Baja, LA Bay (Kopapa Kayak Club Trip)

A collection of photos from this trip is in this photo gallery.

Sunday, October 27, 2002

After loading the boats and packing the car at Andrea's place the previous evening, Andrea, Carol and I appreciated the extra hour of sleep gained by the switch to Standard Time. Awaking at 4:30AM, we gained almost an additional hour when Miles called to let us know that his and Ann's cars would be late to the caravan meeting point. They finally showed up and we set off from the dirt patch (intersection of Hwys 12 and 29 south of Napa) around 7AM.

Our group included Andrea Wolf, Carol Kunze and Herb Howe in Andrea's Jeep, Miles Everett, Dave Herr, and Rachael Krugman in Miles' Escort, and Ann Dwyer, Laura Ayers and Kelly Ingle in Ann's Volvo.

Morning dawned warm and clear, a good driving day. After passing the bay area through Walnut Creek and Livermore, we noted a coolant leak from Miles' car at our first stop in the valley. This was handled with a can of stop-leak and occasional fluid refills. The drive continued with easy passes across the Grapevine, through LA and San Diego, across the border and through Tijuana and on to an after dark arrival in Puerto Nuevo. This town started as a place where fishing boats brought in lobster and tourists stopped to eat in homes that opened up to serve the catch. Things evolved into a classic tourist trap, complete with bright lights, many stores selling the usual low grade stuff (and maybe more, we didn't check) and lots of lobster restaurants with street touts. One of these led us to a third story eatery which turned to be surprisingly good. Great margaritas with tasty guacamole preceeded the large plates of lobster, rice and beans served Mexican style. The meal was enjoyed by all in a festive atmosphere. We then continued on for an hour to the small resort Quintas Papagauyos north of Ensenada where we took three rooms at a reasonable rate and soon sank into deep sleeps.

Monday, October 28, 2002

On the road in San Vincente

We drove for 1 1/2 coffee-free hours for a great breakfast at a favorite place in San Vincente where machaca (shredded beef) is a speciality. Then through the cactus forest, a region of inland Baja which is home to a large number of species, many found only here. Finally on to LA Bay, arriving around 3PM. Our reserved beach front cabins had been taken by a film crew from the other LA, lead by William Shatner of Star Trek fame. So we took two of the back palapas which turned out to be much better that the beach palapas, very convenient with rudimentary kitchens and baths. Felt just wonderful to see the bay again and to feel the warm breeze. Several folks pitched in to fix dinner as the colors changed with the sunset. After eating, people fell to sleep in various repose both inside and outside the palapas.

Tuesday, October 29, 2002

Our palapas in Camp Gecko

This was a planned day at Camp Gecko to allow time for organizing. Several people went into town for water while I and a few others took an initial short paddle. Being on the water was as glorious as ever with a mild wind from the NE, not too bad. The wind calmed around noon. After lunch, we had a very successful reentry practice where everyone except Ann demonstrated and practiced their ability to reenter their boat after capsize and wet exit, both assisted and solo using a paddle float. A worthwhile exercise. We then organized our gear for packing into the boats until dark. Fresh fish was on the evening menu courtesy of the successful fishing exploits of Dave and others. The Shatner group entertained us with strange loud music during and after dinner. Guess media types just can't help themselves.

Wednesday, October 30, 2002

Beach at Don Juan Cove

Up at dawn for the final boat packing. We launched around 10AM into a light breeze, finally on our way. The wind increased as we paddled across the south end of the bay towards the channel into the Sea of Cortez. Everyone got a good warmup and then a workout as we inched our way NE against the blow. Our route passed around Punta Roja and then near the island where the UC Davis group came to grief a few years ago under much more severe conditions. Then across the wind to the entrance to Don Juan Cove. Here we found a rocky beach in front of suitable camping and decided that we'd had enough paddling for a first day out (7 miles). There were several sailboats anchored in the cove and some of us went exploring while others set up camp. Our first meal from the boats was a big success showing the experience everyone in the group has had camping. We drifted off to sleep under a blazingly clear display of stars.

