Nowhere to be: Mojave Trail & Baja (Part 4)

Church in a small village outside Bahia Tortugas

We'd been on the Sea of Cortez side and were now working our way back across the peninsula to the Pacific side. Wayne had some beta on the Peninsular De Vizcaino area of Baja that neither of us had been to and we wanted to check it out. We had been out to Bahia Ascuncion a few years ago but were looking to access some new terrain further west. It was reported to be remote with some challenging conditions. We spent the remainder of the day working our way across to the Pacific side. Rolling into Bahia Tortuga well after dark we opted to find a motel in the fishing village. Our $20 room wasn't much but it did have running water and the owner allowed us to park our rigs in the locked compound. The owner didn't speak any English but we were able to get some information on the area we were headed to by showing him our maps and doing a lot of pointing. We first wanted to drive all the way out to the point and the little fishing village of Punta Eugenia and Chester. Here the gravel road ends and we had to backtrack back to Bahia Tortugas to access what we'd come for. The total off-road route once we left pavement would be around 90 miles, a mixture of really soft sand and some rocky sections. Airing the tires down in the soft stuff was the only way to get through but we were worried about the grade in some places. We pulled up to a couple of spots that I wasn't sure I could get up. Wayne had already gone up one of the larger dunes and I got out and walked it. The first couple of tries were a no go and I had to back down. Eventually, with a speed run at the bottom section, I was able to top out. Our main concern, once we crested out in the dunes, was the wash which we'd need to locate to get along the coast and also lead us back out to the pavement. This is one of the main things I love about exploring Baja, you never know what's going to be around the next corner and what the conditions will be. Where we were at there certainly aren't any road signs. Route finding plays a key roll in places. We continued working our way through the dunes and as dark was coming on I noted a steep side road leading down to the coast. I got out and walked it all the way down to ensure we could get back up. It was a great campsite along the coast and we had no problems coming out the following morning. We debated staying two nights here but opted to move on. Later that night as we were sitting around the fire we noted truck lights way off in the distance. We found this a little strange as there is absolutely nothing out here for probably 30 miles in either direction. It's pretty tough driving in places and the direction they were headed was even more remote. I suppose they saw the fire once up on the higher dunes. Anyway, they kept coming and eventually pulled into camp. Always a little disconcerting when someone rolls into your camp well after dark. We met them, two men in a pick-up, as they pulled down the sandy road into camp. Due to the language barrier, we never really did ascertain what they were doing that far out in the middle of the night. They eventually left after it appeared they were sizing up the Gringos. We were probably reading a lot into the whole situation but it doesn't hurt to be a little cautious when this far out. Once we realized they'd made the turn and were headed to our camp I slipped a can of bear spray in my back pocket. Better safe than sorry. Ike, Wayne's dog, is a pretty good deterrent when unexpected guests roll in. There is no doubt he means business. Plus, there's always Petey. No one, and I mean no one, wants a piece of Petey!

Fishing village.

Camp for the night.

Petey hanging out in camp. I ask you....would you want a piece of this? I pity the fool that rolls into my camp uninvited!

Truth be known......Ike is what I wouldn't want a piece of!

Whale backbone that was washed up on the rocks below camp.

Found pockets along the coast where these large rocks had been tumbled smooth and round.

Following day we kept working our way through the dunes in search of the wash which would lead us to the coast. Our plan was to access the coast and drive along the beach to access a point that was reported to have some excellent fishing. Coming out of the dunes we eventually hit the wash but there was a problem. Once we dropped down this dune there was no way we're going to go back up it. It wasn't that tall but it was steep and the sand like sugar. I had no doubt I couldn't come back up it once I dropped down. Once in the wash, a left turn would take us 8 miles to the coast. A right turn and 25 miles up the wash would get us back to the pavement. If the wash closed out headed back out to pavement this could turn into a real adventure. We dropped in, turned left and were stymied about a quarter of a mile from the coast. The wash was really rough in places and slow going over small boulders. The wash kept closing down and eventually closed out leading into an estuary which was holding quite a bit of water. We had to walk the remaining 1/4 mile to the beach. No way we were getting the rigs in there as there were dunes on either side of the wash that we couldn't get over. We were pretty disappointed as the area was remote and the camping would have been excellent out on the beach. Wayne had visions of catching some big fish in here as well. The beach here is massive and runs for miles in either direction. I forgot to take the camera down but we saw multiple whale bones and a perfectly good sea kayak that had washed up on the beach. Anywhere else and that kayak would have found a new home but we had no way of hauling it out of there. This is one of those areas that you've got to work at to get to. I'm sure we would have stayed in here for multiple nights had we made it. Hopefully, we'll be back to this area and with some changing conditions can access the beach next time.

Pictures never seem to depict the steepness of something...it was steeper than it looks here. Wayne named this Commitment Dune. I was coming down it but was pretty sure I couldn't come back up it.

After failing to make the coast we turned around and drove a few miles back up the wash and set up camp. In this picture you can see the steepness of the dunes. Not tall, but just steep coming up out of the wash. Was a beautiful night in a remote area. With a couple of cold beers and an excellent meal that Wayne cooked up, we sat around watching a meteor shower late into the evening.