BajaNomad
Not logged in [Login - Register]

Go To Bottom
Printable Version  
 Pages:  1  2    4  5
Author: Subject: Trips to Pta. Chivato...'Back In The Day'
Pompano
Elite Nomad
******




Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline

Mood: Optimistic

[*] posted on 11-30-2014 at 02:19 PM


LancairDriver wote......
“....Does anyone remember the huge number of whales that beached on the bay in a winter storm just on the north side of the Chivato peninsula in the late 70's I think? Flying over that disaster was very depressing. Those years you outlined so well here were the last of the Baja "Golden Years" in MHO.”

Yes, I do remember that massive whale beaching. A talented amigo gifted me with a tooth and vertebra disc from one of the 22 sperm whales that threw themselves up onto the sand and perished. He scrimshawed the whale image onto a whale’s vertebra disc and mounted one of the teeth below. Bob Garner of Alaska was the artist. That was one of the largest beaching of whales in history. Xavier of Las Casitas in Mulege had many photos of the event in his cantina. Some whale experts came down from SD to find out why this tragedy happened, but were way too long in coming as everything had badly decomposed long before their arrival. Here's a photo of the disc/tooth...(the battleaxes are my creation for something to do while camping at Aqua Verde.)




A little clarification on the history of who built Pta. Chivato Resort, since you can't always believe some of the ‘facts’ you've read on the internet or indeed in books. If possible, an eye witness history is always best. Although Lou Federico had early planning of some Mulege projects as far back as the late ‘50’s, the actual ground-breaking of those developments did not start right away. Any developer/builder can tell you this…it takes a huge amount of planning before that first shovelful of dirt is ever dug. Lou Federico built the original resort and hotel in 1966, and before that, Mulegé's Hotel Rancho Loma Linda and Club Aero, in 1961. It was a monumental undertaking in those days. Remember, the highway was not finished until 1974. Ultimately, Federico lost his financial interests in both properties through some land title frauds that he writes about in his book, which he signed and sent to me in 2004 after we had spoken on the phone. To say the least, he has indeed had one helluva ride. In the lower right corner he is shown at the Serinadad with Don Johnson when Lou came back for a visit after ending his building career at Chivato. They had some history together, as Don once told me.




David K wrote….”The 60's yes... Erle Stanley Gardner documented it in 1966 and these images were in his 1967 book 'Off the Beaten Track in Baja'. He shows the owner/builder as a man named Dixon Collins...”

Again, sometimes facts get confused. Yet another American, Dixon Collins, worked on ‘financing’ the development, and not the actual construction. I also recall another American participant who was killed in an airplane crash on his way back to the States. Coincidentally, through mistakes at the Serinadad's desk, Dixon Collins mail would sometimes get confused with my own...simple matter to put it back in the general 'mail box' next to the desk. Sadly, Dwight Dixon Collins died in his US residence Friday, Oct. 14, 2014, after a short illness. He was 79.

Also another Americano named Miller had some later dealings with Bill, Doc, and George at Chivato and Posada Conception, but I don't recall ever meeting him. Like a different 'Miller' who wrote “Eating Your Way Thru Baja”, I believe his first name was Tom.




Now to get back to some trip reports from back in the day at Pta. Chivato.

As I said earlier, we had some truly great diving times and getting enough for dinner was never a problem.




In this photo below, I’m getting checked out for my first deep bluewater dive…off Pta. Conception and down 80 feet. Not exactly a record depth, but was very exciting for this beginner! Amigo and instructor George was along to keep an eye on me and look out for trouble.

Once down at the bottom near a huge rockpile, I peeked inside a cave and came face-to-face with a gigantic grouper that was bigger than me. He stayed in his hole...Me? I left like a rocket in an explosion of bubbles.




When out diving or fishing, we would only kill enough to provide for whomever the dinner guests were that night. A Hawaiian sling or California Mares worked very well on surprising our next dinners below. There was a nice grouper, cabrilla or pargo next to and behind every rock. Lobster antenna sticking out all over. Scallops and clams covered the sea floor. Easy hunting.