Thursday, October 31, 2002

Camp on Pescador Beach

After a leisurely start, we paddled around the infamous Punta Que Malo and enjoyed a helping tailwind southward. A great open view of the Sea and the south part of the offshore (15 miles away) Isla Angel de La Guarda greeted us as we rounded the point. We also encountered an interesting but easily navigable tidal rip and potato patch at the point. This focussed the attention of most paddlers. We rounded Punta Soledad and entered Bahia Pescador to discover a long white beach curved along the entire north end of the bay. Someone had blighted the vista with a small resort at the far end of the beach so we camped just inside the point. This was a shorter paddling day at 5 miles. Landing and surveying our camp spot, we exulted in finally being in the real Baja. Blue water extended to the horizon and high mountains rose behind. Group decisions were made to 1) spend an additional night at this site and 2) keep our daily paddles short to allow time to absorb the surroundings. We then scattered to explore.

I paddled out around Isla Rocollosa, a small off-limits island devoted to bird nesting. Then down to scout the resort which turned out to be twelve tiny plywood shacks and a larger central eating building with a kitchen. One person, probably staff, had left in a panga shortly after our arrival so the place was deserted. Even though the panga returned the next day, we never really noticed the resort. In the evening, we dined in calm and warm conditions under another clear and starry sky before retiring in paradise.

Friday, November 1, 2002

Sunset over Pescador Beach

It was wonderful to wake up with the realization that we didn't need to break camp and pack the boats on this layover day. I enjoyed sleeping until 7AM, two hours past sunrise. People took off for various activities. Andrea and Rachael went snorkling around the island, Ann communed with the marine world by paddling slowly south along the shoreline, Dave and Miles went fishing, Laura explored the nearby tidal pools and Kelly paddled lazily around checking everyone out. Carol and I took an exploratory hike to the top of a local hill. From this vantage point, we could see everything; up the coast to the volcano on Isla Coronado, down the coast to Punta de Las Animas, across the water to Isla Angel de La Guarda, the entire scene backed by the high sere mountains behind. Extraordinary vista. A fox scampered away as we started back to camp. Carol branched off to climb a nearby red volcanic hill while I returned to camp to find nobody around. So I took my kayak around the point and to the north to see how the fishing was going. Miles wasn't having much luck but Dave, encountered while skinny dipping in a secluded cove, had brought in a bountiful catch, enough to feed the entire group at dinner. Leaving him to his fishing, I drifted lazily back to camp, observing fish swimming under the boat as I wove through the rocks. Evening falls early here so we needed to start dinner organizing at around 4:30PM to take advantage of the remaining sunlight. Full darkness descended shortly after 5PM. After eating, discussing and chatting around our camp candles, someone would ask how far past 9PM it was only to learn that the time was 7:30. We usually sacked out not long thereafter.

Saturday, November 2, 2002

Arose early which allowed a relaxed coffee and breakfast before packing for our 9:30 departure. A light N breeze blew us as we continued south. I stopped to admire a pair of Oyster Catchers on Isla Rocollosa. Regrouping at Punta Viejo after crossing the bay, we agreed to meet again at the first good campsite in Bahia de Las Animas. The main pod crossed directly to Punta El Soldado while Ann and I poked along the shore of the intervening Ensenada El Alacran. I checked out a small beach at the south end of the bay which, it turned out, would make a usable campsite in a pinch. I stopped to admire five more Oyster Catchers posed on a rock just above the waves. Colorful and somewhat comical looking creatures.

Bahia de Las Animas

Passing around the point I was met with my first view of Bahia de Las Animas (Bay of Lost Souls). Paddling ceased as I sat spellbound. From between high rugged mountain ranges to the east and west, the large bay extended to the beginning of a series of low peaks which rose into the distant mist. The Lost Souls. I have rarely experienced such beauty. In the foreground of this vastness, our lead group had landed to camp (after the easy 6 mile paddle) on a long empty white sand beach backed by artistic small trees and cactus. We set up tents along the beach and retired to the commissary to breath in the glorious sites. Dave went for a long hike up a canyon behind the beach and reported incredible views and a large variety of plant life.

In the early evening, walking from my tent to the campfire, I caught a motion out of the corner of my eye. This turned out to be a small silent rattlesnake next to me that was coiled and preparing to nip my ankle as I walked by. I instinctively backed up several quick steps with a mild start. The group gathered around to view the little devil. We learned later that rattleless rattle snakes are a well known part of the Baja fauna.

