BACKGROUND
"The highway to Bahía de los Angeles passes thick stands of
copalquin (elephant tree) as it winds through the Sierra de la
Asamblea. While this is still a paved highway, be alert to the
various potholes along the way. At Km 44 a 4WD-only track
leads southwest 35 km (21 miles) to the restored Mission San Borja;
a better road of similar distance is accessible from Rosarito, off
the west branch of Mexico 1. The final descent to the bay from
the sierra affords an inspiring view of the island-studded blue
waters. The bay probably got its name because the white
islands resembled someone's vision of angels floating in heaven.
Area Map 1 ;
Area Map 2
Beginning in the late 1940s. American
sport-fishing enthusiasts began flying private planes into Bahía de
los Angeles; a few hardy souls even drove down from San Diego and
points north. Old Baja hands say in those days the village was
nothing more than thatched-roof huts. But novelist John
Steinbeck, who sailed into the bay in early 1940 with marine
biologist Ed Ricketts, described his feeling of resentment at
finding "new buildings, screened and modern, and on a tiny airfield
a plane . . ." Even then, Steinbeck wrote, there were
Americans in Bahía de los Angeles.
The town really hasn't grown much since the
pre-Transpeninsular days; telephone service has become available on
recently. Modern concessions to tourism includes a small power
plant, two trailer parks, a few motels, some cafes, two areas at the
north and south end of town for barrel gas only, a museum, and a
small park. The major leisure activity remains fishing.
Behind the park is the small but well-curated
Museo de Naturaleza y Cultura (summer hours daily 9 a.m - noon and
3-5 p.m.; the rest of the tear daily 9 a.m. - noon and 2-4 p.m.),
displaying gold and silver-mining exhibits, shells and fossils, two
whale skeletons, ranch life re-creations, and a collection of Seri
and Cochimi artifacts. The toy-like locomotive in front of the
museum once ran on the San Juan mine railway, 17.5 km (11 miles)
south of the current town. The museum is staffed by
volunteers. Postcards, books, and monographs on Baja are
available for sale.
CAMPGROUNDS and RV PARKS
Across the street from Motel Villa Vitta on
the bay, 30 un-shaded tent/RV sites with morning and evening
electricity (plus 20 spaces without hook-ups), showers, flush
toilets, dump station, and a boat launch are available at Villa
Vitta RV Park and Campgrounds. Adjacent La Playa RV Park,
offers 30 sites with full hookups, flush toilets, and a boat ramp.
Just south of Villa Vitta and La Playa is
Guillermo's, a fairly well-run trailer park, motel, and restaurant
operation with palapas, tent sites, and full hookups.
Facilities include a boat launch, showers, toilets (sometimes the
flush, sometimes they don't; no seats), and a small market/gift
shop.
Nine RV sites with full hookups are available
at Casa Diaz.
Just north of town, neared the paved airstrip,
Brisa Marina, formally a full-hookup RV park has closed.
Camping is still permitted here, though no facilities are available.
North of Brisa Marina and just north of the
sea turtle project, rustic and ecologically oriented Campo Archelon
offers semicircular rock shelters with palapa roofs (some with old
chairs in them), three outhouses, and a wood-fired bano, all within
a few feet of the bay.
Area Map 1 ; Area Map
2
Daggett's, a well-kept campground about a mile
north of Archelon, boasts wooden ramadas with grills alongside
sizeable campsites, plus separate showers and outhouses.
Daggett's also offers fishing trips and diving trips, as well as
lots for lease.
A graded road continues along the bay shore as
far as Punta La Gringa, the end of the bay and a fish
camp/retirement community. Along the way are a number of open
campsites where camping is free.
Area Map 1
In the opposite direction, about eight km (5
miles) south of town, lies secluded Camp Gecko, a unique spot
featuring huts with rock walls and palapa roofs as well as simple
open-sided palapas. The offshore breeze is refreshing and the
beach is kept exceptionally clean.
Farther southeast of Camp Gecko you can find a
number of bay shore areas suitable for camping.
TRANSPORTATION
A paved, 1,460-meter (4,800-foot) airstrip
serves small planes; buzz the town once for taxi service. The
local Unicom frequency is 122.8.
Bus service in Bahía de los Angeles is
nonexistent; to get there you need your own wheels, boat, or plane,
or must hitch from the Parador Punta Prieta junction. Once
you've arrived, all of Bahía de los Angeles is accessible on foot.
For trips to the Punta La Gringa airfield, or farther, you can hire
a taxi at Restaurant Las Harnacas.
Gas is available from private barrel pumps at
a couple of local tiendas. Behind Casa Diaz is an auto
mechanic's shop offering minor repair services, air for tires, and
gas. The Pemex station at the Parador Punta Prieta highway
junction has been closed since January 1996.
SPORTS &
RECREATION
Hiking, Fishing, Boating, Kayaking,
Windsurfing, Diving, Bird-watching.
Hiking - Arroyos west of the bay lead into the
Sierra San Borja, for a good hike, pick out a dry wash and follow
it. As long as you keep the bay in sight, it's impossible to
get lost.
Mina Santa Marta, a nearby abandoned mine,
makes an interesting hike. Along with the more successful Mina
San Juan farther south, Santa Marta operated during the 1890s using
a cable-and-bucket system to transfer gold and silver ore (mostly
the latter) from steep hillsides to a miniature railway below.