John, a college roommate and now a marine biologist professor, was ecstatic about bringing up Baja Angels, conch, weeds, and many other species to inspect and then release. We always had to prompt him to bring up some dinner



Two John storys…
Buddy John was blessed with a rather prominent nose..what is commonly known as a Roman nose. We had a ball poking fun at him, and we loved him dearly. When at the beach I’d ask him if I could sit in the shade of his nose…and on it went. Once a bunch of us went down to Loreto to pick him up on a flight from L.A.

Some of you will recognize the old airport building by the palapa roof…. ;)

Preparing for his arrival long in advance, I had bought a bunch of fake noses at a SD novelty shop…and we all wore them when greeting John walked out of the building. Such a genuine nice guy….He laughed his burro off.



Another time when picking John up at a more modern Loreto airport, I saw he was being subjected to a body search after coming off the airplane. I snapped this photo as John loudly told the official……”Oooh, nice!….Want me to cough, too?”





George shows some nice bugs from just around the corner. Grandes.



Yours truly and diving partner of the day, cousin Karen, with a nice pair of keepers. We made a seafood platter for everyone that night.




Here's an average cabrilla my sister, Debbie, caught off Sta. Inez south island...just a stone's throw from Chivato.



'Back in the day', I pull up next to a shrimper in my Lund 16' to see what's for sale that day. Like most, I used to trade a Playboy magazine for a 5 gal. bucket of grandes.





There was always plenty of big squid around. Humboldt’s everywhere…but down deep. We used lighted squid hooks with great success. And joined with the hotel cooks on trying lots of different recipes…which were consistently very good.



Sometimes I’d go out in my chase boat at night to catch squid. Always had to clean out that live well very thoroughly to get rid of all the squid ink and its strong odor.



Here’s some amigos, Johnny Tequila and first mate Cindy, motoring their trimaran, Quetzal, into the anchorage under the hotel.



Johnny and Cindy coming over to the Pompano for c-cktail hour. Good friends, good times!





Which brings to mind a favorite saying of mine…..“A beer tastes better at sea.”





To be continued:






[Edited on 2-23-2016 by Pompano]




I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
View user's profile
Fastbird
Junior Nomad
*




Posts: 39
Registered: 10-20-2013
Location: Chivato
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 12-2-2014 at 08:16 AM


Super interesting to a relatively new home owner at PC and a Pilot. I would sure enjoy more stories about flying into and out of PC, like was full available then? Do you know when runway 31/13 was constructed ?
View user's profile
David K
Honored Nomad
*********


Avatar


Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline

Mood: Have Baja Fever

[*] posted on 12-2-2014 at 08:28 AM


Thanks Roger...

I am sure the case was that Dixon Collins (and his mother) happened to be at the hotel in 1966 when the Gardner crew dropped in, so he was introduced as the builder/ owner of Punta Chivato? Erle had no reason to doubt Dixon, and if he never met Lou, then Dixon was the one to be introduced in Gardner's book (with photos at Punta Chivato).

I recall the original name for the hotel was 'Borrego de Oro', yes?




"So Much Baja, So Little Time..."

See the NEW www.VivaBaja.com for maps, travel articles, links, trip photos, and more!
Baja Missions and History On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bajamissions/
Camping, off-roading, Viva Baja discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vivabaja


View user's profile Visit user's homepage
David K
Honored Nomad
*********


Avatar


Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline

Mood: Have Baja Fever

[*] posted on 12-2-2014 at 08:47 AM


Quote: Originally posted by Fastbird  
Super interesting to a relatively new home owner at PC and a Pilot. I would sure enjoy more stories about flying into and out of PC, like was full available then? Do you know when runway 31/13 was constructed ?


It is on both my 1967 and 1972 editions of Senterfitt... So, since the place was built in '66, it looks to be there as long as the hotel was open?

Here is the page (dated 1969) from my '72 Airports of Baja. My pencil-in note made from the 1976 update indicates the hotel was closed. Of interest, when I first visited the hotel in the summer of 1973, it was closed then too.






"So Much Baja, So Little Time..."

See the NEW www.VivaBaja.com for maps, travel articles, links, trip photos, and more!
Baja Missions and History On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bajamissions/
Camping, off-roading, Viva Baja discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vivabaja


View user's profile Visit user's homepage
Pompano
Elite Nomad
******




Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline

Mood: Optimistic

[*] posted on 12-2-2014 at 10:05 AM


Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Quote: Originally posted by Fastbird  
Super interesting to a relatively new home owner at PC and a Pilot. I would sure enjoy more stories about flying into and out of PC, like was full available then? Do you know when runway 31/13 was constructed ?


