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Bajatripper
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Bye-Bye, Balandra?
Many of you familiar with the area of La Paz have been to Bahia Balandra, the popular local swimming beach north of the city. Balandra was recently in
the news, which I thought I'd share.
A little background …
It is a rare sight to see a Paceños (residents of La Paz) swim in the waters off the the malecon. The people one sees frolicking in the water and
enjoying those little round palapas the municipality has erected on the city's beaches in recent years are most likely tourists or recent immigrants
to the city. When Paceños want to spend a day at the beach with family and friends, they have traditionally gone to the beaches north of town along
the shores of the Bay of La Paz (La Paz is located at the entrance of the Ensenada de los Aripes, what is really a very large estuary where the
beaches are not the nicest and stink a bit at low tide, a consequence of 200 years of loosely-regulated human habitation).
In the "good old days" Playa Coromuel, a beach about a mile north of town with facilities dating back more than a century, was the beach of choice
for the city's residents. But in the early 1970s, that changed when the road that had previously ended at the ferry terminal at Pichilingue was
extended north, reaching the tip of the small peninsula that separates La Paz from the open waters of the Sea of Cortez. Aside from bringing the sandy
beaches and clear waters of Tecolote Beach within reach of the city's residents, the new road also provided access to Bahia Balandra, a picturesque
cove and estuary ecosystem comprising almost 450 acres. Both places had previously been known only to boaters. Since the opening of the road, Paceños
have made these places part of Sudcaliforniano tradition. For a glimpse of this, one need only visit Tecolote Beach during Semana Santa to see the
campfest that takes place each year.
Although the new road also provided access to other beaches and estuaries that became popular among the citizenry, none of them captivated Paceños
like Bahia Balandra. Its well-protected and very shallow inner bay is a favorite destination for local families. Kids can walk out for what seems like
miles before encountering waters over their heads (save for the deep spot in the southeast corner of the cove), which has made it an ideal place for
small children. Balandra also has an extensive mangrove estuary system, making it an important regional Ramsar-listed wildlife habitat. It is also
home of the famous Hongo de Balandra (Balandra Mushroom), a rock formation in the tidelands of the bay that quickly became the city's unofficial
symbol before the present pigeon/whale tail emblem was adopted.
In more recent years, Bahia Balandra has become a battle ground between local, national and international conservationists ("those crazy Sierra hippy
nuts" as Skeet might refer to them) on one side and promoters of tourism enterprises on the other. During the last two decades, plans for developing
the Tecolote-Balandra corridor have been proposed several times. They include hotels, residences, golf courses and a marina on Bahia Balandra.
So far, through a series of stalling actions that included a campaign to gather signatures of local people and forward a demand to the state
legislation for protected status, the environmentalists have been able to stave off the developers. In March of 2008, Balandra was declared the
Municipality of La Paz's first Protected Natural Area. The decree was celebrated as a great victory for Paceños in the local news and the people who
fought so hard for such a ruling breathed a collective sigh of relief. It was short-lived.
Recent court actions issuing exceptions to the municipal legislation are eroding away that status. As so often is the case, money and family
connections can be a powerful combination. A recent court ruling favoring lifting the protected status of tracts of land bordering Balandra that are
owned by Miguel Aleman Magnani is a case-in-point. If the name Miguel Aleman rings a bell for some, it is because his father, Miguel Aleman Velasco is
an ex-governor of Veracruz and his grandfather, Miguel Aleman Valdez, was president of Mexico from 1946-54. You might say that President Miguel Aleman
knew a thing or two about tourism development. He was the one most responsible for making Acapulco what it is today when he pushed the construction of
a highway connecting the old port city with the nation's capital, launching Mexico's first international resort. Locally, the president was so
infatuated with our region that he ordered the constructed of a presidential residence at what use to be called El Caimancito (where the La Concha
Beach Resort is presently), which later became the Governor's Mansion before being disposed of so the hotel could be built and the old mansion
building converted into an aquarium and "salon de eventos."
