San Lucas, BCS Pelicans 2008

Beach at  San Lucas, Baja California Sur.  It's made up of shells...beautiful setting.  Quiet...sparsely populated.  lovely.

Pelicans galore.

Noshing in Sta. Rosalia, BCS

This year's Baja trip is filled with fishing, eating, knitting and reading. What else is new?

We've mostly been eating at Mariscos Neto's - Neto's Seafood Restaurant. It's on the main drag, Avenida Obregon, corner of Calle Once - you have to drive through most of town to find it. Next door to Amalia's Lavanderia (Laundry).

Neto's has breakfast and lunch. They're ready to serve around 8:30am. They seem to close these days around 4-6pm (even tho' I saw a sign posted across the street that says 10pm!)

Food is super-tasty here! You can't go wrong! Grreat items to order (we've tried ém):
Breakfast - 1) Chorizo Omelet - watch out, it's packed with chorizo! Large plate, comes with salad on side and refried beans. 2) Carne Asada (beef, sauteed, in a yummy sauce) with salad, and plank fries (yup, the big ones). Tortillas, flour or corn (harina o maiz). 3) Sandwich - ham, american cheese, lettuce, tomato; optional: plank fries (also know to you as 'freedom fries.')

So far, I haven't mentioned any seafood! These were lunch entrees we tried. Here we go: 1) White fish, Pescado al mojo de ajo, which is sauteed with chopped garlic garnish - yummo! 2) Marisco combo, seafood salad - no dressing here -- just a big pile o' mariscos (seafood) - today's catch was big scallops, chopped, and shrimp, with chopped cucumber, onion and tomato. You squeeze lime juice on this, and add any of the bottled chili sauces on the table, to your taste. 3) Ceviche -- was not available this trip. I'm a fanatic about ceviche - so light and good for you, too!

Tables are always set with a seafood appetizer w/chips. Drinks: beers, sodas, fresh-made lemonade (with fizzy water or 'natural'), coffee (american style.)

Lunch - 1) Bistek Ranchero - big plate of beef, cooked with yummy sauce, onions, peppers -- a good choice! 2) Caldo Largo - this is a specialty of Baja, a "catch of the day" soup - whatever's fresh gets cooked up. Tasty - you can get tortillas, chips (totopos) with this.

Special notes:
The folks here are nice, once you chat them up, and I know they would have made some with a day's notice. They do want to please their customers. Lots of local office workers eat here. Also families, sports teams (baseball), etc.

We also asked whether they would cook a fish we caught ourselves and brought to them. At first they said no, but after chatting, they said they would do so, if we cleaned it. For a small fish, that fit in the frying pan, they would fry it up for us. We'll hold them to their word and give it a try next trip.

We're catching what is locally called tapahuevo, using lures. Locals use bait and catch other types of fish. Unfortunately, no yellowfin this time. Weather's been tough.

==>> Buh-bye, Sta. Rosalía <<==

Saturday, September 9, 2006 Road to Guerrero Negro, 28th Parallel.
3.25 hours drive to Guerrero Negro. Drove through the desert, stopping at 3 military checkpoints, Quichule (San Ignacio,) Gro. Negro and somewhere in the desert between Catavina and San Quintin. We're stopping overnite at La Villa de San Quintin hotel, on Hwy. 1, between 8 & 9, with free broadband internet, 8 tv channels, air conditioning, $35 ...well, I could go on and on. Tomorrow, Sacramento-bound.


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Friday, September 8, 2006. Sta. Rosalía, BCS.

We decided to leave town tomorrow. There’s broken sewer lines throughout town . . . what will happen next? Every other car on the road has huge containers (tinaco) filled with water or on their way to be filled with potable water. The volunteer firefighters, Rotary Club and other groups are working hard, gathering clothing and packaged food to donate to southern towns, like Mulege.

The boat launch at Sta. Rosalía is being dredged today, but it may take another couple days before it’s ready to use. Drove 10 kilometros south to San Lucas, where we dropped the boat trailer at the Camacho Trailer Park beach; Carlos drove his boat there. It was very early with beautiful morning light...here are some fotos.


Carlos spoke to a man hanging out on the beach in San Lucas, who suggested his 13-year-old son Paco help drive the boat into the lagoon, since it’s shallow in most places and a very tricky entry. Paco did a great job. Then Carlos backed the trailer into the water and pulled the boat out. We checked the tides online -- around 1pm is high tide. Went very smoothly, thank goodness!

Here's a happy beach doggy who hung out for a while...

Drove back to Sta. Roalia. We had a great meal at Neto’s . . . chicken tostadas for me and caldo largo for Carlos. Yum!


Drove to the Sta. Rosalía marina and returned the library book. Drove to Pepe’s house to return the gas containers. Lourdes gave us a bunch of Veracruzan tamales that they brought from their recent trip there. Double yum!



We’re starting to pack up and plan to leave tomorrow around 6am. Goodbye, Sta. Rosalía, ‘til 2007!

