Rocky Point Talk archive

Playa San Jorge?

Started by Luna · Sep 13, 2013 · 29 replies
Luna
Not sure if this is the correct name, but saw it on a map. I believe it is East? of the Mayan Palace. Always looking for new places to explore and wanted to ask the experts their thoughts.
Any information would be appreciated.
jerry
4wd or stay away.....big tide changes,interesting history in good and bad ways
Roberto
The entrance to Playa San Jorge is a bit further past the entrance to Estero La Pinta. In fact if you drive down the beach at Estero La Pinta it's an easy 4 wheel drive to playa San Jorge. Have not been by there in awhile but there was a gate and a home at the gate on the Caborca highway. A family was living in there and would come out to open the gate. The road was OK all the way to the sea. You will pass a very large group of buildings on the right. That used to house the family that operated a boat tour business. Others can contribute to the stories about them but they all had a particular tatoo in a particular place and all the women were belly dancers !! They left town unders murky circumstances and are rumored to be living in Hawaii !!

The beach is rather flat there and connects to La Pinta to the north and the big clam flats at Almejas to the south. South is a lot of estuary country. Along the sea there are homes on the beach and back. This area was and maybe still is an Ejido. Rumor has it that the homes were all built on land acquired via illegal 'green lesases'. If that is true, they cannot be sold. I spoke with a gent a few years back who said he had a 5 bedroom beachfront he wanted to sell in San Jorge. To prove he owned it he said "I have a piece of paper somewhere" and that's a quote !! Was a rumor not too long ago about conflict between the Ejidio people and the 'owners' of those homes. Rumor was that the new generation of Ejido owners were taking the land back and there was a lot of vandalism. These are or were rumors so if someone can correct them, sign on!!

Other than the history of San Jorge, La Pinta has more to offer. Nicer beaches, easy access and lots of interesting history. Visit the site of Bernard Gillespie's gold stamping mill on the beach, drive the old narrow gauge railroad bed up into the sierras to visit the gold mine, stop at the site of Gillespies well and Orange orchard on the way, tour Gillespie's abandoned hacienda on the beach, fish, dig clams and walk the beach. Find the book "Gillespie's Gold" for the fabulous history of La Pinta. It's really a 'must read' book for those interested in this area.
Last edited: Sep 13, 2013 at 12:28 PM
mis2810
Their boat was El Lobo del Mar, wasn't it?
mondone
mis2810 said:
Their boat was El Lobo del Mar, wasn't it?


Yes it was. I'm not sure they left under "murky" circumstances. I took their Bird Island trip out of their compound out that way several years ago. It was my understanding in talking with the crew that day that they did gypsy moves every 10 years or so. Came from Alaska, stayed in RP several years, then moved on to Hawaii.
jerry
http://www.fuegodegitana.com/ like the Manson Family without the knives...sort of amazing

http://www.lobodelmar.com/About-Us.html
Last edited: Sep 13, 2013 at 7:39 PM
Landshark
Their stay in Hawaii was for only about 5 years. They are back in the Puget Sound area now. I wish I would have met them sooner than I did because they were already leaving for Hawaii when we crossed paths. The stories were unbelievable! The mom, now grandmother wrote a book of poetry about their experiences called "The Family That Went Down To The Sea. " Their website is lobodelmar.com.
jerry
Landshark said:
Their stay in Hawaii was for only about 5 years. They are back in the Puget Sound area now. I wish I would have met them sooner than I did because they were already leaving for Hawaii when we crossed paths. The stories were unbelievable! The mom, now grandmother wrote a book of poetry about their experiences called "The Family That Went Down To The Sea. " Their website is lobodelmar.com.

Wonder if they were travelers ( Irish gypsies)
Landshark
jerry said:
Wonder if they were travelers ( Irish gypsies)


Last name of Buntin. Sounds Irish to me.
Kenny
I ran into them when I, as usual, was looking for a spot to get away from the yahoo's in town and maybe a new fishing spot. I had been down that road years before but it was just quick in and out. I'm thinking it was about 10 years ago when Janice and I took the turn into the entrance to Playa San Jorge that day and after a short distance we ran into a boat trailered and ready to launch with a man and a very good looking lady standing next to it. They ran up to us acting like we were old friends with waves and smiles. After a short conversation it was obvious they thought we were the people who had chartered the boat. We then drove on in to check out the place, still not knowing who lived in those ram shackled house's. We also wondered why in the heck they were there and not at safe harbor or the public launch site. I found out through some inquires about the family and heard the stories that follow them. I think their part of Mitt Romney's Mexican family, gone good...http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/mitt-romneys-mexican-roots/
Last edited: Sep 14, 2013 at 1:57 AM
jerry
All the boys married Mexican girls.They crack me up...Party kings who are also belly dancing Christian Zionists.What the hel is that about?
BootNHat
Interesting article on Ejido lands.

http://www.mexicolaw.com.mx/articles/can-i-buy-ejido-land
Roberto
jerry said:
Wonder if they were travelers ( Irish gypsies)

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. Reference to Celtic music, Irish dancing, bagpipes, and in the excerpt of the mothers poem a reference to gypsies.
Roberto
Thanks for those links. Some real interesting stuff there, photos and video. Part of the history of Penasco that's for sure.