..... My pencil-in note made from the 1976 update indicates the hotel was closed. Of interest, when I first visited the hotel in the summer of 1973, it was closed then too.




Fastbird, both runways were built when the hotel was being finished in 1966, with repairs and improvements made when Bill took over the resort. Of course, night flying in Baja was illegal, so no IFR...(although there were 'campfire stories' of some planes landing by the light of turtle shells filled with firewood.) I'll try to post some more flying info and pics as I find them in my Baja morgue.

David K, the hotel/resort was not ever closed as in deserted, but had a caretaker-custodian in residence. Co-incidentally, his name was Guillermo...Bill. Camping on the point beach was always allowed, as was the south shell beach area.


I'm almost done with the next post for this Back in the Day thread...as soon as I can get some breakfa....oh, thanks.




I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
View user's profile
David K
Honored Nomad
*********


Avatar


Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline

Mood: Have Baja Fever

[*] posted on 12-2-2014 at 11:19 AM


Oh, it was not deserted, just not open for business. We spent a couple hours there in 1973. My parents snorkeled and let the current move them around the point as I watched from one of the room patios above. I took a photo of them...



Never saw anyone else that day... we thought it was a shame that such a perfect spot couldn't stay in business, at the time.

[Edited on 12-2-2014 by David K]




"So Much Baja, So Little Time..."

See the NEW www.VivaBaja.com for maps, travel articles, links, trip photos, and more!
Baja Missions and History On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bajamissions/
Camping, off-roading, Viva Baja discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vivabaja


View user's profile Visit user's homepage
Tioloco
Ultra Nomad
*****




Posts: 2666
Registered: 7-30-2014
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 12-2-2014 at 07:10 PM


Pompano,
Really cool history and awesome photos. Just curious, were you able to spend long periods of time when you were younger or were those brief breaks from work?
Again, Muchas gracias for the report
View user's profile
Pompano
Elite Nomad
******




Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline

Mood: Optimistic

[*] posted on 12-3-2014 at 05:08 PM


Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco  
Pompano,
Really cool history and awesome photos. Just curious, were you able to spend long periods of time when you were younger or were those brief breaks from work?
Again, Muchas gracias for the report


Thanks tioloco, Baja is a magical place and photography is a favorite hobby. I’ve been a Baja fan for a long, long time. Almost all my life. I made an early plane trip around the Baja peninsula with my father when I was a teenager, and we lingered for 2 short days in Mulege at the then new Club Aero built by Federico. I got hooked on Baja and returned many times later.. in my twenties for 2 weeks at a time, and by my mid-thirties had arranged things so I could spend 6-7 months each winter in Baja. There were many Baja-loving folks doing all sorts of things all over the place, and my times there were nothing that unusual, but I wouldn’t have traded it for any other place.



PTA. CHIVATO - BACK IN THE DAY

Bill Alvarado - owner/manager of the hotel during this era. Got his start in the business with a restaurant in Oregon…with his name…’Alvarado’s’. He was always in an upbeat and cheerful mood, even when later on when times got tough.




Bill created a gift shop that featured some unusual items…perfect for the Baja collector. The gals loved to shop in there and if they were missing, that’s where we’d find them. I’m fairly sure Co-Pilot bought one of everything.






Here Bill is showing a guest some treasures. It appears he’s telling Co-Pilot to keep mum..?







Shown here on the left, Bill was also an avid fisherman and took the time whenever his hectic schedule would let him.





On any normal day not spent on the boat, we would relax at the bar (from some very strenuous job I would imagine) and keep watch out the big windows at the sea below. When the roosters came in to churn and chomp up the baitfish in the shallows, we’d rush to our rods left rigged on the patio and do battle…almost more fun than we could stand…almost.









Back in the day, there was one thing for sure, we always had...lots of action.




If we spotted a fish and bird boil way out there, we'd just throw the poles in my chase boat, which I kept anchored in front of the hotel. We became experts on not spilling a drop.



Speaking of the bar, here’s a c-cktail glass from the hotel bar. I drank a few rum and cokes in those days. Today it sits in a bookcase as a memento of the good old days.




