General
Photos by Andrea, text by Herb
Kate DesLauriers,
Mike Higgins,
Doug Hamilton, and
Herb Howe.
Saturday, April 4
Our first morning was spent loading at Rattlesnake Beach near Puerto Escondido. We paddled the shoreline instead of crossing to Danzante to camp after being warned by a kayak guide about increased enforcement of camping permits which we didn't have. We camped on the same beach as did Andrea's first Baja trip in 1999. Packing and the initial paddling and camp setup left us tired in the evening.
Sunday, April 5
We paddled to the hot springs which were, with the low tide, nice and hot. Soaked. The springs are hot when the tide is low enough to expose the rocks connecting the island to the shore (see photo). John and Libby paddled up and spent the afternoon soaking.
Monday, April 6
This was a long paddle day against some headwind. Very exhausted in the evening as bodies continue to adjust to the bending and lifting of camping. We camped just past several anchored sail boats on a very rocky beach.
Tuesday, April 7
Another long day. We paddled slowly to enjoy the scenery and to save my wrist tendon. Mellow day, calm and beautiful. Andrea and Mike stopped for an hour to talk to a sailor. Made camp on a nice sandy beach. We were befriended by Manuel, a local fisherman, who provided lobsters.
Wednesday, April 8
Rest day, much needed. Took a nice walk above camp. Manuel provided fish and water. Wind in the morning, calm in the afternoon. The stiff wind was from the south which would have been a nasty headwind.
Thursday, April 9
Weather continues mellow, nice. A NE wind came up to carry us along with sails. Fixed sail line adjusting cleat per Doug's instructions; worked much better. No pangas, religious holiday. Overcast, cool and comfy. Camped on a gravel beach, perfect. Tendon better, not slowing me down much. We passed some unfriendly sailors (3 boats) in Pureto Gato. Lots of pangas were in the fish camp at Tembembachi for the holiday.
Friday, April 10
Full overcast, nice and cool. We passed the exquisite protected palm beach which has been fenced off and taken over for a private house. This is where we camped for two days on the trip in 2004 when the owners were away. The beach is gone now due to construction of a small rock jetty. The no-camping signs are also gone. The scenery changed from flat to beautiful sedimentary layers to rugged high dramatic cliffs. We camped on Punta Nopolo just before the town. Climbing up behind camp to look down into town, we enjoyed the sounds of children playing. Wind rattled the tent all night.
Saturday, April 11
Cold morning. We crossed over to Isla San Jose with a nice assist from a north side wind. The 3.5 mile crossing took only one hour. The wind died as we reached shore so no head wind as we paddled back north. No good campsites at the north end of the island so we went around the north end and down the outside about a mile to a great beach. Paddled by and through several arches on the way, very picturesque. Clear skies and warm, perfect. Mike left to paddle to Isla Catalina for the night.
Easter Sunday, April 12
Mellow rest day. Andrea and I took a morning walk into the desert above camp, returning down an arroyo. A large rock came down from the cliff above camp with an earth shaking thump. Need to be careful camping below high cliffs. We watched Mike return from his overnight paddle in a big following sea. Fortunately, the campsite was well protected from the all day blow. Calmed in evening. Puttered with boats, slept. A rare evening campfire was lit to burn trash plus driftwood.
Monday, April 13
Paddled south in large following swell along the exposed shore. We couldn't land for 7 miles through the large shore break on rocks. We finally found a protected landing in a cove near a light. We lunched with delightful couple from New Zealand who had stopped in the well protected cove on a beach with an empty fish camp. A short distance further, under sail, we camped in another protected beach in a great canyon setting. We walked up a long sandy arroyo to a large boulder. Great two hour hike. Clear all day with nice temps. Perfect.
Tuesday, April 14
The weather gods finally turned against us. A moderate SE headwind came up requiring us to grind directly into it for about 8 miles. Continued beautiful rock formations. After lunch, we turned the south point and, after a section of choppy water, were able to catch some wind for sailing. We paddled into a large mangrove lagoon before camping next to the mangroves on the sea side. The wind died for awhile and then strengthened, causing us to seek shelter in the mangroves for dinner and then for the tent. Small biting bugs were kept somewhat at bay by the tent mesh. A long exhausting day.
Wednesday, April 15
After being driven from the mangroves by the bugs, we ate breakfast on the shore. Then another grind into the SW wind before turning around the mangrove point and catching a nice long downwind run with sail to the other entrance to the mangrove lagoon. This we explored for awhile and then continued on north, in windless conditions, to Punta Salinas for lunch. A delightful 4 mile crossing brought us back to the mainland at Evaristo where we resupplied and got water. We camped a short distance south on prickly soil above a long walk over big slippery boulders. Not our favorite campsite. Quiet night away from the calm sea, no wave noise for a change.
Thursday, April 16
Calm at dawn although from talking to the yachties yesterday in Evaristo we expected two days of north wind followed by two days of calm. The north wind came up shortly after lunch giving us a day of perfect down wind sailing. A real hoot. We found a protected campsite on Punta Coyote, very flat and yet scenic with mountains along the western horizon. Wind calmed at dusk. Good campsite, sandy but protected by bushes. Clear at night.
Friday, April 17
Calm again at dawn with a light south breeze for an early headwind. A wind line soon came in with the predicted NE winds and seas began to build. After a couple of hours, the group began to look for a place to land and camp to get off the water. As we approached a likely spot (the only protected cove on the entire sandy exposed coast), Kate capsized in the following seas which were breaking above eye level. Mike and Doug dealt with Kate while I coached Andrea to shore. She then capsized just before landing in the shore break and simply let the waves carry her and her boat to shore. We camped behind a small cliff out of the wind.
Saturday, April 18
Normal launch into a light headwind. After a couple of hours of easy paddling, a wind line approached again bring a moderate N wind and seas and the usual complaints from some paddlers. We stopped for a fish taco lunch in a fish camp for which we were vastly overcharged. Note - agree on price first. Then on to San Juan de la Costa where we camped just north of the mine loading pier on a broad sandy beach. The mine is again in operation and we discovered that the trucks run all night.
Sunday, April 19
We paddled the short distance to the mine loading conveyer where we met Tobe who drove up (45 minutes on a paved road) from La Paz to collect Andrea and Kate who had had enough paddling. The remaining three of us proceeded south, Mike and Doug ahead, on calm idyllic water. After lunch, we paddled through a very clear rocky area with lots of colorful tropical fish. Like paddling on an aquarium. Then on out to the sand spit with lots of Mexicans out on the shoreline on big family Sunday outings. The day remained calm and increasingly hot, a welcome change from the winds and high seas of the past few days. We camped part way out the spit. Lots of OHV damage on the sand dunes. Nice north breeze in the evening.
Monday, April 20
Another calm cool morning. Slept well if a bit cold without the tent. Continued out the sand spit, noting extensive OHV damage to the dunes. Several dolphins came by in the shallow water. We saw a badger on shore and paddled over lots of small bright blue jellyfish-like creatures. Few birds. The afternoon N breeze came up just in time to provide relief from the growing afternoon heat. We passed the condo development on El Magote, a real eye sore. Finally landed at the condo after two great twenty mile days of paddling. Reunited with Andrea and Kate, we celebrated the end of the trip in an Italian restaurant Il Rustico.