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Graham
Senior Nomad
Posts: 558
Registered: 6-16-2006
Location: San Diego and DeTour, MI
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Kayaking Punta Final to LA Bay
Having a crack at kayaking the coast between Punta Final and LA Bay.
Thirty years ago (1983) I walked down the coast from Punta Final to LA Bay as part of my goal to walk around the coast of Baja… (at least everywhere
south of Ensenada and San Felipe.) It was incredibly beautiful but also somewhat challenging for a redheaded couch potato fresh over from England.
Story told in my 1988 book – Into a Desert Place.
I’ve always wanted to re-visit the area… been 30 years… and I hope to do so in the next week or so, on my sit-on-top kayak.
Knowing the wind and the currents, I won’t be in any hurry and have no intention of ever being more than 100 yards from shore.
Have great memories of the hospitality received at the little shark fishing community at Calamajue.
Looking forward to a very slow drift/paddle from north to south, with lots of wind enforced breaks and hikes inland. When I walked it, I often wished
I had something that would float to get me and my pack around all the rugged headlands and sheer cliffs.
Does anyone know if I’m likely to find anyone/any water there on the beach at Calamajue today? Anyone planning on being in the area at that time? Can
I drive out to the end of the road at Punta Final and launch from there? Is there a secure place to leave a vehicle? Appreciate any advice.
Thanks.
Youtube of my kayaking Guardian Angel Island in March.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEo49gtoXiU
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willardguy
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last couple trips out (calamajue) not a soul around for miles. pila still bone dry, the chapel is untouched, everything else is in shambles. putting
in at punta final should be no problem.
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Barry A.
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Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Boy, Graham, that is a long paddle, as you know. Can you carry enough supplies on a sit-on-top???
I don't know-----------------------?
Barry
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Graham
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Registered: 6-16-2006
Location: San Diego and DeTour, MI
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Yes, it's going to be a pretty long paddle and I'll need a bit of luck with the wind. I have a large Cobra Tandem kayak, rated to carry 600lbs. Way
more than than the 60-70lbs I carried when I walked it!
Food no problem - I expect to eat a lot of fish and shellfish and seaweed and carry enough basic supplies for a month. Water will be the main concern.
If I carry 15-20 gallons... one re-supply should be enough to avoid having to fall back on using stills. And I'm sure I'll find space for a little
beer.
Amazing to think how Calamajue has changed. It was quite a "village" with a school and a teacher when I stayed there a week in May 1983. Many a day
when the pangas returned I helped clean the catch. Thanks for the info.
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redhilltown
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Location: Long Beach, CA
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Wow...hard to imagine Calamajue as "bustling" but you have the proof! One of my most vivid memories of Baja is when we were there a couple of years
ago and launched our tin boat with the help of two-count em two-locals that were there...we rounded the southern most point and looked south and it
was an awesome sight...so vast and rocky. The race will be going thru there soon and maybe some of those guys on here will have an update????
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Skipjack Joe
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Gary,
Perhaps the best place to launch your kayak at Pt Final is at 'Snoopy's'. As you face the Cortez there is a ramp on the right side of Snoopy that is
of little use. But there is a protected area next to it that is virtually dead calm no matter how rough the sea may be. There is usually a panga
anchored there that rests on the sand during low tide and floats at high tide. That spot can be driven to with a 4WD and your kayak could be safely
launched.
That area now requires a fee from the rancher. I would think that you could arrange to have your vehicle parked next to his house and have it watched
over. There are also several homes at Pt Final and someone may agree to have your vehicle stay on their property. Those homes are within a short
walking distance of Snoopys. The third option is to leave your truck at Snoopys which is not as crazy as it sounds because the area is gated requiring
a fee to be paid to drive through. One bit of advice on the last option: park up as high up off that beach on to those rocks as your 4WD will take
you. The spring high tide (in winter) goes up surprisingly high.
Good luck.
Oh yes, one other thing. There is a well in Calamajue but it's not right on the coast and the water is not the best. The shark fishermen told me about
it and offered water. I don't know it's exact location (or even approximate).
One good thing about your trip: you'll have the wind to your back the whole way which should make it drier, safer, and easier to paddle.
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Desert Rat
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So, you are at it again! Your kayak trip should provide you with quite an adventure. I wish you the best. Be careful out there. Look up, look down
and look all around! Looking forward to reading your trip report.
