinese AK-47s, a foil-wrapped kilo of pot, and a couple rainjackets near our camp in the Seven Sisters...been laying there for
awhile so somebody didn't show up to their dropoff point apparently. |
So you partied it up and took target practice right? 
|
|
|
Taco de Baja
Super Nomad
Posts: 1913
Registered: 4-14-2004
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Dreamin' of Baja
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Mexitron
We found a couple of Chinese AK-47s, a foil-wrapped kilo of pot, and a couple rainjackets near our camp in the Seven Sisters...been laying there for
awhile so somebody didn't show up to their dropoff point apparently. |
Don't forget the assault rifle had a cartridge jammed in the ejection port. 
I agree with Juan that something went down and the guy with the jammed rife ran off into the desert, dropping the pot, the rifle and shedding his
jacket as he went and never came back for any of it.
Unfortunately even the remote beaches may have "issues" these days, but It's still not going to stop me from going to Baja. I still believe the
areas with easy access to paved roads, are where the problems will occur. The narcos and banditos don't really want to drive for hours on dirt roads,
when there are easier drug drop points or people to rob closer to town.
Truth generally lies in the coordination of antagonistic opinions
-Herbert Spencer
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Taco de Baja
Unfortunately even the remote beaches may have "issues" these days, but It's still not going to stop me from going to Baja. I still believe the
areas with easy access to paved roads, are where the problems will occur. |
Another area to avoid.....don't even think about camping near the beach at Kennedy Cove or Arbolitos....just south of La Bufadora. The drug movers
hire the youth in Cantú to unload product from Pangas when the sun goes down and wouldn't appreciate your presence during the operation.
|
|
|
shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13052
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
|
|
one just never knows when or where narco activity may present itself. Even beaches where there isnt any action could have some if a narco boat broke
down and drifted ashore...or has to throw some bales over that may wash up anywhere...just keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings even
in "safe" areas...and dont hesitate to move on if something doesnt seem just right.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65410
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
The Baja Almanac calls it Ensenada Blanca, the coast north of Punta Bluff. The road is very clear on Google Earth, too.
|
|
|
Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy!
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
The Baja Almanac calls it Ensenada Blanca, the coast north of Punta Bluff. The road is very clear on Google Earth, too. |
I found a "Billy's Bluff" on my Baja Almanac, but no Punta Bluff...oh well, the general area can be seen. We camped out there in 1991, didn't see
anything then, but still, I'll take Dennis' advice. The old house up Canada Maximinos is pretty cool---I think owned by the International Company way
back. (?)
|
|
|
Curt63
Super Nomad
Posts: 1171
Registered: 3-28-2009
Location: San Diego, Ca.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
|
|
I know a guy who built a house in La Bocana (west of San Tomas in BCN).
He has suspended visiting his house the last few years due to numerous black escalades with black out windows frequenting the area.
He thought they were blackmailing/paying pangueros into running loads north.
No worries
|
|
|
Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
Member Is Offline
|
|
I find it humorous that we know all the narco beaches but the military can't get the bad guys
|
|
|
Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3812
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajaboy
I find it humorous that we know all the narco beaches but the military can't get the bad guys |
Dern and I often ask ourselves that same question.
A few years ago we went on a mothership out of San Felipe. Heading back north we were in the channel off of the northern tip of La Guardia, heading
to Gonzaga. Our ship passed two white containers with the metal cages, usually used for water, but were full of wrapped packages. We were probably
five miles out from the Ensenada Blanca / Calamajue region.
We anchored up in Gonzaga that night and fished the Enchanted Islands the next morning. While fishing we trolled by a portion of one of the islands,
tucked way back into the crags was a huge panga with three motors, camo'd out with a canvas cover over the top.
As we passed by a couple guys poked their heads out of the canvas, toting machine guns. These guys were not military.
Another panga was fishing along with ours, and one of the guys pulled out his camera and was quickly told to put it away. Our guide said that they see
this all the time and look the other way.
The motherships don't bother them and vise versa.
It's ironic that there's military established in Gonzaga yet this goes on right under their noses.
P>*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Curt63
I know a guy who built a house in La Bocana (west of San Tomas in BCN).
He has suspended visiting his house the last few years due to numerous black escalades with black out windows frequenting the area.
He thought they were blackmailing/paying pangueros into running loads north. |
Neither God nor Mr. Gomez would approve of that. How sad.
|
|
|
geoffff
Senior Nomad
Posts: 710
Registered: 1-15-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
Good stuff. I'll just stick to my original tactic of avoiding the northwest -- I don't camp anywhere along Hwy 1 north of El Rosario anyway. And
keep my eyes open.
-- Geoff
|
|
|
Martyman
Super Nomad
Posts: 1904
Registered: 9-10-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Report all lost/found bales to my U2U immediately!
|
|
|
DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by Curt63
I know a guy who built a house in La Bocana (west of San Tomas in BCN).
He has suspended visiting his house the last few years due to numerous black escalades with black out windows frequenting the area.
He thought they were blackmailing/paying pangueros into running loads north. |
Neither God nor Mr. Gomez would approve of that. How sad. |
Funny, I'm there fairly often, sometimes for a week at a time, and I've never seen a single black (or any other color) Escalade in that area. What I
have seen are a few random military checkpoints, a few tours of the area by the marinas in trucks (and one by helicopter), and the occasional pass
along the coast by navy gunboats. I've never seen any evidence that supports any conjecture about trafficking in the area, although the rumors always
have abounded.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
|
|
|
Curt63
Super Nomad
Posts: 1171
Registered: 3-28-2009
Location: San Diego, Ca.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
|
|
It is one of the northernmost beaches accessible before you get to the San Tomas military inspection.
No worries
|
|
|
DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Curt63
It is one of the northernmost beaches accessible before you get to the San Tomas military inspection. |
So what? The beach at La Bocana isn't panga-friendly (I have never seen one landed or launched there in the 22 years I've been going there). The
only safe place to load and launch a panga in the area is at Puerto Santo Tomas, which is three miles north of the beach.
With all due respect, suggesting to people on a public forum that it's dangerous to camp at the La Bocana beach or the lagoon behind it, based on
second-hand accounts of dubious caravans of black Escalades, the guesswork of someone who no longer goes there, and irrelevant geography (there is no
military inspection north of Santo Tomas anymore), strikes me as a tad irresponsible. I'm not saying the area is perfect (there have been a few
break-ins recently, for example), but it's no Rosarito Beach, Popotla or San Quintin.
[Edited on 5-1-2012 by DanO]
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
|
|
|
DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
Member Is Offline
Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
|
|
An arriero can lead out an awful lot of animals bearing an awful lot of product. The judiciales know about this, but try to find 20 mules on some
brecha in the middle of the night. The product is dumped off somewhere within reach of an SUV, and there you go. A panga can make it easily across the
gulf and they can hold one hell of a lot of contraband. Can Mexican marine radar pick up a fiberglass panga? I don't know.
IMO this issue of "where?" is a moot point.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
|
|
|
ssiixx
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: 5-22-2012
Member Is Offline
|
|
radar picks up everything...
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
