Deeper into Baja Part 3

Mulege

After our failed attempt to get over the mountains, or I should say our lack of trying, we rolled into Mulege late that afternoon via pavement.  We were both in need of refilling drinking water containers prior to heading a little further south to do some beach camping at Playa Escondida.  Good drinking water is now an easy commodity in Baja with water purification outlets in just about all towns and villages. Kinda like a rundown Starbucks with no seating where they only serve up purifed/filtered water by the gallon.  Only once on this trip was I required to utilize drinking water straight out of a tap.  We filled our 5-gallon containers, hit the grocery store for some grub and headed south along the coast to an area known as Bahia Concepcion.  A popular series of coves and inlets which is protected by a large peninsula which sits across the bay as close as 2 miles from the mainland in places.  We would explore this peninsula on the east side of the bay the following week and it would prove to be one of our most memorable campsites. 

Wayne and I rolled into Playa Escondida where we ran into two members of the original group.  Charlie, who had travelled with Wayne and I for a couple of nights, and Ace who had originally put the group together. Not sure how well the group thing worked out as it seemed to fall apart a lot sooner than expected.  I think Wayne and I were the only two who actually ended up travelling together for any extended period.  The large group travel is pretty tough to pull off unless you're into group travel and everyone has the same agenda.  Playa Escondida, as well as all the other beaches along the western side of Bahia Concepcion, is a favorite spot with gringos.  Beaches and campsites are easily accessible from the highway, beautiful with calm water, cheap and therefore......crowded during the winter months.  It's certainly not a bad place to spend a few winters months if you don't mind the crowds.  I guess I use the term crowds loosely here.  There were maybe a dozen other campers on the beach we were at and by Baja standards, is considered crowded.  When you've camped at places where you don't see anyone else for a week, a dozen rigs rates as crowded.  It is a beautiful area so we set up and ended up staying for a week. Days were spent kayaking, swimming, going for hikes, visiting with other campers, drinking beer, inhaling fish tacos, potlucks at night with other campers, day trips back into Mulege, reading and basically doing much of nothing. Wayne and I also sat around on our fat asses discussing world problems and came up with profound solutions on numerous occasions. Life in Baja is a lot of work..........

 Seniorita in Mulege sitting outside her taco stand

Mulege Mission

Downtown Mulege

I think it was while in Playa Escondida that I discovered Wayne was a regular chef. Unbelievable the meals he could prepare out of a cast iron skillet.  I hate to cook but love to eat.  Wayne was my kind of chef.....a good one who always prepared too much. My duties during preparation of the meal consisted of drinking beer, ensuring the chef had an adult beverage, supervising the chef and chopping garlic. The chef likes garlic.  

 Waynes Place

Fresh fish w/onions. Thanks to Wayne, we ate like this daily. I supervised!

Some street vendors from Mulege would usually show up on the beach in the mornings.  I never bought anything but it was fun haggling with them about their stuff.

Guy camped one bay over was impressed that he could feed the birds and just had to show me. He thought he was some kind of "bird whisperer" or something.  Think he'd been in out in the sun too much along with too many Coronas. Damn birds would dive bomb anybody who'd stand out there with some bread.

Ike on a boat ride

Heather, Heather Lenefsky Art and Lisa were camped down the beach from us and we all pitched in one day and rented a boat to go out in the bay for some sightseeing and snorkeling. Nice girls who were down touring around Baja. Heather on the left, is quite the painter and does pet paintings & portraits which I thought were very good. I'm thinking about having her do one for me of Petey. 

Petey headed back to camp after checking out some other dogs down the beach

 Pelican dive bombing some sardines right off of camp

Wayne and Ike returning after an afternoon paddle

Petey and Ike catching an afternoon siesta

It was a lazy week of just lying around doing much of nothing.  One gets good at this kind of stuff after a few weeks in Baja. While doing so we were mapping out and planning our next stop...east side of Bahia Concepcion.  When I was down last year I had wondered about the east side.....this year I checked it out.   

Next update.......east side of Bahia Concepcion.