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BajaNews
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Graham Mackintosh starts next Baja journey
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jan/25/graham-mackintosh...
By Ed Zieralski
JAN. 25, 2013
Wanderlust is tugging once again at Graham Mackintosh, and that can mean only one thing for the legendary Baja adventurer – a return to the mysterious
and magical Mexican peninsula that captured his heart and soul 30 years ago.
Next week, San Diego’s Mackintosh, the man who walked Baja’s entire 3,000-mile coastline on a whim as a 31-year-old, returns to Baja for another
two-year or so journey. The award-winning adventure writer plans to explore the coast, desert and islands and revisit people and scenes that inspired
him to write four very successful adventure books – “Into a Desert Place,” “Journey With a Baja Burro,” “Marooned . . . With Very Little Beer” and
“Nearer My Dog To Thee.”
“I feel like a fish out of water when I’m not in Baja,” Mackintosh said at a recent breakfast meeting. “I just love that place. It is so beautiful.
And it’s so full of adventure and wonderful people. If I’m not there, I’m dreaming of being there. I feel the 30th anniversary of my first walk is a
great opportunity to do it all again.”
Mackintosh’s four books and thousands of seminars have earned him the role as Baja’s most acclaimed adventuring icon. His words and humor that relived
his memories, his pictures that showed Baja’s “kindly and generous strangers” and his descriptions of unexplored Baja like a “simple meal shared on a
remote beach” drove many to explore the undeveloped, underexplored regions of Baja.
His life-long journey of Baja has been as much about his own self-discovery as it has been about him sharing and educating the world about the real,
truthful Baja.
“At the end of the day, all of my books are about journeys of exploration, spiritual exploration,” Mackintosh said. “All of my books are chronicles of
a spiritual journey.”
It all led one man, former El Cajon policeman Mike Younghusband, to become a Mackintosh disciple and travel the length of Baja, from Tecate to Cabo
San Lucas, with a burro named Don Kay. Younghusband now lives in Loreto and continues to explore the enchanted land, sporting a sombrero and
adventuring with Don Kay.
But now it’s Mackintosh’s turn . . . again.
He’ll start at Guardian Angel Island, a protected preserve off Bahia de Los Angeles. At 40 miles long and 10 miles across in some places, it’s the
second-largest island in the Sea of Cortez. It requires a permit to visit. Mackintosh will hire a panguero to take him and his kayak and supplies out.
He said pangueros these days are much more sophisticated and even get e-mail. He knows Baja is a much different place in terms of safety than it was
30 years ago, but he’s prepared and fully aware of the dangers of drug-runners and kidnappers. He’ll have a SPOT satellite messenger device.
“The dangers will be in the back of my mind on that island,” Mackintosh said. “As you get older, you get a little more cautious. I’m aware of it, but
the people I’ve met have been delightful so hospitable, generous and kind that it really makes travel to Baja very pleasant for me.”
Mackintosh’s last visit to Guardian Angel Island was full of wild experiences. His kayak trips in the rapid currents of tidal waters put him into
large schools of yellowtail, and he often saw breaching whales. He spent days kayaking, beachcombing, bird-watching, exploring and hiking the rugged,
uninhabited island. He met up with poachers and had to deal with the usual Sea of Cortez challenges of wind, rattlesnakes, scorpions and even some
scary-looking feral cats, island dwellers that have developed fangs like mini-Saber-tooth cats.
It all starts next week.
“I’ll spend the next two years walking and paddling to some of the wilder, more special places I’ve visited before or wished I had,” Mackintosh said.
“I’ve got a goal to go back to the places that I really enjoyed over the last 30 years, mostly remote stretches where I’ll be pretty much on my own. I
may not be capable of doing this much longer. So, it’s now or never.”
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sd
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Have fun Graham! You live a charmed life.
I am ready for the next book.
Scot
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desertcpl
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BLOG
Graham
best of luck, will we be able to follow you, as in a daily Blog?
your first journey was before Sat. computers,, I would think every Nomad would love to follow you on a daily basis
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DENNIS
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Kinda snuck this one in on us. No big planning thread, or anything. I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned before this.