Around midnight Carol, who was camped near the boats, was awakened by the sound of paddles banging on boat hulls. Alerted, she awakened a few other campers to pull the boats above the rapidly rising high tide which had floated paddles and boats. A lucky break, we could have spent the next day in a rented panga tracking down boats that had left with the outgoing tide.

Sunday, November 3, 2002

Today most of the group had their first real experience paddling against a substantial headwind with associated waves. The day started normally with morning coffee and breakfast followed by boat packing, all in calm conditions. We set out around 10AM and moved out from behind Punta El Soldado which, we discovered, had been shielding us from a growing N wind. Several paddlers soon started having problems controlling their boats and holding a course into the wind. As we continued to struggle, tired muscles also limited forward progress for some. Ann refused a tow so I sprinted on ahead and took Laura in tow. The two mile paddle upwind to the beach at the north end of Ensenada El Alacran gave me a good workout which I enjoyed. On the way, we passed Carol who was frustrated by the conditions. I sang out a small ditty ("Oh, the life of the sea is the life for me...") to cheer her up but, I learned later, this had exactly the opposite effect. She fell off the wind and landed on the nearest beach for lunch. I later received a few comments about changing my approach to being helpful under stressful conditions.

Under tow

Miles and Dave, meanwhile, hooked up Ann, under protest, for a tow when she lost any possibility of progress against the increasing winds. Dave put on power and soon had her on the beach. Her lunch over, Carol accepted a tow from Rachael for the short tow to our growing group, thus completing the 4 mile paddle for the day. We decided there was no point in trying to go any further under these conditions and so set up camp and relaxed and explored. It was decided to arise early the next morning to go north around Punta Que Malo before the winds rose again. Proclaiming me "My hero", Laura gave me a thorough back massage after dinner as thanks for the tow. I learned later that Laura was at one time a massage therapist which explained the unusually good and relaxing workout I got and the resulting collapse into impromptu sleep.

Rachael purposely slept between the boats in case the tide came up higher than the high tide line visible in the sand. It did so several paddlers again awoke around midnight to pull the boats further up the beach.

Monday, November 4, 2002

Awoke at first light, around 4:30AM, just as light was showing along the eastern horizon and the stars were beginning to fade. Conditions were calm. The early rising gave us time for coffee, breakfast and an unrushed boat packing before the group launched at 7AM, a new record. After yesterday's wind, we wanted to get back into LA Bay before the afternoon winds made this impossible. Carol had a quiet solo commune with the sea as she paddled on ahead. As the wind increased, we encountered some nice waves between Punta Soledad and Punta Que Malo, this Ensenada Que Malo known for large waves. Timing our passage to coincide with slack tidal flow, we avoided the famous large tidal rips at Punta Que Malo. We landed at the entrance to Don Juan Cove around 10AM for lunch.

The group then split with one pod going directly around the point to our campsite on La Mona beach while Herb, Dave, Kelly, Carol and Rachael went an extra three miles around Isla Cabeza de Caballo (Horsehead Island). This island turned out to be a nesting area for a large number of Blue Footed Boobies. Many Boobies were circling and diving like darts for fish while other clung to the steep cliffs. Quite a sight. As we rounded the island and started back south to camp, several small groups of dolphins passed on their way out of the bay. Rachael immediately dove into the water to swim with dolphins. With her diving goggles she watched one pass directly under her, a great experience. Other dolphins rolled by, the whoosh of their breathing filling the quiet air.

La Mona Beach

We arrived at the camp beach only a few minutes after the other group which had a leisurely paddle admiring the unique geology along the steep red shore. After the longest day of the trip (11-12 miles for the direct group, 3 additional miles for the island group), we swam and relaxed in the scenic site. Elephant cactus were artfully arranged among the large boulders covering the slope behind camp. We were fortunate to have this relatively calm day for our northward return paddle into the shelter of the bay. The unusually high tide came within a few feet of our tents during the night but, finally learning, we had pulled the boats up far enough and didn't need the midnight awakening.