Access to Mina Santa Marta begins about 3.5 lm (two miles) south of
Casa Diaz next to the town dump. Once you've located the dump
alongside the graded road south, walk west until you come across the
remains of the railway grade, then follow the grade west to the
remains of the mine itself. The roundtrip hike can be
completed in one day, though many hikers spend a night at the mine.
The San Juan (also known as Las Flores) mine
is reached by following the same road 17.5 km (11 miles) southwest
of the bay to Valle Las Flores. You'll see the remains of a
smelter and boiler along the west side of the road. The same
road can be followed farther south into the Sierra San Borja, where
there are several major Indian rock art sites; inquire at local
ranches for trail guides. The graded road continues southward
through the sierra all the way to Bahía San Francisquito,
approximately 131.5 km (81 miles) south of Bahía de los Angeles.
Fishing - Due to heavy local gillnetting, Bahía de los Angeles fishing is not what it once was, although
recent years have seen improved catches compared with a decade ago.
The best bets are onshore angling for sand bass, guitarfish, and
triggerfish, or spring fishing at Punta La Gringa for croaker and
halibut. Farther out at nearby islands - especially near Isla
La Ventana, Isla Cabezza de Caballo, and Isla Coronado - you can try
for yellowtail, white and black seabass, dorado, tuna, and grouper.
Most of the offshore fish run in the summer months, though
yellowtail, runs are sometimes see Jan. - March.
At Sports Rojo on the main road, you can rent
pangas and arrange both sportfishing and scuba-diving trips.
Airfills are available as are scuba and snorkel equipment.
Daggett's, Guillermo's, Camp Gecko, and Casa Diaz can arrange guided
fishing trips to the islands. Bring your own tackle; it's
scarce in Bahía de los Angeles.
Boating and Kayaking - Guillermo's, La PLaya,
Villa Vitta, and Casa Diaz each maintain boat launches. Casa
Diaz rents pangas. The bay is protected by the 67.5 km long
(42 miles) Isla Angel de la Guarda, but strong north-easterlies set
up a nasty chop on occasion. Make local weather inquiries
before venturing and considerable distance from shore.
Article 1 &
Article 2
Bahía de los Angeles is popular among
kayakers, who paddle to the nearby coves and islands. Isla Coronada
(also known as Isla Smith) is three km (two miles) northeast of
Punta La Gringa, while the southern tip of Isla Angel de la Guarda
is 19 km (12 miles) away. Landings for day-trippers are
usually easiest on the west side of the islands.
Most anchorages on Isla Angel de la Guarda,
the second-largest island in the Sea of Cortez after Tiburon, are a
day's sail from Bahía de los Angeles. Puerto Refugio, at the
island's northern tip (64 km/40 miles from Bahía de los Angeles),
provides all-weather protection along with several coves and
beaches, hence it's the most popular landing. Also good are
Caleta Pulpito on the mid-eastern shore and Este Ton on the
southwestern shore. The latter is the closest safe anchorage
from the mainland. Explorations on Angel de la Guarda can take
in cirio stands, 1,200-meter (4,000-foot) peaks, and beaches with
basking sea lions. The best sand beaches are found along the
island's southeastern reach. The common rorqual or fin whale
occasionally visits the island's coastal waters, especially Canal de
Ballenas to the west. This cetacean measures up to 24 meters
(78 feet) long - only the blue whale is larger - and can be
recognized by its small dorsal fin and long, flat, V-shaped head.
An easier two to three day kayaking circuit
involves paddling from the bay to Isla Coronado and back, stopping
at smaller islands of Ventana, Pata, and Cabeza de Caballo along the
way.
East and south of Bahía de los Angeles you'll
find several coves worth visiting. Those with beach and
camping areas include Puerto Don Juan, Ensenada del Quemado, and
Ensenada del Pescador.
It's possible to complete a "stepping stones"
kayak route from Bahía de los Angeles (or from farther south a Bahía
San Fransquito) to Isla Tiburon and Bahía Kino on the Mexican
mainland. The usual route, once followed by Seri Indians in
reed canoes, is Partida - San Lorenzo - San Esteban - Tiburon - Kino,
but navigating the currents requires advanced kayaking abilities and
knowledge of local geography. The University of Arizona Sports
and Recreation Department, probably your best source of information
on the route, sponsors a yearly Bahía de los Angeles to Bahía Kino
crossing by kayak.
Because many novice kayakers have experienced
problems in the Bahía de los Angeles are, a Californian kayaking
club called San Diego Kayakers has printed a set of Bahía de los
Angeles kayaking guidelines, distributed free a Guillermo's
Restaurant, the Mayor's office, and the museum.
Windsurfing - Bahía de los Angeles is a good
bay for novice board-sailors because of the lack of large swells.
Prevailing north-easterlies are strongest in the northern parts of
the bay. A 10 - 12 km (6-7 mile) downwind run through the
small islands west of Isla La Ventana, then all the way to the town
waterfront, can be accomplished from Punta La Gringa..
Baja
California Field Studies Program
Glendale Community College (GCC)
has been offering field classes and trips in the Baja California
peninsula of Mexico since 1974. The program aims to expose students
to a pristine and complex natural environment coupled with a unique
experience in Mexican culture. Different areas of learning are
offered, which emphasize field observations that are conducive to
the enhancement of the type of human relationships that result in
memorable and long-lasting adventures in learning. By living and
learning together, a community of learners is created where the
beauty and complexity of the human and natural world can be
observed, studied, and enjoyed.
Text Credit:
Joe Cummings
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