SoCalAngler
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 6-22-2016
Member Is Offline
|
|
BOLA - A guy named Doc - Que Paso?
Whatever happened to a Mexican physician named Doc that lived and worked in BOLA? I read he was a physician from Mexico City that had moved to BOLA
with wife and children and began running fishing charters, renting palapas to campers, and was also a practicing physician to the locals.
Is my recollection correct?
What became of this Doc?
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64865
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
2002 photo of 'Doc' from 'Bedman'
Doc is fine, last I heard...
After his medical service to the republic was completed, and having fallen in love with BahÃa de los Angeles, he acquired the bayshore land a few
miles south of town and named it 'Camp Gecko'. It was a popular campground with cabins for many years... Around 2006 he converted the cabins and lots
there to long-term leases, and no more camping. Many Nomads have or have had leases there. Dr. Abraham Vasquez or "Doc", has a home there.
Here is Doc and I when he and I hiked up the Las Flores railroad & terminal/ tramline canyon in April 2002:
|
|
|
larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1496
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by SoCalAngler  | Whatever happened to a Mexican physician named Doc that lived and worked in BOLA? I read he was a physician from Mexico City that had moved to BOLA
with wife and children and began running fishing charters, renting palapas to campers, and was also a practicing physician to the locals.
Is my recollection correct?
What became of this Doc?
|
As David said Doc is fine. Most of your recollection is correct but Doc is from Tijuana as is his wife Sylvia.
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64865
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Thanks for confirming, Larry!
I hope you are doing well... I can't wait to get back down there and explore more, even though 'age' happens!
|
|
|
Marc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2802
Registered: 5-15-2010
Location: San Francisco & Palm Springs
Member Is Offline
Mood: Waiting
|
|
Last time I saw Doc was about 8 years ago out on the water looking at wale sharks. I loved His camp. Image taken 1995
Exercise regularly. Eat sensibly. Die anyway.
|
|
|
SoCalAngler
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 6-22-2016
Member Is Offline
|
|
What does he do now?
Thank you for the updated information.
So is, Dr. Vasquez currently a full time resident at his home in Camp Gecko?
Has anyone seen/spoken to him recently?
What does he do for a living if not renting campsites? Full time physician?
I'm just fascinated by the willingness of a physician to live with his family and young children in such a natural remote area, which is not such a
forgiving environment, and a NOT a city. I am so conditioned to believe that physicians are tied to cities not somewhere in remote/rural Baja.
Thanks!
[Edited on 10-28-2020 by SoCalAngler]
[Edited on 10-28-2020 by SoCalAngler]
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64865
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
I hope a current Camp Gecko Nomad pops in this conversation...
Doc's daughters are in probably in their 30s now (as they were about the same age as my kids). When they were ready for high school, they moved to
Tijuana where Doc and his esposa also had a home. Not sure of that status today?
Again, he does not run a campground anymore, that ended around 2006. There are many long-term leased lots at Camp Gecko, so that is a bit of income.
December 2003:
Doc's daughters Jessica and Vanessa with Katie, Tony, and Chris (in back). Chris (my son) was 15 then and turns 32 this year.
|
|
|
Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
Member Is Offline
|
|
I walked over to Camp Gecko this morning and told Doc Abraham about this thread. He said to let you know that he and his family are doing great. His
daughters are grown, have their degrees, doing well in life. He is currently working on making improvements to the camp with the goal of opening the
camp again to Eco-Tourism in the near future.
P>*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64865
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by Paulina | I walked over to Camp Gecko this morning and told Doc Abraham about this thread. He said to let you know that he and his family are doing great. His
daughters are grown, have their degrees, doing well in life. He is currently working on making improvements to the camp with the goal of opening the
camp again to Eco-Tourism in the near future.
P>*)))>{ |
What wonderful news, but a surprise indeed about camping.
|
|
|
Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
|
|
Good to know- hope to return with the trailer!
I camped, kayaked and fished offshore from Gecko a looooong time ago, when Abraham was just getting started.
Paddled with whales (Brydes?), that were also fishing. They got more than their fare share with their large mouths, and lifted up our kayaks while
doing so!
Also spent some quality story telling, campfire & stargazing time with an American who lived there... can't recall his name- Mike? He passed away
several years ago, but not before compiling an incredible record of weather and other BOLA knowledge.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64865
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Yes, Mike... of Mike's Mountain fame. Graham Mackintosh knew him back in the 80s during his walking around Baja adventure.
|
|
|
SoCalAngler
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 6-22-2016
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thank you all for the updates and clarification.
It's been over two decades since I last travelled past Ensenada. My travels along the peninsula were between 1981 and 1996. I've been to many places
along the 1000 miles of Baja, but unfortunately never turned off the hwy to check out BOLA....my loss!
Paulina, thank you so much for inquiring and informing Doc of this post. I'm happy to hear he and his family are doing well!
Looking forward to see what the Eco-Tourism Camp will look like when he launches it. Hopefully, it will be soon, as I'd love to go down and stay
there.
|
|
|
JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10651
Registered: 10-3-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by Paulina | I walked over to Camp Gecko this morning and told Doc Abraham about this thread. He said to let you know that he and his family are doing great. His
daughters are grown, have their degrees, doing well in life. He is currently working on making improvements to the camp with the goal of opening the
camp again to Eco-Tourism in the near future.
P>*)))>{ |
Great intel. Much appreciated.
Will.swing by the next time we are down there.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