The Story Continues...

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2006 Sta. Rosalia, BCS
No potable water in town. People are lining up at the bus station to get drinking water. However, with the road open, hopefully there will be no lack of sodas, beer, juice or other drinks. I just talked with the hairdresser at Pily's Salon, and she said she would color my hair this afternoon. She's going to get a bucket of water from Pily's house to rinse my hair!!! I told her I could bring a six-pack of beer to use for rinse if needed. That's the state of affairs in Sta. Rosalia.

Rain is forecast for each afternoon. Heard from the hairdresser that another arroyo was full, near the trailer park, by the Highway Patrol building on the Carretera Transpeninsular. So, that will be what happens daily, as long as the rains continue.

Hot 'n Dusty in Sta. Rosalia, Baja California Sur

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006
The day looks better...the temperature index is 110F. No wonder I've been so hot!! I've just been getting info. from others and haven't checked the weather reports.

Carlos is out fishing...the ferry arrived this morning from Guaymas. Some of the normal things are happening again.

Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2006
Carlos wanted to leave town today. Since one bad thing after another has been going on, he’s wondering whether he should just pack up and leave. We heard that the main water line broke and there won’t be a repair completed for 2 weeks! Toby, a sailboat owner at the Sta. Rosalia Marina, says to sit tight. Things will calm down in a few days. Additionally, we heard from several people that the roads north and south are closed to traffic. As we drive around town, we see numerous large trailer trucks parked along the Malecon, no doubt waiting ‘til they hear the main highway gets reopened. So...we’re captives in Sta. Rosalia!

Monday, Sept. 4, 2006
Now the truck power steering has a leak! Carlos is at the mechanic now checking on it.

Ate at Neto’s at the end of the main drag. Excellent caldo largo, filete (dorado) en mojo del ajo; super-big portions, pleasant staff, good prices.



The town has lots of clean-up work to do ... and the loaders, the soldiers and business owners are shoveling out from the results of the street flooding.
Here's a foto of the entrance to town.

La llegada del huracan Juan

Friday, September 1, 2006. Sta. Rosalía, BCS
Slept in this morning, leaving for town around 10:30am. Stopped at a shop that makes stickers of any size. Asked about decals for the boat/car. Will return later so Carlos can give details of what he’d like. I mentioned I was going to check the internet and the folks at the shop recommended an internet site across the street, at the hotel. It was a little cheaper than the other site I’ve been going to – better air-conditioned, computers with more speed and the software programs I need and, hardly anyone there. Perfect.

Pepe’s Tacos stand was closed – yesterday he said he wasn’t feeling well, so he didn’t open today. We went to Terco’s Pollito for lunch. I had the combinacion mexicana with lemonade. Yum.


Saturday, September 2, 2006. Sta. Rosalía, BCS
3am. Carlos woke up and woke me up. He got dressed and went to the marina to check on his boat. On return, he says everything’s tied up tight. Well, hurricane John is having its effect here.

There’s lightning outside, rain and heavy winds. We’re on the very edge of the weather system; word on the radio from Cabo San Lucas indicates there’s only one person missing. Otherwise, so far okay. The radio advises to stay put at home and don’t go driving around, because being caught in the arroyos that develop without notice is the most dangerous thing now.





8:30am. Drove to the Hotel Francés – it’s one of the old mining-era buildings with a decent breakfast restaurant. Had the Miner’s Breakfast, which is tasty, including refried beans, spicy beef with green/red peppers, chorizo, potatoes and an egg.

Sunday, September 3, 2006. Sta. Rosalía, BCS
Most businesses are closed. If their doors are open, you can see the owners inside cleaning up.
No cell phone service!





Monday, September 4, 2006. Sta. Rosalía, BCS
Light cloud cover. With my binoculars, I can see about 100+ dolphins feeding, along with pelicans and gulls floating and flying around them. This is the second day they are within my sight at Las Casitas.



Cell phone service is down. At 8am, we went to Terco’s Pollito in town for breakfast. The main highway has 2 navigable lanes, though they’re still covered in sandy mud, with rocks all about. The periférico, as I call it, on the south side of town is very clear, hardly any sand, mud or rocks on it! The force of the water pushed everything down toward the boat launch, causing the huge mounds at the foot of the town.

10:36am – I can still spot a large group of dolphins jumping in the distance! There’s a lot of debris floating along the current lines of the sea, dislodged or moved around as a result of the winds from Hurricane John.