I think one of their catamarans is parked out on the highway to Sonyta. You can see it from the highway along with more vehicles etc.

As to the murky coment. Street talk at the time had to do with a Hacienda (Mex. IRS) investigation.
Luna
So need a 4WD to get there? Will have to wait until we have one then.
Thanks!
Roberto
No 4wd is needed if you go down the road off the Caborca highway, next one past La Pinta. If the gate is closed either open it yourself or they may come out of the house to earn a little tip for opening the gate.
Luna

Roberto said:
No 4wd is needed if you go down the road off the Caborca highway, next one past La Pinta. If the gate is closed either open it yourself or they may come out of the house to earn a little tip for opening the gate.



Are you "sure" about the 4WD - do not want to get stuck in the sand in Mexico.
Then again, do not want to get stuck in the US either - LOL!
Landshark
Lots of good people down there that will pull you out if you get stuck. Don't worry about it.
mis2810
Landshark said:
Lots of good people down there that will pull you out if you get stuck. Don't worry about it.

Just call Roberto - he'll pull you out of the sand. He's a pro.
jerry
http://www.expeditionexchange.com/pullpal/. I want one!
Luna
Landshark said:
Lots of good people down there that will pull you out if you get stuck. Don't worry about it.



I agree that the friendly folks are always willing to help - I am just not that lucky that they would be nearby when I screwed up and got my ass stuck in sand!

The problem is our phones do not work in Mexico - which is usually great - and we do not speak Spanish. Although I am trying to learn, I know colors and numbers, and a few other words, but in no way can I actually communicate.

Really just looking for new places to explore, let my big doggie chase sea creatures, and search for treasures! Heard this might be a great option?
joester
I seem to remember the efforts to build a full-time rv park there a handful of years ago, and LadyJeeper went there to visit and check it out. All I remember for sure was that there was no full-time electric, and when the tide was out - it was really OUT! Consensus seemed to be that the Mirador was still the place to be with your rv.
Roberto
The road to La Pinta is a good road not requiring 4 WD at all. Just park at Gillespie's Hacienda and do not drive on the beach. Last time I was there, years back, the road to San Jorge was perfectly good for 2WD as well. Again just don't drive on the beach.

Again, you could walk to San Jorge from La Pinta on the beach, just a couple of miles. You can see the houses form the beach at San Jorge from La Pinta.

If you like to explore and do not have a 4wd there are some things you might consider doing to prepare and when you explore. Buy a 12V air compresson and keep that along with a shovel in your vehicle. When you get into 'iffy' road conditions drop the air pressure in your tires down to 15-20. Before you hit the highway home reinflate the tires back to spec. This makes a huge difference in traction. I had a 2wd pickup that was terrible in the sand. Got stuck on the streets of Penasco several times !!When I came to 'iffy' looking roads I would stop and walk ahead to check out how flffy the sand was before trying to go ahead.
Landshark
Luna said:
I agree that the friendly folks are always willing to help - I am just not that lucky that they would be nearby when I screwed up and got my ass stuck in sand!


Gotta have your toes in the water if your @ss is in the sand!

Ladyjeeper
joester said:
I seem to remember the efforts to build a full-time rv park there a handful of years ago, and LadyJeeper went there to visit and check it out. All I remember for sure was that there was no full-time electric, and when the tide was out - it was really OUT! Consensus seemed to be that the Mirador was still the place to be with your rv.

Yes, it's 25 miles from town, when the tide's out, it's way out and there was no electricity at all, just generators that they only ran part of the day. And, the actual park is a quarter mile from the beach, further adding distance......
Luna
Roberto said:
The road to La Pinta is a good road not requiring 4 WD at all. Just park at Gillespie's Hacienda and do not drive on the beach. Last time I was there, years back, the road to San Jorge was perfectly good for 2WD as well. Again just don't drive on the beach.

Again, you could walk to San Jorge from La Pinta on the beach, just a couple of miles. You can see the houses form the beach at San Jorge from La Pinta.

If you like to explore and do not have a 4wd there are some things you might consider doing to prepare and when you explore. Buy a 12V air compresson and keep that along with a shovel in your vehicle. When you get into 'iffy' road conditions drop the air pressure in your tires down to 15-20. Before you hit the highway home reinflate the tires back to spec. This makes a huge difference in traction. I had a 2wd pickup that was terrible in the sand. Got stuck on the streets of Penasco several times !!When I came to 'iffy' looking roads I would stop and walk ahead to check out how flffy the sand was before trying to go ahead.



Thanks for the good advice. We never to exploring without supplies, tools, shovels, carpet, . compressor, and of course plenty of WATER! Perhaps we will try the walk instead.
Roberto
jerry said:

I've seen those advertised and wonder how the heck you get the spade out of the earth after you pull your vehicle out. Neat idea.
jerry
Roberto said:
I've seen those advertised and wonder how the heck you get the spade out of the earth after you pull your vehicle out. Neat idea.

You drive past it....which could be problematic
joester
Landshark said:
Gotta have your toes in the water if your @ss is in the sand!




great song there Landshark! I also really like the Knee Deep song:

"only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair"

"And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise"

- reminds me of the Mirador!
Kenny
Good song but try not to sing along with this one, just try.