Due to some natural disasters, any further glass containers were taken from me…and I had to settle for plastic. Life got tougher…I hate plastic.



Adapting to my new choices, I scavenged some Rubbermaid products….and invented a new rum drink while skippering the Pompano at anchor. I called it “Rum in a Drum.”





Now back in those days, we had no TV, no good radio, but did have a movie theatre in Santa Rosalia (which only played the bloodiest Dracula films), and so whatever entertainment we had was mostly provided by ourselves. Thankfully, our Baja contingent was always blessed with many musicians and artists of every description… with a healthy dose of adaptation and innovation, which was par for the course in Baja at that time.

Over the span of those early years, we entertained each other with…. bagpipes, a Creole band from the Louisiana backwaters, many guitarists and singers, piano concertos, poets and storytellers, and even circus acrobats (fun gals, they were 2 lesbians from SF…Hah..I still remember one asking me about getting a ride on my motorcycle..”Wanna dyke on a bike?” Ah yeah, you had to love Baja back in the day.


One night, right out of the darkness, a very well-mannered older gent walked over to our group who were singing and playing guitars on Casa Grande’s patio. He introduced himself and said he’d been enjoying the entertainment we’d been providing for him, and then asked if he could sing for us as a way of saying Thanks. Heck yes, we said…and so he sang opera solo for us in a magnificent and strong tenor. He was a retired pro-opera singer, but could still make the hills echo with his great voice. A magical night and from then on, as long as he was around, he was called ‘Plácido’.

Some more of the fun things we did every year to amuse ourselves were fishing derbies, chili contests, pizza contests, races to Palo Verde and if you were handy in a camp kitchen…the Beach Flapjack-Off Contest…which I actually won my first time.




Another fantastic annual event was a costume dance and contest. Hah…I remember Johnny Tequila as a masked Grim Reaper in a huge black cloak and walking on stilts…musta been 8 feet tall….scared the crap outta some toddlers. Then there was my Co-Pilot dressed as a western Miss Lillie Langtry. I made the photo in black and white to keep with the theme. She won first prize….and my heart. I told her she was the prettiest Miss Langtry I’d ever seen.



She said I resembled Judge Roy Bean....and that I should not drink rum anymore or hang out with Druids.


Some Pta. History….

Lou Federico and his wife, Lana. An obvious beauty, she is a former Miss San Francisco.



Some photos of the original hotel construction sites and the barges and landing craft used to transport equipment and supplies from Mulege. Quite a feat for those days!











Here is what the hotel looked like after Lou built it in 1966. I have an old brochure in my library.









1982 The Casa Grande as seen from the old hotel and from the boat. Where we slept and ate when ashore. This was the scene of many great gatherings and fiestas.









It was a very simple matter to get dinner for whomever was dining that night at the Casa Grande. One of the best diving shorelines I’ve personally came across in Baja was just around the corner from the Casa Grande. The rocks and caves were full of reef fish, lobster, scallops, and more. If someone said…Time to plan dinner?. I’ll go… I’d say. I called it “The Grocery Store.”






I loved snorkeling along this shore, lined with huge rocks, deep caves, and lots of marine life. I regretted never having a good underwater camera with me in those years. I recall one day when snorkel diving along this rocky face and feeling an occasional current on my back. I would turn and look behind, but nothing there….and then again. Finally, on the next feeling of current on my back, I spun quickly ….and saw the huge sea lion swimming off into the haze. I thought it best to leave the place to him for awhile. I was wearing a black suit with weight-belts…Hmmm…..makes one wonder if it was mating time?


SO MANY BEAUTIFUL SHELLS

The long shores of Shell Beach. Lots of lamps, mirror frames, and other creations have been made due to this beach…including many at my old Coyote beach house. Here a couple of shell collectors haul their booty back to the hotel. After a few fun hours of shelling along this gorgeous beach the gals always had an overload of treasures in their bags.




Indeed, some were ‘overloaded’ to a fault. One time, I had to give a gentle, and I hope welcome.. ‘nudge’.. to help a certain collector back into the plane.