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Ateo
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Wild, pure, and the authentic.
Go get some Graham.
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Bob H
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I read about this in this morning's UT. Good luck Graham. Looking forrward to tracking your treck on Nomad land! I am sure you will have spot,
right?
And a mule?
Can't believe it's been 30 years......
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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good for you mate....look forward to crossing paths...suerte amigo...que diviertes mucho.
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David K
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Looking forward to following Graham and hearing the future adventure stories!
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BajaBlanca
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This is indeed a good surprise ! A daily blog would be excellent .... I am sure we will see pics and hear stories of parts of Baja some of us would
never get to see otherwise.
safe travels to You.
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David K
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No daily blog, just a Spot check-in every few days. Graham will be roughing it. Two months on the island and the remainder of the two years travelling
by kayak and on foot. Nomads may play an important role as well as he wanders about the peninsula like a nomad!
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capt. mike
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must have a very understanding wife?
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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MikeYounghusband
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Mood: Always ready for more
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Good luck my friend and "Happy trails"
Look me up in Loreto, I'll have some cold brew for ya.
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David K
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I hope Graham pops into this thread so we all can 'hear' from him directly. I did talk with him last night on the phone and with his blessing, I will
be posting his location so that other Nomads can visit him or just follow his adventure. As with Mike Younghusband, I asked Graham before I share the
Spot locations. Let's all hope that we don't get the SOS signal, as we did during Mike's walk... but Graham feels a bit more secure knowing all of us
will be aware of it, should an emergency arise.
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Graham
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Thanks everyone. Thanks David for all your offers of assistance. Absolutely, feel free to post my location. I don't plan sending Spot updates every
day, just every few days or if I move.
And thanks Mike. Now I'm following in your footsteps - using a Spot device. Will really welcome that cold one in Loreto... if and when I get that far!
Hard for me to believe it was 30 years ago, at the age of 31, that I set out from San Felipe intending to walk around the coast of Baja and survive
off the sea and the desert. I wasn't sure how it would all work out. Certainly I didn't expect all the kindness and hospitality I received... and
expressing my gratitude for that was a major part of "Into a Desert Place."
Now at age 61, I have even less idea how it will develop. I'll just do what I can. If I can't walk, I'll paddle and if I can't do that, I'll hitch a
ride or arrange to be dropped off so I can experience those special pristine Baja places.
No definite commitment to write about it, certainty not a book, but as every day in Baja tends to be a fascinating adventure, and I do like to tell a
good story... I guess that's always a possibility.
My first goal to return to being "marooned" on Guardian Angel Island to get body and mind in shape as I explore coast and canyon and see who or what
turns up. I guess that will be Chapter One!
And every so often I'll return home to re-equip and check in with the family.
My last campsite on Isla Angel de la Guarda.
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Skipjack Joe
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What a beautiful spot. And so typical of some of some of the best that baja has to offer. Coves such as this one are both grand and intimate at the
same time. 'Unspoiled' is the term most commonly used. Whenever I come to such a spot there is a sense akin to finding a treasure. You just feel so
fortunate and grateful.
It's so perfect and delightfully bajaish. Your eyes move over the landscape taking delight in every small detail. You take it all in and, as Hemingway
would write .... "and it is good".
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Barry A.
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I agree with SkipJack, that is a beautiful picture with all kinds of subtle "only Baja" aspects-------well done, Graham!!!
Hoping for another real adventure for you----------I am sure it will be, and would love to follow it on NOMADS.
Barry
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GregN
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Best of luck, Graham. Have fun.
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Bajaboy
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Our paths crossed during your second adventure and hopefully they will cross on this one. Safe travels.
Zac
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BajaGeoff
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Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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Awesome adventure Graham! Have fun and be safe amigo....looking forward to the updates and following the trip!
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BornFisher
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Damn Graham, best of luck and great times. Can`t believe it`s been 30 years!
I`ll never forget Fred Hocter saying "Into a Desert Place" is the best book ever written about Baja.
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