Tuesday, November 5, 2002

Under calm conditions, we lounged on La Mona beach until around noon. We watched several handsome coyotes and many pelicans feed. A few dolphins bobbed by on the way out of the bay. Since conditions seemed calm, we set off in several groups and individually for the 3-4 mile crossing of the south end of the bay to Camp Gecko. As we paddled past the collection of houses on the east shore, the N wind began to increase until we were in large waves coming from the starboard side in a mild gale. This separated the paddlers until I was alone with Ann as she struggled unsuccessfully to keep her Merlin pointed into the wind. These are the conditions that give the rudderless crowd second thoughts. We were finally forced to shore on the sandy beach. Ann, probably feeling a bit fed up, had lunch on a nearby dune while I kept an eye on the other paddlers with my binoculars. Everyone did very well in the large wind waves. Dave easily (well, not so completely easily he reported later) crossed from just north of La Mona beach, his boat periodically disappearing in the waves. Those for whom this was a first large wave over the beam experience were particularly impressive.

Kelly had landed at Camp Gecko and walked the mile back along the beach to find out how Ann and I were doing. We decided not to try a relaunch but to take the boats out by car. Andrea had her first try at using the 4WD on her Jeep Grand Cherokee as she drove across the sand flats to pick up Ann's and my stranded boats. Ann had opted to stroll back to camp. Back at Gecko, we finally spotted Miles as he skillfully did a downwind run into camp, his sponsons helping stabilize his Narpa. A typical Kopopa Club outing where "All's well that ends well". It was after 3PM before everyone was safely in camp. The wind was blowing directly onto the long sandy beach that rings the south end of the bay so the situation was never very dangerous. Just an interesting but, for some, challenging adventure. In the future we will be more alert to the possiblity of a sudden increase in the wind and will also include towing in our initial rescue and recovery practice session.

We then scrambled to pack and load boats in the short remaining daylight. We had rented the large two story house on the beach to try it out. The large central room with lots of counter space (and not much else) was convenient for our large group as everyone contributed to a potluck dinner to complement Miles' bountiful fish catch. A great meal. I stepped on one of our large wax candles, giving myself a 2nd degree burn on the top of my left foot. No hiking or biking for awhile.

Wednesday, November 6, 2002

The Group
Kelly, Ann, Herb, Carol, Rachael, Miles, Laura, Dave, Andrea

We were entertained by Pat, world badminton champion 1952-1964, and local gossip keeper as we packed. Interesting woman and an annual visitor to the Camp from San Diego. The group said goodbye to Ann and Laura who were continuing south for an extend trip down Baja and then back north on the mainland. We squeezed into the other two cars and set off. We stopped at the local museum on the way out of town, a very good display which we will look at more closely on our next visit. Drove to San Vincente for dinner, again partaking of machaca. We again slept in the resort north of Ensenada where we retired to the bar for a pitcher of margaritas.

Homeward bound

Thursday, November 7, 2002

This long day began when Andrea, suffering from an excess of perkiness and abetted by Carol, awoke everyone at 5AM and had us on the road before 6AM. I vaguely recall driving north through Tijuana where I became mostly awake for our unusually short wait of about 30 minutes getting through customs. After a fruitless search for a breakfast place in National City, we waited through thick traffic in San Diego before finally stopping for coffee and food someplace in the faceless burbs north of the city. Then on to stop and go traffic in endless LA and over the Grapevine where dark clouds were evident on the northern horizon. We debated whether to turn around and go back to Baja but continued on. Approaching the SF Bay area, we drove into rain and learned from the radio of a major storm which had snarled traffic and caused an accident completely closing I580 near Livermore. Abandoning this route, we crossed our fingers and tried Hwy 12. We had lots of wind and some heavy rain which slowed our progress but the road at least remained open. With our several meals and other stops, we didn't arrive at Andrea's house until 9PM. Exhausted, Carol and I put off the final drive back to Lake Berryessa and sat around Andrea's kitchen table drinking port in candlelight since the first ferocious storm of the season had blackened the entire Napa Valley. We then fell into a sound sleep.

Subsequent emails between paddlers reaffirmed what a great trip this was. It's lucky to get a such a large group of fully compatable paddlers. Because the full trip covered only about 40 miles in 7 days, we had time to stop and smell the kelp and cactus. Less paddling and more land time will probably be the norm for future expeditions.