So now, various organizations and citizens' groups are gearing up for battle once more. Few issues unite the local populace like the potential loss of
Balandra does. Their purpose now is to gain a presidential designation as a natural protected area. Then, it is supposed, the corridor will have
protection with some teeth in it. Although I'd love to see these beaches protected and preserved for the use of the people of BCS into the distant
future, the cynic in me harbors little hope that this will happen. The beaches at Tecolote are just too valuable to not be developed as a "Zona
Dorada," like the one at Mazatlan. Already there is a tourist residential housing project being built at the adjacent beach, and the view of Espiritu
Santo Island is spectacular from Tecolote Beach. And as Tecolote goes, Balandra is likely to soon follow. A road about a mile long connects the two
jewels, so it's hard to see how Tecolote could be developed and not have it spill down the road to Balandra.
But I'm sure some will think that the economic opportunities that will be touted are worth the sacrifice.
Bahia Balandra, taken from a hill that is now closed to public access.
The inner bay and mangroves of Balandra. The property to the right is what Miguel Aleman supposedly owns.
The view from Balandra looking out to Tecolote Beach and Espiritu Santo beyond.
Some relevant links on the subject:
http://beaches.uptake.com/blog/balandra-beach-la-paz-mexico....
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2005/08/01/044n1soc.php
http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/493090.html
http://www.bionero.org/ecologia/politicos-de-la-paz-intentan...
[Edited on 5-18-2011 by Bajatripper]
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BajaBlanca
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absolutely exquisite photos ..... so gorgeous it almost looks fake.
seems a shame that it will be developed and that the very hill one of the photos was taken from is already off limits ...
thanks for posting. and I guess mr aleman was a visionary.
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longlegsinlapaz
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Balandra is THE most tranquil & beautiful cove I've ever seen, snorkeled in & explored around. What will it take for the
residents of La Paz to not allow some self-serving, money-hungry person/people to sell another piece of it's soul & it's
residents heritage? I'm adding this to my list of concerns/issues for Esthela Ponce!
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Bajahowodd
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El Mogote Norte??
History seems to tell us that given enough time, enough money and enough demand, development happens.
Perhaps the only saving grace for the current and near future is that the world economy is weak.
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz
Balandra is THE most tranquil & beautiful cove I've ever seen, snorkeled in & explored around. What will it take for the
residents of La Paz to not allow some self-serving, money-hungry person/people to sell another piece of it's soul & it's
residents heritage? I'm adding this to my list of concerns/issues for Esthela Ponce! |
well, many nomads are examples of the problem. look at all the nomads living in waterfront houses -- prior to those houses, i am sure their beaches
were accessible too!
it's a common theme. people develop an area, then want to ban any further development.
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slimshady
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The beach of Playa Tecolote all the way are beautiful and would be a developers dream. Not just just any developer but one who would be building a
resort that preserves the local environment. Leave the golf courses out as well as a marina and I think it will be doable. Balandra should be
preserved and building homes around it would truly be a shame.
I would rather have a hotel in Tecolote than have peolple driving all over the beach leaving trash all over the place.
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by morgaine7
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
History seems to tell us that given enough time, enough money and enough demand, development happens. |
WHAT demand? |
communities that don't grow die.
fact of life, healthy communities grow and expand.
the temporary vacancies are just the residual gwb legacy (crashed economy plus failed war on drugs), the economy will recover and someday mexico will
get a handle ongangs and violence
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David K
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Excellently written post Steve!
My new bride and I spent some time at Balandra Bay in 1985 on our honeymoon.. the road down to it was pretty rough... it was a nice spot and we were
the only ones there.
Is the mushroom rock still standing? That was what I thought your post was about when I read the title... that it fell over. I recall it had before,
but was 'fixed' to look natural once again!
Progress happens... like paved roads... Instead of blaming the rightful owner for selling it to a developer, why don't all the people who want it left
alone put up the money and BUY it themselves? Case solved?
Thanks again for a great post Steve!
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capitolkat
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I've soaked may a time at Balandra. ejoyed its warm shallow water but I don't see anything here that says anything has been approved. No premits
applied for or issued to the famous family.
I'm not of those guys who stick their heads in the sand but I'm also not an alarmist. I live across the bay from Balandra so what has changed from
last month or last year to ring the alarm bell today?
