Category Archives: Loreto
Thunder & Lightning
Palms Sway
Brown Booby Flies into the Storm
Storm Clouds Building
Lighthouse and Clouds
Panga Heads for Home
Cloud shrouded sunrise gave way to darker clouds rolling in from the south. The wind picked up and the dogs and I took to the beach in search of ?? whatever we might find. Lightning bolts zapped from cloud to sea surface and thunder rumbled across the water. Still no rain.
We looked at shells, watched brown boobies soar on the currents and pelicans chase pangas that were racing back to marina trying to outrun the storm. Buster picked up another feather. Shorty tipped his white toes into the water.
About an hour later, the wind crested and the storm rumbled through. Ampified thunder bounced between island and the peninsula and BIG drops started to fall.
It as almost as if I could hear the earth sigh. A long time ago, I had produced a photo series called, “The Desert Dreams of Water.” There is such magic in the desert landscape – a flash opening into scents that remain sequestered under the hot son. The blend of sea smells and the moist landscape is nearly hypnotic.
As with most summer storms, the darkness passed – almost too quickly – and left a whitish grey cloud clover with soft drops that continue to fall. Can’t wait to see the rage of flowers in the next week.
sunrise after sunrise
Sunrise Dog Walk
In the dog days of summer, the only palatable time for a walk is early .. early .. early .. before the sun slips from behind the veil of sea and island. A joyful parade of dog walkers, lone strollers, joggers and even a few dedicated runners ply the sand, gravel and rock edges of the water.
Driving Down Mex 1
Mex 1 South
One of my favorite views : South of Mulege, past Conception Bay, up and over the pass and out across the valley towards Loreto. The Sierra Gigantica begins to rise to the west and the scent of sea wafts lightly over the parched desert plateau. All around beauty as tall cardon continue their reach toward unreachable clouds, and octillito wave tiny red blossoms on the ends of spindly thorn-laden arms. For me, it’s turning the corner toward home.
Dog races …
Dog Walk
One of the best things about Loreto dog beach walks : NO LEASHES! No rules .. Just head out the door and let the dogs run. The long stretch of beach backs up to estuaries with herons & egrets … osprey and gulls .. The desert stretches to the west, covered in cardon and mesquite, like a carpet of greens and yellows sprinkled across the dusty ground.
Down the beach, around the point .. Cormorants & grebes ply the waters .. Over head, the terns and the blue-footed boobies spy and dive for small fish … The dogs take it all in .. but mostly, they are just dogs … full of joy and play.
Gardens in the Desert
“The Desert Dreams of Water” is the name of a series of photographs I took in different desert locations. My experience of the dried earth in sparsely vegetated areas of the desert is that the dream of water is never more than a breath away. During and after a rain storm, the earth opens up in a plethora of scents and colors and growth that is staggering. All dormancy slides away with water born from the heavens.
In Baja, those oasis that dot the peninsula do so because of the existence of water – precious water that is never to be wasted or taken for granted. The palm groves an inland rivers of San Ignacio and Mulege are prime examples of nature’s gardens. The town of Loreto, tucked off the main highway for decades, shimmers with shades of green when approached by the sea.
Vegetation provides shelter from the heat, protects the soil from erosion, provides an oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange, as well as shelter and habitat for bird life.
In San Quintin, a Pacific coast fishing village south of Ensenada, a small hotel and restaurant complex can be found about 1/2 mile off the highway. “El Jardin” sits in the midst of its own oasis of palms, cactus, flowering shrubs and a small orange grove. The motel is delightful – only a couple of years old, and the quiet is exquisite. Rooms have ample windows for garden viewing, and the garden itself is filled with benches and tables for contemplation and relaxation.
It’s an amazing place to stopover, spend some time and recharge during the drive north or south, or even a spot for launching an all day fishing jaunt on one of the local pangas.
Picazone :-)
Alejandro Igartua
Parrot Fish in Coconut Breading with Spicy Sauce
Kymri Wilt enjoying Picazone
Alejandra Igartua & Steve Kawaratani
I think that Picazone is my favorite lunch spot in all the world. Set apart from the city by five miles of dirt roads, the remarkable home/restaurant built by Alejandro & Imelda Igartua sits directly on the shoreline of the Sea of Cortez. They opened five/six years ago with a two burner propane stove and small bar. Now several tables fill an expansive dining area, a wonderful home has risen on top of an expanded kitchen and cozy seating area. As if the location and the furnishings weren’t grand enough, the food is – to die for. My favorite are the tacones – wraps filled with a diner’s choice of fish, scallops, shrimp or vegetables. Mix and match. “Para serverle” is the guiding principal of Alejandro’s personal and magnificent service. His goal : to make each of his guests feel as if they are at home. He and his wife succeed every time.
Picazone is open Tuesday/Saturday- Noon – Sunset. Head north of town on Calle Davis ..and when the pavement runs out .. just keep going. When you find the two-story yellow ochre colored home with palapa roof near the end of the road, you’ve arrived. Bring a suit on a warm sunny day and treat yourself to a swim.
