Winter Paddling: Babes in Baja!

October-November 2000

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

by Roseanne Van Schie

Peter and Georgia meet the Baja

You'll still have the toddler tasks but the climate, surroundings and paddling possibilities will make them all much more pleasant. That's what I discovered this winter on our family vacation. 

My family includes a five year old girl named Mercedes and a twin boy and girl of 23 months, Peter and Georgia. Georgia is named after the Strait of Georgia which surrounds us where we live on DeCourcy Island in the Gulf Islands off Vancouver Island.

In winter we are often unable to leave for supplies or activities in nearby Nanaimo because of high winds and continuous Pacific frontal systems.  It's frustrating and doesn't help the feelings of entrapment I sometimes have as a single mom with three children under five. So last winter I granted myself some freedom, got a nice person to look after our cat (thanks Darcy) and loaded up the dog and the three kids into the very reliable Toyota Cargo van.

Actually, not to be sounding that brave, I first called my mom and asked her if she'd go with me. She was totally keen, being in the grips of winter in Timmins, Ontario (home of Shania Twain) and suggested we go for two months! She booked her flight the next day and gave me a deadline to get to LA.

I'm definitely a deadline person. I arrived at the LAX Airport with the fully loaded van and yellow Necky Dolphin surfkayak on top just as she walked out the sliding exit doors with her baggage. I was very pleased to have made it exactly on time for once-so was my mother.

Her bliss was temporarily interrupted when I opened the cargo door and she saw Goldie and said with great displeasure, "You brought the dog".

I told her everyone brings their dogs to the Baja, hoping I was right. I really didn't know anything about the Baja, but I did have a very reliable source-Gina, of Gina's Mexican Cafe and Delicados in Nanaimo. I told my mom Gina had driven to the Baja many times in the past with her children and dogs and she had assured me we'd have no problems.

Roseanne's van was stuffed with kids, dog, food, herself and her mom

So we drove off and tried to check into the Ramada at Disneyland. We had a reservation but of course they didn't allow dogs even in your own van in their parking lot. So we went to the Econolodge and to Disneyland the next day for Mercedes 5th birthday. We all had a ball. Whenever anyone asks Mercedes what she liked best about the Baja she says, "Disneyland and I learned how to kayak."

The next day we went to San Diego. On the recommendation of Dave, a friend from Nanaimo who also travelled by vehicle to the Baja, we bought everything we would need for food supplies in the Baja . Don't do this. When we got back to Nanaimo I told Dave's wife about his suggestion. She said, "Why did he say that?"

Man, our van was stuffed, not knowing you can buy everything you need down there! Oh, except for baby bottles: they have this really different anti-colic nipple system down there that my kids did not like. So if they're not ready to be weaned, bring lots of back-up bottles. I also picked up a copy of the Lonely Planet Guide to Baja California. It was indispensable for us as virgin Baja travellers. And off we went across the Tijauna border into the great unknown. 

The Pacific coastal surf and scenery looked fabulous, but it still seemed a little cool, so we continued along the Transpeninsular Highway in search of warmer beaches.

I want to mention that we found the people native to the Baja Peninsula exceptionally warm and kind. They loved the children and were always interested in them. They really took time to interact with us even though we couldn't speak Spanish which made us feel very at ease travelling.

So we crossed the Desierto Central, a very surreal, desolate landscape of huge boulders and cardon cacti. The kids were wonderful travellers, just looking around or sleeping in the back. It was nice for me just to drive into this landscape and drift off into a new space.

Our first taste of adventure was at the famous Ojo de Liebre, the mating and birthing site for California gray whales. At the Parque Natural de la Ballena Gris we, and another couple with a three year old boy, chartered a local guide in a small fishboat to take us out to view the mother whales and their calves. It was wonderful. Never had I seen so many grays and their young. We were told there were over 200 that day.

Being an eco-tourism operator at home, I was very impressed with how the viewing was regulated. No kayaks were allowed in the bay and you had to charter a local guide who was familiar with the area and the whales. We were the only boat out viewing the whales and I sensed respect for this very special place. Of course, I bought t-shirts for Darcy and myself.

From here we continued south to Mulegé and the Bahia Concepcion. Our windows were down, the weather was hot and I spotted a pod of dolphins from the van. It was time to stop. We found a great spot in a little cove next to the kayaking resort Ecomundo. We claimed a palapa (grass hut) and set up our tents. There were lots of kids and dogs and I finally could untie our kayak.

Mercedes

It was perfect. We paddled every day, all of us on the sit-on-top. Mercedes learned how to paddle and would chauffeur us along the sheltered shorelines. We looked at birds and sting-rays and enjoyed every minute. Onshore, the kids ran around the beach happily. I had a hard time keeping sand out of our food but on the other hand, I played volleyball-reliving my highschool years, diving my 37 year-old body to the sand to save plays. I was alive again. When we had laundry I took it to town and had the wash-dry-and-fold service. We ate steamed clams and went out paddling under the full moon. Paradise found.

We met lots of great people and were sad to leave that calm, warm wonderful place. We made many discoveries in the Baja and I highly recommend it for anyone wishing to do the same. It has much to offer. On a personal level I also discovered new things about myself and my relationship with nature,my children and my mother.

I want to thank my mother who is 70 years old for her adventurous spirit, helping me make this journey with the children. I can appreciate that there are few people who would volunteer to drive thousands of kilometres with a single mom and three kids under five,  but she did. The older I get, the more I respect my mom.

Of course, I had to drive her to Palm Springs afterwards, check into the Oasis Hotel for a week and chauffeur her to shopping malls of her choice. But that was okay-I enjoyed the thrift store shopping and Napoleon Pastries. I did get questions about the kayak on the roof in the middle of Palm Springs Desert, though.

Contact Roseanne at wildcat@ island.netor by phone at 1-877-876-5090. Check www.bcwildcat.com for tours, or www.kayak-shack.com for rentals, instruction and sales.

Editor's note: when our daughter was five years old we took her with us to Mexico for the winter and found it was a great way to get to know people.