And so it went…

To be continued:





[Edited on 12-22-2014 by Pompano]




I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
View user's profile
Ribbonslinger
Nomad
**




Posts: 131
Registered: 12-15-2013
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 12-3-2014 at 05:38 PM


Other than loading the plane, you were "Livin the dream" buddy.
View user's profile
Tioloco
Ultra Nomad
*****




Posts: 2666
Registered: 7-30-2014
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 12-4-2014 at 02:30 AM


Looks like you had a hell of a fun time. Mil gracias por los fotos.
View user's profile
chuckie
Elite Nomad
******




Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
Member Is Offline

Mood: Weary

[*] posted on 12-4-2014 at 04:11 AM


Cant remember the year, but my daughter and I "camped" in one of the empty rooms for a few days...no one else in residence...we paid someone something for the privilege....We used to take "Anticipation" up from Mulege to watch the winter Olympics on the satellite TV in the bar....them were the days...great stories Roger!



View user's profile
Pompano
Elite Nomad
******




Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline

Mood: Optimistic

[*] posted on 12-21-2014 at 05:19 PM
THE FOSSILS OF PUNTA CHIVATO




I'm sure most folks know that the Baja desert was once under water (as were most of the other deserts on earth). The prehistoric sea location is quite obvious when you see fossilized shells, coral, and sharks teeth. They are found far from the ocean, or hundreds of feet above today’s sea level. A combination of geologic activities has created these fossils sites. Ice ages change the sea level, but the land also has moved higher or tilted up in tectonic upheavals.


Baja California was once upon a time nice and snug next to the rest of Mexico. Six million years ago, a huge crack began to split off the future peninsula. About 4 million years ago, the cape region rotated out towards the west and created the Gulf of California. Ancient sea floors would be thrust upwards, and then be covered by mud from floods and lava flows, only to get re-exposed later by erosion. Fossils from a wide range in time are found all over in this geologically diverse land.



Other interesting fossil sites. Many places along the Baja Road have viewable deposits of ancient sea-bed fossils. You can see ammonites (giant snail-like shells) near El Rosario (and on display at Mama Espinosa's cafe). Also in this area to the west there is petrified wood logs in an arroyo, which require a guide to inspect. The famous Las Pintas site for fossils (and petrogyphs) is south and east of El Rosario. An ancient dry lake bed south and west of Insurgentes is a good place to camp and wander about looking for fossils.. and also arrowheads. Here's an arrowhead that a Canadian amiga found near Playa Escondido within Bahia de Concepcion and gave to me as a birthday present. Coincidentally, she's an Okanagan first nation member..no wonder she found it so easily..



Bahia Asuncion was another favorite place to go explore and look for fossils, including giant shark teeth, which were shiny compared to the ground they sat on.

Every now and then someone does find a truly giant shark tooth in these areas...from an extinct giant shark of unbelievable dimensions... 20 meters...66 feet long, with a maw that opened wide enough for a man to walk into. Stuff of nightmares. Carcharodon megalodon, which swam the ocean 30 million years ago. And at the top of the food chain.

Included in my shark tooth collage below is an amigo holding one of those huge teeth from a megladon. (Upper left corner) He found it while hiking in an arroyo behind his East Cape beach home. In contrast, I'm holding a tooth from a present day shark.





Yes, lots of fossils everywhere in the Baja deserts.


But our favorites were the ones we would stop at on the way into Punta Chivato.
After all, these were our 'locals', so naturally we praised them the most.





Yup, this was our very interesting..and sometimes entertaining... place on the Punta Chivato road that we used to stop and show visitors our fossilized Treasures.

This exposed bed of rubble and fossilized rock was used back in the day as an easy place to load a dump truck with material for maintenance of the road, which was always in need of repair.


We would pull in and show our guests what to look for...often lifting bigger rocks up to expose the fossils attached underneath. Always a treat to learn some natural history.

The little hill of fossils that we stopped at on the old Punta Chivato road was just one of many in the area. This one just happened to be in a handy for a little show-and-tell about sea shells, and, of course, we were always ready to impress the senors and senoritas with our hastily-read knowledge.

Sometimes we had a little too much information.....

On this particular trip to PC, we had along members of a vacationing church group who were staying in Mulege and touring the area missions. We'd met at the Serindad Pig Roast and invited them to see Punta Chivato the next day. We loaded them into my van and away we went. To break up the bumpy grind into PC we stopped to show them our fossil site.




