Editorial: Midwinter Mexico

Oct0ber-November 1995

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Alan Wilson

Cover Photo: Baja bliss Photo by Al Harvey

Last winter I had the opportunity to revisit Mexico for the first time in ten years. It was wonderful -- even miraculous -- to leave the soggy grey/green of a Pacific Northwest December and later that day drop out of the sky into the desiccated landscape of Baja California.

Due to flight delays it wasn't actually until the wee hours of the morning that I finally got into the little town of Loreto, about two thirds of the way down the east coast of Baja. A groggy-looking cab driver dropped me off at the designated meeting place and I stumbled into the surreal landscape of a dark campground fringed by palm silhouettes. The moonlight helped me identify a small grouping of tents that I assumed were my trip companions. Exhausted, I plopped down on the ground and lay under a sky ablaze with stars.

After a couple of fitful hours, a pastel pink and orange began creeping up to the east. Rising stiffly in the quiet early hours, I ambled through the silence, out of the gate and onto the sand. There, beyond the palms waving in the warm breeze was the rosy rock of Carmen Island beckoning across the deep blue of the Sea of Cortez. The adventure had begun.

My trip-mates were eight women and men from a range of backgrounds, plus an Australian guide who was to keep us all well-entertained. After greetings, we began with an impromptu breakfast on the beach before beginning to pack all our gear into the boats, discussing plans, reviewing a few paddling basics, and then off we set.

The next seven days unfolded dreamily, as we paddled to isolated beaches, hiked through rocky desert, swam in clear water, shared meals, played an addictive week-long dice-game, and shared stories under the stars.

One day we bought fish from local fisherman in a palapa down the beach. On another we watched fishermen processing their catch of fish on the rocks, including tiny, improbable hammerhead sharks. Pelicans, herons, vultures and other exotic birds were frequent visitors, as were schools of dolphins. The shell-rich beaches made for some great beach-combing. One day we took a break from paddling, trekking across the island and across a vast salt pan to a deserted village site. And everyday, we enjoyed gazing at the incredible shapes and colours of the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range running down the Baja Peninsula.

Returning to Loreto on Christmas Eve was like turning the clock back to the Christmas I had spent in Bahia de Navidad on the mainland coast. We had a communal feast to celebrate the end of our trip, then floated from bar to bar, wandering among crowds of townspeople watching the traditional religious pageant in the church square and stumbling upon a street dance in full swing... at last to collapse for a few short hours of sleep before rising at dawn Christmas morning to fly back to what had by then become a distant reality.

A word of advice: if you've got a connecting flight to catch, try to make your scheduling as loose as possible -- winter conditions can create flight delays anywhere in the system. Also, if your schedule will allow, try to leave yourself a couple of days on either side of your trip so you won't get too stressed. This also allows some time for acclimatizing (i.e. altitude sickness when paddling interior lakes) and cultural adjustment, or to get a bit of rest before the paddling starts if you've been working right up to your departure.

Also, with Baja in mind, despite its arid reputation you can encounter a range of weather conditions so don't underestimate the value of a good tent. And don't forget, in mid-winter the evening comes on fairly early so be prepared with a good flashlight or headlamp. Although the days require minimum clothing, evenings can be cool. And in the heat of the day, watch how much sun you're getting... it's easy to get too much of a good thing too quickly.

Lastly, check out the ads in this issue's Feature section for a variety of southern waters operators offering destinations such as Baja, Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Fiji. We're also happy to present an article by Barbara Shaw who tells us about her experience in Palau, an island in the South Pacific. More southern waters stories will appear in our next issue, including Chris Ladner's trip to the Solomon Islands.