Yes, all good things come to an end :( We're leaving tomorrow so we're gassing up and getting last minute groceries.
February 19th
Ready to leave . . but we have someone in our group who seems to have the flu! We waited til 9:00 a.m. and Phil says he's good to go so we hooked up but wait . . a dead truck battery! Our neighbour jump started Phil and Doreen's truck and again good to go! EXCEPT we arrive at the exit to the campsite and there's a car parked across the street making it impossible for us to make the turn to get out. After some investigation, the owner of the car came out and moved it and we're on our way.
La Paz, Tecolote Beach, is our destination and we arrived at noon. We made our way along the beach, with myself walking and Frank following but he took a slightly different route and yes . . we got stuck in sand! Thankfully 4 wheel drive got us out and we carried on. Found a spot on and overlooking the ocean. BLISS!
However, once the sun went down the wind came up and our trailer was rocking and rolling all night long. We have never felt wind like that in our trailer and it didn't make for much sleep that night.
February 20th
Very little sleep last night. The wind stopped around 7:00 a.m. and we were able to have coffee on the beach. We checked our battery power and again it was low . . 46%. Cleaned the solar panel and the battery started to charge. Guess the sand blowing from the wind inhibited the solar charge.
Headed into La Paz to get some groceries (liquor) and by the time we had returned the wind had come up again but from a different direction and it continued for the rest of the day and evening.
February 21st
No wind last night and we had coffee on the beach in the a.m., again with no wind. Spent the day beachcombing, reading and then friends from Nanaimo came to visit for a couple of hours. They're staying in La Paz and it was great to meet up with them.
Some neighbouring campers were fishing from their kayak and managed to catch a moray eel! They were from Alberta, and had no idea what they had landed, nor how to get it off their hook. Frank got out his pliers and came to the rescue . . eel returned to the ocean.
February 22nd
Walked the beach and dunes this morning. Deserted, save for two security guards who patrol the shore and roads inland. It appears the land is federally owned but why the security guards? The land is completely vacant! We also came across grave markers on a point, which were piled high with shells, coral and a cross.
Lazed away the afternoon floating on the "weiner raft".
February 23rd
Went into La Paz this morning to watch the men's Olympic hockey final at our friends from Nanaimo. When we arrived back to our campsite on the beach at 4:00 p.m. we were surrounded by Mexican families enjoying their Sunday at the beach. The beach was packed and the music was loud, along with noise from the seadoos and ATV's. We kept a positive attitude and enjoyed the merriment of the day. Thankfully they were mostly gone by 8:00 p.m.
The wind came up again and it was terrible!! Up every couple of hours to check on things and finally at 3:00 a.m. we bundled up our outside mat and put it into the truck. Another restless sleep!
February 24th
There's always something that happens along the way that makes life interesting! Went to use the toilet this morning and the release valve didn't work. OK, so we're in Mexico how do you get parts to repair? You don't; you just make do!
Once we figured out a quasi solution to the problem, the next dilemna was propane running out and it was a long weekend so what do we do? Its not a matter of just going to a gas station, you have to go to a gas depot which was a long way out of town and we didn't know if they would be open. If we run out of propane our fridge will not work; there's no electrical here. Time to leave the beach and get hookups!
February 25th
We're heading to Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateo for whale watching. We passed through Ciudad Constitution and were able to fill our propane tank at the gas depot. Its so different here in Mexico, there are only 1/2 dozen propane gas depots on the Baja peninsula so you need to make sure you time your travels with your propane needs!
We arrived at Puerto Lopez Mateo at 1:30 and arranged a panga for the following morning 900 pesos for the boat. The temperature is very cool, cloudy and windy. Had to put long pants and hoodies on. Met up with some fellow campers from Tecolote Beach.
February 26th
Woke up to a slight breeze and sunshine. Departed on the panga at 8:30 a.m. We shared the cost of 900 pesos between 3 couples; so 300 pesos per couple. That works out to approximately $25.00 per couple for 1 1/2 hours of whale watching. Doesn't even come close to the cost of whale watching in North America !