A certain old-time Mulege resident who was along for the ride made it a point to explain to the church group that "Listen up here, folks. These sea shells were alive here a million years before Christ walked the earth." While interested, the group was a mite perplexed at his intent. Ah well, 'Don Don' was always a bit...exuberant... and people tended to forgive him often.











So, you see....Baja is full of fossil viewing opportunities...as was the old trail into Chivato.

Tip: Once you see an area of petrified sea life, you will notice what it has in common with other sites... lots of dry mud hills, of various colors. When you find such a place, start looking and be very slow… the fossil will catch your eye as looking out-of-place, shiny, or darker.


There was never a dull moment...Back in the Day at Punta Chivato.


To be continued:





[Edited on 12-23-2014 by Pompano]




I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
View user's profile
Pompano
Elite Nomad
******




Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline

Mood: Optimistic

[*] posted on 1-4-2015 at 11:21 AM


PUNTA CHIVATO 'Back In The Day'


Hah...It seems that one of my New Year's resolutions should be to finish this 'back-in-the-day' travelogue about Chivato and environs. (Ah..Finally got to use that great word..environs.)

Leaving off with those 'fantastically interesting fossils', we can now further explore these 'environs'.

OK...We're hitting the dusty trail for Punta Chivato.







For many years, Chivato has been a great destination for beach campers. In this photo, the 1st, 3rd, and 4th beaches are all out by the lighthouse point. The 2nd one is on the old shell beach, where the shrimp boats would anchor for the day.

Camping fees back then were about $5 per day. We provided garbage pickup, a pit toilet, guided outings for firewood, and offers to senoritas to swim (chaperoned of course) in our fresh water pool up on the hill, which was also the concrete reservoir for the resort.



The shrimpers from the mainland would anchor out in front and one could buy or barter shrimp and fish during the day. A nice feature for campers who didn't need or want a drive into Santa Rosalia or Mulege.



I'm making a shrimp run for the hotel in my trusty old Lund 16 'tinboat'.




The surrounding hills in this environ had certain memorable shapes which led to naming them from a personal point of view. Some will recall one in particular....




Became one of our most popular and photographed landmarks. I often wondered why....?




I even tried the sea-view perspective? Oh well, I'll leave it to your imagination.





Lots of campers brought boats for fishing...and practiced 'launching' at the ramp, which made for some hilarious viewing from the hotel bar windows. As at all ramps, there were degrees of success and WHAT actually was launched.



The campers from 'Back-in-the-day' were respectful of each other and shared the Baja experience. Harsh penalties were enforced for not offering some to your neighbors. :rolleyes:



Some came for the windsurfing, thanks to our friend...The Wind. Hey, it kept the bugs down!.



Some campers brought and flew state flags...and some flew bras and panties. To each his own..we believed in freedom of expression.





Nearby San Marcos Island was a favorite boat trip.



A boat trip to the mine was always full of adventure. Here's one trip with my old cowboy-hatted amigo, Blackjack (J.W. Black) and some other veterans from Earl Stanley Gardner's earlier trips into Baja. ('Off The Beaten Path' book) Among other operations, Blackjack had great fun looking over the blacksmith shop. He was a prolific machinist and inventor. One thing about visiting this gypsum mine...bring a face mask for the dust!




The lagoon on the east side of the island was..and still is...a great spot to explore and relax with your snorkel gear.



Don't forget a good picnic lunch!



Marine life was abundant around San Marcos.....with viewing from the boat as the best way for a photo.


I often saw this big bruiser sunbathing on this tiny island. I named him...The Beachmaster. He looked as big as my boat!




I love the two brownish pups in this old photo. And catching Mom in mid-air, too. A fish haven, casting a krocodile around those rocks would guarantee a strike. I once caught a 40 lb yellowtail there...and big grouper were just a nuisance.



Of course, we always had plenty of visitors by plane.



This vintage Baja airline, Air Cortez, flew into the Serinadad strip in Mulege regularly. We got the pilot(also a Roger) to fly into Pta. Chivato, but only once. Not enough business to make it profitable destination.



Some didn't want to land...and we had to 'coax' them down. (Naw, hold the phone...Just joking! This DC3 had to ditch in a remote lake in northern Canada. Same time period, though.)




One always knew when pal Dusty was coming to visit...



You suddenly heard a huge ROAR... your roof tiles rattled ...and he was there.








Dusty passing inspection for 'contraband'. He later told me he only smuggled 'blondes'.