Life is too short to drink bad wine
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C-Urchin
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Balandra
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Instead of blaming the rightful owner for selling it to a developer, why don't all the people who want it left alone put up the money and BUY it
themselves? Case solved? |
Who sold it to whom?...Kind of like...Mogote???...
*Be the man your dog thinks you are
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Bajatripper
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
it's a common theme. people develop an area, then want to ban any further development. |
No, that isn't the common theme in this instance. In the case of Balandra, the people/organizations are trying desperately to stop the development
BEFORE it happens--nothing to do with your gripe, which I'll agree is quite valid in most places.
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Bajatripper
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Excellently written post Steve!
Progress happens... like paved roads... Instead of blaming the rightful owner for selling it to a developer, why don't all the people who want it left
alone put up the money and BUY it themselves? |
Funny you should mention the "rightful" owners, David. One of the items that received a bit of press when the "owner" was revealed some years ago was
how did the Aleman family come to acquire what many of the region's residents always assumed was federal property. The paper trail documenting the
acquisition was suspect at the time, if memory serves me. The same can be said of the some of the Rodriguez family's holdings in southern Baja--which
seem to be as a result of the presidential term of Abelardo Rodriguez (the guy who built the nice house overlooking "his" fish cannery in Sauzal, just
north of Ensenada). I would have no problem with the suggestion you make--provided that documentation for the ownership is legit. But, given the
people involved, figure the odds on that.
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Bajatripper
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| Quote: | Originally posted by C-Urchin
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Instead of blaming the rightful owner for selling it to a developer, why don't all the people who want it left alone put up the money and BUY it
themselves? Case solved? |
Who sold it to whom?...Kind of like...Mogote???... |
Speaking of the Mogote, I found out while researching Balandra that Cano (the Los Cabos developer who bought the Mogote) paid a little over 12 pesos
per square meter for the sand spit. But now, he'd qualify as the "rightful owner," even though a strong case for official corruption could be made.
When do residents get their say on THEIR patrimony under such a system? Too late for the Mogote, as most of us know.
And another point to make--these places are seldom put up for sale so that people interested in conserving them might have the chance to buy them.
These acquisitions happen in secret and are then announced one fine day after it's too late to do anything about it. I would guess that, at 12 pesos a
square meter, there could have been the local, national, and international support to buy the mogote had it been offered for sale. These same
interests did, after all, buy the Espiritu Santo/Parida Islands in just such a fashion and both are now (supposedly) saved for posterity. But again, I
have little faith that some future administration won't be able to find a way to sell them once more.
[Edited on 5-18-2011 by Bajatripper]
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longlegsinlapaz
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
well, many nomads are examples of the problem. look at all the nomads living in waterfront houses -- prior to those houses, i am sure their beaches
were accessible too!
it's a common theme. people develop an area, then want to ban any further development. |
You're mistaken....even people who don't own waterfront property know that the Federal Maritime Zone is held in perpetuity for public use. There are
very specific laws about beach access, vehicular traffic can be blocked, but foot traffic must be allowed access at regular intervals. In my personal
experience, private residence development in this immediate area has not restricted beach use by the public, it's enhanced it because the residents
remove the basura left on the beach on a regular basis, thus making it a cleaner & more pleasant destination.
Goat, have you even been to Balandra? Do you have any idea how isolated it is from any housing of any nationality? It's totally
off-grid & well-isolated from town & shopping, medical. The only businesses near are a couple restaurants out at Tecolote, but no tiendas or
other places to get supplies out there.
Do you think it was a total fluke that "Balandra was declared the Municipality of La Paz's first Protected Natural Area"? As Bajatripper clearly
stated in his original post, it was public outcry that brought it about.
You want to lay blame on "many nomads are examples of the problem", try coming up with a defensible issue & location. Balandra
doesn't happen to be it.
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Bajatripper
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Excellently written post Steve!
My new bride and I spent some time at Balandra Bay in 1985 on our honeymoon.. the road down to it was pretty rough... it was a nice spot and we were
the only ones there.
