Sunday, June 26, 2005

A People Day at Tenacatita, Jalisco Mexico

A people day at Tenacatita

Friday June 24th
Denis, my neighbor, had not been to Tenacatita or La Manzanilla and it had been a month for me. Surprisingly busy for a summer Friday with a few bus loads of weekend tourists. Humidity was up as well as the waves. I walked up on the bluff between the main beach and the snorkeling beach (fotos) and noticed huge waves breaking on the beach just north of us. We took a palm grove road on the way out and found an empty and exciting beach - dangerous waves and currents.


Tenacatita Beach from the bluff

Mexicans sure know how to play in the surf

... and play on the beach

Below is the exciting beach just north of Tenacatita

Jania and Marcos

Link to more fotos of the day

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Melaque Wild and Plant life

We just had the first rain of the year - just enough to turn the dust on my car into mud. Still it was quite exciting and means the rains will soon be here.

There is lots of wildlife around the lagoon and we are constantly entertained by it. This green Iguana lives on/in the wall next door - one of the first green ones I've seen. There are actually more of the gray kind here.

Tons of birds (hope to get a few fotos), Caiman (cocodrillos), squirrels, fireflies (truly amazing), mosquitoes, ants and flies are coming into season. I've assured Denis that the Gekos don't grow into Iguanas and then into Crocodiles ... but we haven't seen proof yet.


Our green dude

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Both fotos (above and below) of blossoms above are on a Tamarind tree (I was corrected and the tree is a Poinciana - Tabachin or Framboyan in Spanish. It's in the Tamarind family and is supposed to bloom just before the hot season.)

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Bananas that are not getting sweet before they go bad. Any ideas?

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Kayaking in Melaque Mexico

Really glad I brought the kayak down even though I'll only use it for these two months here. I've been leaving the kayak at Shoe's house a block from the calmer end of the beach. I'll probably leave the kayak here and just use it when I visit from inland .... which better be often



These two fotos were taken by Shoe. Just paddling around and getting over a very small set of waves. A large wave can turn a kayak into a bathtub real quick. Those sit-on-top kayaks have an advantage but they are not as light or easy to paddle as this one.




Below is the car and kayak before leaving Seattle. I had plastic taped (duct) over the opening to keep out the rain .... but I've not seen rain since April first (between Seattle and Mexico).

 



Below at the La Paz ferry dock getting ready to buy tickets and importation papers for the car. The ticket office is behind the pickup truck .... and immigration is behind my car.





So I've had the kayak over to Cuastecomates - a nice bay just over the hill from Melaque. Better get there early because the wind usually comes up around noon developing quite a chop.

The shore along the new Malecon in Melaque is nice because it's protected from the wind .... and the rocks at the opening of the bay are wild and crazy and interesting if you don't get too close.

The best and most relaxing 'paddle' was in the lagoon behind Barra de Navidad. It's totally protected, combination of civilization and nature, you can stop for food/beer, get off on a distant sand bar and take a piss .... or even head out the channel and look sideways at the surf in Barra. There are really miles and miles to paddle back there and most quite calm.


Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Baja Ferries - La Paz to Mainland Mexico

This is the latest Info from the Baja Ferries Web Site
02/20/2006



Please remember this is second hand information - but it's a long drive to not be able to use the ferry
02/02/2006
News Flash 1 - The Ferry to Topolompampo is reportedly closed for repairs mid-February til approx. the end of March 2006. No news on the La Paz to Mazatlan run.
02/12/2006
News Flash 2 - I read in the Sudcaliforniano that the ferry to Mazatlan will still be in service. What I did not understand was whether it would still travel on same days.
The ferry boat to Topo is going to Panama, to be 'tuned up'.
Also, I believe the paper said that for people wanting to go to Topo, Baja Ferries would transport them to Mazatlan by ferry and then bus them to Topo, all for $800 pesos


Baja Ferry in La Paz Harbor

Baja Ferries has taken over the Mazatlan to La Paz route from Grupo Sematur ... at least for the time being. This happended as of the end of April 2005. The following is the current information on schedules and prices.

Topolombampo to La Paz
Topolombampo - LaPaz .... Leaves Monday-Friday at 3pm from LaPaz. Saturday leaves late in the evening (10-11pm). From Los Moches to LaPaz it leaves late in the evening 11pm-1am week days only.
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Topolombampo - LaPaz .... Auto fare 970mx. Passenger fare 650mx - Tourista, 760mx - Cabina

Mazatlan to La Paz
It leaves from each end at 5pm (1700). Leaves La Paz Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Leaves Mazatlan Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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Auto fare (normal size) 1700mx. 3 options on passenger fare (required above/beyond auto fare) 250mx - Turista, 400 - Cabina, 700 - Salon.


Auto importation to Mexico
If you don't have the importation papers for your car you can get them at the ferry terminal for about 335mx. You need credit card, auto title (not sure about this but they asked for it), auto registration, drivers licence and passport. Make 2-3 copies of all of them

Here are some fotos of the trip down
Baja Ferry, Mazatlan, La Paz
The New Baja Ferries Web Site
The construction of the house finished in April 2011 and I'm pretty much settled in. As of March 2014 I'm in preparation for rain mode for this coming summer. That includes sealing and painting things and dealing with drainage issues from last year.

Sparks Mexico Web
Manzanillo Information
House building in Pinal Villa

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