Ensenada, Baja, Mexico

We left San Diego behind and crossed over into Mexico outside of Tijuana. The culture shock was startling and the shanty towns of corrugated tin huts sprawling along the highway and surrounding hills were a testament to the poverty of the area. We continued to the surf town of Rosarito and passed deserted condos along the Pacific which seemed to have been abandoned mid-construction. Violence and the threat of violence have transformed this beautiful stretch of coastline as tourists have abandoned the area in favor of "safer" destinations.

We had no problems trucking down to Ensenada and parking our rig on the beach at La Jolla campground just outside of town. The water was warm and the waves were perfect for the girls to play for hours. A long five mile stretch of beach was all but abandoned to the locals. We put the boat in and toured the bay with its multiple tuna farming nets offshore. They pack and process the fish on the ships which are sent straight to Japan for hungry sushi lovers. While the fishermen are feeding the tuna sardines that are caught in the bay, the sea lions, gulls and pelicans swarm the area hoping to nip any leftovers which fall outside the nets.

Despite warnings of voracious sea lions which will take all your fish and even your pricey lures, Mark wanted to give fishing a try. He caught a "bonita/chula" and we were able to get it into the boat before any sea lions noticed the first time. The next time he had one on the line, a huge sea lion the girls nicknamed "Bill" lunged and swallowed half the fish in one enormous gulp. Mark waited patiently and managed to retrieve his Rapala lure with the fish head intact. Heidi tossed the head about two feet from the boat for the pelicans to eat, but Bill the sea lion whizzed up from the depths and snatched it just after Heidi pulled her hand from the water. Their stealth and prowess as underwater predators is incredible!

We had a few cooler days at the beach and took advantage of the natural hot springs which run under the sand at low tide. Mark brought his big clamming shovel and made us our own private hot tub in the sand.The experience is not without its dangers though. The water can be scalding and as you sink your elbows into the sand you get little burns from the underground springs, so soak at your own risk!

All in all, it was a great stay for a few days and we met some fellow Canadian campers who had their eyes on the surf spots south of town. I don't know if I would recommend the area though, as we had a few questionable characters roaming through the campground searching for food, work and money. The desert environment is a harsh one and without an extended family network, many migrant workers who attempt to cross into the States get bounced back and are left homeless, jobless and friendless. When people are desperate, they will do whatever needs to be done to survive.