Is the mushroom rock still standing? That was what I thought your post was about when I read the title... that it fell over. I recall it had before,
but was 'fixed' to look natural once again!
Thanks again for a great post Steve! |
Thanks for the complement, David. Yes, the Hongo de Balandra is standing once again. I think it was knocked over the first time in the late 1970s--at
the time I was told a Chilango tourist had done the dirty deed on purpose. But then, Paceños have always had a hard-on for people from the Capital, so
maybe that was made up. At any rate, a grieving American widower supposedly placed the rock back upright to commemorate his deceased wife, who, if I
recall, died in a shark attack or a swimming accident. There's a brass plaque at the base of the rock with her name on it.
Later, in the 1990s or early 2000s, a storm knocked the rock over again and it was stood up once more. I think the municipality paid for the second
erection, but I'm not sure about that.
I would have posted a couple of photos of the rock and plaque, but they are on a storage drive that is refusing me access at the moment.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajatripper
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Excellently written post Steve!
Progress happens... like paved roads... Instead of blaming the rightful owner for selling it to a developer, why don't all the people who want it left
alone put up the money and BUY it themselves? |
Funny you should mention the "rightful" owners, David. One of the items that received a bit of press when the "owner" was revealed some years ago was
how did the Aleman family come to acquire what many of the region's residents always assumed was federal property. The paper trail documenting the
acquisition was suspect at the time, if memory serves me. The same can be said of the some of the Rodriguez family's holdings in southern Baja--which
seem to be as a result of the presidential term of Abelardo Rodriguez (the guy who built the nice house overlooking "his" fish cannery in Sauzal, just
north of Ensenada). I would have no problem with the suggestion you make--provided that documentation for the ownership is legit. But, given the
people involved, figure the odds on that. |
I got the 'rightful owner' part from you Steve, I personally have no idea of ownership of the place:
"A recent court ruling favoring lifting the protected status of tracts of land bordering Balandra that are owned by Miguel Aleman Magnani is a
case-in-point. "
When a court rules on it, that to me makes the ownership legit (or rightful).
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajatripper
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Excellently written post Steve!
My new bride and I spent some time at Balandra Bay in 1985 on our honeymoon.. the road down to it was pretty rough... it was a nice spot and we were
the only ones there.
Is the mushroom rock still standing? That was what I thought your post was about when I read the title... that it fell over. I recall it had before,
but was 'fixed' to look natural once again!
Thanks again for a great post Steve! |
Thanks for the complement, David. Yes, the Hongo de Balandra is standing once again. I think it was knocked over the first time in the late 1970s--at
the time I was told a Chilango tourist had done the dirty deed on purpose. But then, Paceños have always had a hard-on for people from the Capital, so
maybe that was made up. At any rate, a grieving American widower supposedly placed the rock back upright to commemorate his deceased wife, who, if I
recall, died in a shark attack or a swimming accident. There's a brass plaque at the base of the rock with her name on it.
Later, in the 1990s or early 2000s, a storm knocked the rock over again and it was stood up once more. I think the municipality paid for the second
erection, but I'm not sure about that.
I would have posted a couple of photos of the rock and plaque, but they are on a storage drive that is refusing me access at the moment.
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Very Interesting, thanks!
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Bajatripper
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
When a court rules on it, that to me makes the ownership legit (or rightful). |
I wish it were so simple, David. But...well, I'd better not go there since I live here. I will agree that a court can make things legit, but what's
"rightful" often has no bearing on the decision (Can you say "U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Stopping the Florida Recount in Gore vs. Bush"?  I'd put the laughing heads, but it's still no laughing matter for me)
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David K
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Every time the vote was recounted, Bush won... enough is enough. As for the court in La Paz, you know better than I, I just presumed if the judge said
it was his, that made him the rightful owner.
Is this where we bring up our late friend 'ESL' or 'Chopy Chavez' (Cornell Crawford) and his battle with the Castro clan over his land at Cabo Pulmo,
they squatted on and took from him, with government support?
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Every time the vote was recounted, Bush won... enough is enough. |
the recount results are unimportant. the bias of supreme court was shocking. was the end of democracy.
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