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mcfez
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Still waiting for that next book to come out :-)
Contact here for stow of your vehicle. PF is full of folks this time of the year.
http://puntafinal.com/
Also......can you "tow" water behind you? Something like a small inner tube would have very little resistance.........
[Edited on 11-5-2013 by mcfez]
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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nandopedal
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Best of luck Graham!
\"There are many dangers in Baja. The most serious of which is not going.\" Christophe Noel (EXPO)
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David K
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Naturally, I am happy to post your SPOT location maps and any emergency signal... being this is a pretty remote coast with only 4 roads* to it between
Punta Final and the coast near La Gringa... rumored to be used by drug traffickers... we wish you success!
*Puerto Calamajue, near Punta Bluff, near Punta Candelero, Bahia Guadalupe.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Oh yes, one other thing. There is a well in Calamajue but it's not right on the coast and the water is not the best. The shark fishermen told me about
it and offered water. I don't know it's exact location (or even approximate).
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Well location:
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Graham
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Location: San Diego and DeTour, MI
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Thanks for all the great suggestions and advice.... and the good wishes. Yes, my best friend in all this will be my Spot device and location/status
signals. That will be a big comfort knowing you'll be receiving them David and posting my whereabouts.
There will be times when I'm going to feel awfully small on my kayak looking up and down that rugged coast knowing it may be weeks before I emerge at
the other end.
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sancho
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Here's a vid posted a while back, kayak paddle from
San Felipe to Mulege. makes you feel like your there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQSFy8fjbE0
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AndyP
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Registered: 12-8-2009
Location: Eugene, OR
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Sounds like a really fun trip! If you don't have your water storage figured out yet the 10 liter MSR Dromedary bags are probably the way to go- very
tough and conform well to the kayak. Make some solid tie-down points along the center of the the kayak and they'll make good ballast and keep the
boat very stable.
Also the Pacific Action style sails are pretty cool downwind sails that supposedly work really well for sit-on-top's, and you can make them yourself
for cheap. Covering the miles under sail feels pretty luxurious out there, but does add another element of risk. I'm excited to see the trip report,
I've paddled from Mulege to La Paz and want badly to do the section you're headed for. Few things are better than paddling in Baja!
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Graham
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Location: San Diego and DeTour, MI
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Nice video sancho... thanks.
And thanks for the sail and water storage suggestions Andy. I hadn't planned on doing anything except paddling and usually only on the calmest days
but I've taken note of the design and maybe at some point I'll see if I can rig up a sail from what I'm carrying or what I can find along the way.
If all goes well I want to explore the shore slowly and have lots of time to land and take pictures and try to recall the fun and feelings I had
tackling all the problems when I walked it.
One advantage to walking - when I woke every day I knew I'd be packing and leaving.... With the kayak and wind and tide I may not be able to leave
for days.
On the other hand, there probably won't be any long climbs inland following coyote trails or need to wade up to my chest in the sea carrying my
backpack over my head.
My Cobra Tandem kayak may be - like me - old, fat and slow but it's very stable and able to hold a lot of beer...
room inside.
room on the deck to stack stuff.
On my last trips I've carried water in bleach bottles and 2-litre soda bottles... and spread the risk and the load.
Hardest part of the trip will be the beginning when I'm fully loaded and needing to get the kayak up and down the sometimes rocky "beach." An extra
challenge when alone.
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bajadock
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Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
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Looks like a challenge, especially during unfriendly wind conditions. Any guess as to how many days the trip will take?
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Martyman
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Registered: 9-10-2004
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Dump the beer-switch to tequila. Takes up less room!
Sounds like a great trip...I'm jealous.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Martyman
Dump the beer-switch to tequila. Takes up less room!
Sounds like a great trip...I'm jealous. |
When space and weight are really tight, I always switched to BACARDI 151 proof, but you have to be REALLY careful of that stuff.
Yes, I too am "jealous"-------that is a "lost coast" for sure, ripe for exploration and spending time along, and just dreaming!!!
Barry
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65100
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Location: San Diego County
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Cool to see the video begin on Shell Island at sunrise... at the structure (that used to be there) just south of our camping spot!
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Udo
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Little bit of kayaking advice, Graham...from a kayaker:
I would buy one of those short sails you can add on to the yaks. You entire trip will be downwind and should take a lot of the stress from your
paddling. As you know...the wind generally comes from the northeast in that area of the SOC.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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