On other trips he would fly this C180, loaded with gear...for 'camping under the wing' with other members of the Taildragger Club.



They gathered at Chivato for many years...often numbering over 50 planes from the USA and Mexico.




"Bad roads make good people" - Mama Espinoza

. We are really far back in the day in this fuzzy 'capture' photo....winter of 1975. Here my buddy, Richard Long and I are shown bumping in on the old beach trail to San Lucas Cove to launch my small boat from the beach. It was just a small fish camp in those days, with a tiny beat up fish taco stand. That entrance has improved immensely since, thank God.

Back then, for something different, we trailer-ed my 16' Lund from Coyote Bay to ejido San Lucas on the smoooth new highway, then turned in on this short path to the water's edge in what is now the San Lucas Cove campsite. We often did this rather than boat all the way from Coyote Bay within Bahia Concepcion and bounce the rough 50 nautical miles of waves to San Marcos Island. We excelled in that area for jurel and grouper. Also made it a snap to fish Isla Tortuga with fuel to spare with 2 six-gallon tanks.



To be continued.... fairly soon.....








I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
View user's profile
David K
Honored Nomad
*********


Avatar


Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline

Mood: Have Baja Fever

[*] posted on 1-4-2015 at 11:25 AM


Air Cortez! :light:



"So Much Baja, So Little Time..."

See the NEW www.VivaBaja.com for maps, travel articles, links, trip photos, and more!
Baja Missions and History On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bajamissions/
Camping, off-roading, Viva Baja discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vivabaja


View user's profile Visit user's homepage
güéribo
Nomad
**




Posts: 239
Registered: 10-17-2014
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 1-4-2015 at 11:52 AM


What a cool thread. Thank you for sharing the time-warp photos. I love the vintage stuff.
View user's profile
desertcpl
Super Nomad
****




Posts: 2396
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 1-4-2015 at 04:35 PM



Roger

I always look forward to your posting

you really need to write a book,, I will put in the first order for it
View user's profile
Tioloco
Ultra Nomad
*****




Posts: 2666
Registered: 7-30-2014
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 1-4-2015 at 04:49 PM


I also would want a copy of that book!
View user's profile
captkw
Ultra Nomad
*****




Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline

Mood: new dog/missing the old 1

[*] posted on 1-4-2015 at 09:24 PM
great shots "Roger"


my first trip was mid 80's(PC) right after the "italins" took it over..met steve and pam of "Aqua Safaris" at the ramp and he talked me into replaceing the headgasket on his cool "53" bus the next day !! started early and after a few hrs heard a small plane feathering the throttle...I look out to sea...Nothing !! climped out the engine area ,ran to the back and saw the plane (180 TD) rocking its wings over the strip...and low and behold two vaquas had got in side and were freaken about being buzzed !! we ran in and chased them out after what seemed like forever...drinks and dinner was Gratis..I would not try a Beechcraft Bonanza on that strip........

[Edited on 1-5-2015 by captkw]
View user's profile
Jaybo
Nomad
**


Avatar


Posts: 240
Registered: 12-7-2009
Location: NW Oregon
Member Is Offline

Mood: Praying for Baja!

[*] posted on 1-7-2015 at 04:16 PM


I second the book idea! Awesome stuff from you!
View user's profile Visit user's homepage
David K
Honored Nomad
*********


Avatar


Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline

Mood: Have Baja Fever

[*] posted on 1-7-2015 at 05:00 PM


My beat up copy from 1967...





"So Much Baja, So Little Time..."

See the NEW www.VivaBaja.com for maps, travel articles, links, trip photos, and more!
Baja Missions and History On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bajamissions/
Camping, off-roading, Viva Baja discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vivabaja


View user's profile Visit user's homepage
 Pages:  1  2    4  5

  Go To Top

 






All Content Copyright 1997- Q87 International; All Rights Reserved.
Powered by XMB; XMB Forum Software © 2001-2014 The XMB Group






"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen. The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez

 

"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt

 

"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes

 

"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn

 

"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law







Thank you to Baja Bound Mexico Insurance Services for your long-term support of the BajaNomad.com Forums site.







Emergency Baja Contacts Include:

Desert Hawks; El Rosario-based ambulance transport; Emergency #: (616) 103-0262