We saw up to 100 whales/calves; some as close as 10 feet away. At one point a mature gray whale dove right under our boat. Pretty fascinating and exciting!!
We left for Puerto Escondido after the whale watching and overnighted in a dirt lot overlooking the entry to a beautiful marina/cove. The surroundings were spectacular but this is another Mexican government tourism venture that has not come to fruition. Cancun, Huatulco are other tourism ventures by the same conglomerate.
February 27th
Left for Santa Rosalia and had a traffic delay of approximately 30 minutes. The mountainside was being scaled and there was a bulldozer and jackhammer type of machinery about 100 feet above us. They were pounding the rock and sliding it down on to the highway. It didn't look very promising but the highway was cleared and we were on our way again.
Heading into Loreto and as usual, signage is terrible. We headed down the wrong side of the highway; and a couple of mexican fellows on the side of the road had a good laugh. Figured it out before anything serious happened! Arrived at our destination, RV Park San Lucas Cove, and the tide was out so far it reminded us of Rathtrevor. It appears scallops, clams can be picked up off the flats and at dusk the fishermen arrived to go out for the night fishing for octopus.
February 28th
Went into the town of Santa Rosalia and the town is very interesting . . looks like an old West town. Wooden buildings, verandas, made from wood imported from the Pacific Northwest in the 1880's and modelled after French colonial design. The town was founded in the 1880's by a french company to extract copper ore from the area but the mines were closed in the 1950's. The mines have recently reopened and the town is bustling . . the busiest town we have seen in Mexico in a long time.
There is a church in town which was designed by A.G. Eifell, of Eifell Tower fame and it is very lovely. It was prefabricated in France and shipped by boat around Cape Horn.
We made fish and chips for dinner from the dorada Phil caught and we bought fresh local oysters . . delicious.
March 1st
On our way to Catavina. First rainfall of our whole holiday. Some of the vados were inches deep with water. Two military inspections today . . the first one, we didn't understand the soldier's spanish request and when we asked him to repeat it he said "GET OUT". We did!! On the second inspection, they were a little friendlier and I told one soldier he had to take his boots off before he could go into the RV! With the rainfall, there was mud everywhere. He was very good about it . . he took his cape and helmut off and wiped his feet thoroughly before entering.
We arrived at Rancho St. Ines and a caravan of 12 RV's came in after us. They had hired a "Green Angel" to travel with them and as it turned out we needed to use them.
The Green Angels are a free service to provide mechanical expertise/assistance along the Baja. It is run by the mexican government and the trucks travel the Baja from South to North and return 24 hours/day.
As it turned out, when Frank went to level the trailer he discovered we had a flat tire on the trailer. It was very windy, cold and light rain but with the help of the Green Angels truck, the trailer tire was changed.
March 2nd
We left Catavina early and arrived at Punta Banda, south of Ensenada, in early afternoon. We're now on the Pacific Ocean again, staying at Villarino RV Resort, right on the beach. The waves are reminiscent of Tofino. Two military inspections again today. Should be our last!!
March 3rd
We went to La Bufadora this morning to see the geyser and it was quite amazing. Nature at its best. Returned to our campsite and then left for the U.S. border. Travelled through Ensenada and the traffic is crazy and busy. There are 6 - 8 lanes across the highway and no dividing lines and the drivers are inconsiderate and erratic. Signage is terrible but we did find our way out of the city and we're on our way to Tecate where we'll cross.
We passed through a valley of wineries and there were lots of pottery shops along the way. We arrived at the U.S. border and waited in line for approximately 30 minutes and then had to be inspected. Interesting . . all they looked at was our fridge and cooler checking for illegal food!!!
Inspection took about 10 minutes and we were waved through. On our way to Potrero County Park, 45 minutes outside of San Diego, to overnight and decompress.
Our mexican adventure was at an end! Good times and fabulous memories.