Here Comes the Sun
Here Comes the Sun
Morning light. Soft. The winds subsided during the night, but are due again in the afternoon. I wonder at the magic of starting every day like this – with homage to the space between night and day. In the quiet stillness, the world shifting and energy racing until as the world turns once again toward the light. Demons scatter. The brilliance of the sun wipes clean the dark spaces and once again, the world is new. Once again, everything is possible. On this new day, what magic can I manifest? What dreams can I pull closer to reality? What openings can I create in my heart?
Earth Day – Loreto, BCS, Mexico – 2010
Catharine Cleaning Up!
“There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground…” – Rumi
40 years ago 20 million Americans pooled their energies and created the first Earth Day. As envisioned by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, the day was to be filled with educational teach-ins.
Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Isolated groups that had been struggling against issues such as oil spills, polluting factories, raw sewage, pesticides, loss of wilderness and extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.
The most impressive thing about the beginnings of the movement was its grassroots organization. “Earth Day” had no central governing body and simply grew on it’s own. The event is now celebrated in more than 175 countries.
Earth Day in Loreto, BCS, Mexico, – “Loreto Pride in Action” – was celebrated on Sunday, April 18th. Fueled by the relentless dream of the local environmental awareness group and sponsor, Eco-Alianzia, this year’s event had over 200 participants from all walks of the community, with the greatest number being youths from Loreto.
A location was selected that had become a dumping ground of local trash and garbage. Arroyo Candeleria is the second largest arroyo in Loreto and during the summer storm season, becomes a raging torrent, sweeping anything within its banks into the Sea of Cortez. To clean this dry river bed not only benefits the current environment by ridding it of trash and toxic chemicals carelessly left behind, but protects the waters and its inhabitants in the upcoming months.
The event began with sign-ins at 7:30 in the morning. Participants were given name tags, t-shirts displaying the Pride Campaign logo of the Chocolate Clam, the Bay of Loreto National Park, Eco-Alianza and the Waterkeeper Alliance – and a handful of heavy-duty black trash bags. A short walk to the arroyo was the last easy task of the morning hours.
While not quite a dump, the arroyo had more than its share of disposed diapers, fish heads, empty plastic bottles, tires, paint cans, spent or broken building supplies, broken roof tiles, clothing, discarded shoes, beer and wine bottles, along with molded reeking garbage. At times a gagging reflex interfered with collecting the waste.
There are several reasons for the refuse. The primary is lack of education and an understanding of the relationship of the arroyo to the health of the sea. This year’s Pride Campaign logo – “Por un mar lleno do vida” – “For a sea full of life!” – was designed to increase awareness.
The second and third reasons have to do with garbage collection. While there is a service, not everyone has garbage cans, and the pickup is only once a week. With fisherman, the catch – and resultant fish heads and remains – are often a daily occurrence. Most of them have no automobiles or trucks with which to transport the fish refuse to the city dump, and to put them in cans next to their house is to invite a fly fest and stench of unimaginable proportions.
The fourth reason is based on habit – with a hint of laziness. It’s always been dumped that way. There hasn’t been demonstrated sufficient reason to change.
Which takes the arguments full cycle back to the involvement of the youth in the clean-up process. Always, it is through the youth that real change is born and instituted. They may not be able to alter the behaviors of their parents, but they are learning for themselves the interrelationship of land to sea.
For myself, I was fascinated that as I cleaned one area, there were layer upon layer of trash to be removed. Lifting up a bag of garbage revealed another layer of bottles. Picking up the bottles revealed another layer of tattered clothing. Lifting up the clothing revealed another layer of garbage and plastic.
Bags of trash and broken furniture were loaded into pickup trucks and trailers headed to the dump. At last, the dusty, tired cadre of clean-up crew reached the end of the arroyo at the highway. Behind us – a pristine environment – the efforts of our labor clearly visible to all.
A barbeque luncheon on the beach at Rancho El Jaral was hosted by Eco-Alianzia for all the participants. A quick dip in the turquoise blue waters provided the perfect antidote for the dusty cleanup.
“Loreto Pride Campaign” pooled the energies of several local groups, including Rare Conservation’s Director of the Fisheries Fellow Program, Cynthia Mayoral, The Bay of Loreto National Park, the “Pride” Campaign Manager, Perla Lozano Angulo and her colleagues, and Edna Peralta, program coordinator for children’s education and outreach programs of Eco-Alianza.
The ultimate goal of Earth Day is that every day becomes a celebration of the planet we call home. Again, it’s our job to protect her, to nurture her and increasingly commit ourselves to living within a sustainable envelope. We all win – the earth and us – when we make conscious choices about our food, water, consumables and waste. Be thoughtful. Be careful. Envelop the planet with the same love with which you shower your children and friends.
Catharine Cooper loves – cleans – and supports wild places. She can be reached at ccooper@cooperdesign.net.
Another Day – Beauty
Another gorgeous morning ..........
Baja Dreaming 
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