2006 Trip to Puerto Lopez Mateos, BCS

Saturday, Aug 26, 2006. San Diego, CA. Comfort Inn & Suites, Hotel Circle So. Ate free buffet breakfast, starting @ 6:30a. Departed around 7:20a. Had an uneventful border crossing at Tijuana, BCS. Stopped at Ley in So. Ensenada. Carlos noticed a trailer brake was tightening up. So, after I finished shopping, we went to a brake shop. About an hour later, resumed driving. Stopped in San Quintin at La Mision? restaurant for lunch. Had mero (jewfish) al mojo de ajo, with soup, beans, rice and tortillas. Continued on the journey, toward El Rosario, where we filled up the gas tank. Continuing on the long drive through the desert, spotted the bone-dry carcass of a horse. Along the roadside, a flock of quail took light at the approach of our loud truck. We drove by the good trucker’s restaurant in Rosarito, Mauricio’s, but were not hungry, so passed it by. We noted that high electric poles are going up all along the highway – not strung with wire yet. More signs of what’s to come in Baja. Also, there are quite a few green directional signs along the highway, indicating points of interest, like the Pinturas Rupestres, Sta. Magdalena Mission, and even one for Puerto Lopez Mateos, our destination this trip!

Drove through to outskirts of Guerrero Negro, at the 28th Parallel point and stayed overnite at La Pinta - $80!! For $80, you get a spacious room, decent furnishings and one TV channel. By driving an extra couple miles into town, you save $30+, but sometimes the accommodations aren’t quite up to standards.

Sunday, August 27, 2006. Guerrero Negro, BCS. Left around 7am. Around 8:30am, had breakfast at the Quichule restaurant – right on the highway, next to the military checkpoint. The safe and tasty breakfast item to order at any restaurant is chorizo con huevos, tortillas and coffee. So we did. As expected, it was tasty.

Continued eastward, through the desert, past the Tres Virgenes volcanoes, over the crest, where you first spot the Sea of Cortez. Driving down the mountain and around the bend, you go through Santa Rosalia, which has vestiges of its claim to fame as a former copper mining town.
Since Pepe’s Taco stand is closed, we drive through town without stopping. We note, however, that Pepe’s Tacos (the son) on the main drag is open for business, around 10am.

We arrive in Loreto a couple hours later, stopping to fill up with gas. We then continue driving, following the signs to Puerto Lopez Mateos. After asking in a couple grocery stores where to find Ruben Duran, the fisherman, at “Domicilio Conocido,” we find our way there...and he comes out to the street to greet us. We meet his wife, Vicky, and daughters, Wendy, Judy and Judy’s daughter – never did get her name! She’s about 2 years old. Vicky very graciously cooked up some shrimp al mojo de ajo, rice and squid appetizer.

Ruben took us to the “hotel”, which are about 6 rooms a couple blocks off the main drag. Instead of grass or cement in front, there’s a dirt/gravel driveway right in front of the rooms. We see a tired old naugahyde sofa with tears in it, placed in front of the rooms. The little room they show us is about 10x10, with a separate bath. There’s a tv, and a small window air conditioner that works, they assure us. And for this, they want $30 a nite! Carlos turns to me and asks if it’s okay. His face has that look like he’s seen a ghost. He really doesn’t want to stay here. I’m noncommittal as usual and just tell him it’s fine.

Well, he has no intention of staying here, especially at $30! We unpack enough of our belongings for only one night and discuss what will happen next. He wants to tell Ruben it’s me, that I don’t want to stay here, and save face. I argue, and insist he just tell the truth. The hotel is not up to snuff for the price. Our decision has nothing to do with Ruben, who is not responsible for facilities available in town. Ruben indicated to us that this is the best room, since others don’t have air conditioning, they have fans. And the rooms don’t have screens on the windows either! We drove back over to Ruben’s place and chatted with him and Vicky, indicating we would not be staying. He was shocked. He offered right away to house us at the home of a friend of his, who has an air-conditioned room. If there’s anything Carlos hates more than a bad hotel room, it’s staying in b&b’s or someone else’s home! He has issues with privacy!

Monday, August 28, 2006. Puerto Lopez Mateos, BCS. We’re up early, but wait around, because things sound quiet outside and we have to wait anyway for the bank to open up.

BIRD SIGHTINGS:
We drove by the estuary and spotted birds on the water’s edge. Spotted a couple birds with long, downward curved beaks...

- White ibis, all white with long rusty-colored down-curved beak, about 6+” long, pink legs.
- Gray neck and head, long 6+” rusty-colored beak, pink legs; possibly immature white ibis.
- Brown pelicans
- To Be Identified: mottled gray/brown body and lighter mottled neck. Black head stripe and black eye stripe, 10+” tall, gray legs, downward-curved beak is black on top, pink on bottom.
- All gray, white straight beak 3”, long-legged wader

It turns out we misjudged the local time and by the time we were having breakfast, it was 9am! We planned to have breakfast at the restaurant 2 doors down from the hotel and, although it looked as though the restaurant wasn’t open, upon asking, the owners were gracious and cooked the usual, tasty chorizo con huevos. By the time we were driving away, Ruben drove up in his truck looking for us. Although he offered a breakfast of sauteed shrimp at his home, we made our regrets and drove back towards Sta. Rosalía, about 4-5 hours’ drive. It was raining hard in Loreto as we passed through. Got to Sta. Rosalía and the weather was hot and mostly clear with high clouds.