Camping on Beach: Baja Bonus

ENSENADA —  Johnny Guagliardo emerged from the water, splashing violently and extending his arms at full length trying to describe the halibut that just got away.

He spoke quickly, trying to catch his breath, as he described his snorkeling/fishing expedition.

“I’ve never seen a fish that big in my life,” Guagliardo said.

He and his friend, Richard Miller, sat on the beach exchanging fishing tales, and battling a rush of the shivers. The calm Baja California water was much cooler than the snorkelers had anticipated.

Somehow, they didn’t mind.

They had traveled to Mexico for four days of camping and “maybe some diving.” They got plenty of both.

After driving down the coast, passing the more popular and crowded campgrounds such as San Miguel Beach (just north of Ensenada) and La Jolla Beach (25 miles south of Ensenada), the two pulled down a dusty road. That’s when they say their luck improved.

One of the locals had mentioned a small campground across the point leading up to La Bufadora, a natural sea spout that shoots water high into the air at incoming tides, about 30 miles south of Ensenada. But La Bufadora and Baja’s other beaches are popular for beach camping. In California, pitching a tent on the beach is illegal.

“We wanted to find a desolate place and we agreed that we would have to go past San Miguel Beach and Ensenada,” said Miller, a student at Miramar College. “A local told us about this place (La Bufadora). Right when we got here, I knew we had found our home for the next four days.

“There were three things we were told about this place: diving, surfing and camping. That’s when we headed here.”

About a quarter-mile south of the famous attraction is what Miller and Guagliardo term “the best camping” they have experienced in Mexico. Their campground was atop a point that jutted out above the clear bay called Bahia de Todos Santos.

Their trip was typical of most beach camping expeditions--bring a tent and a small barbecue grill and enjoy the ocean all day.

“I took the summer off to play and decided to go for a Baja run,” said Guagliardo, 20, a student from San Francisco. He grew up with Miller in San Diego. “Each summer I decide to go wild and do something cool.”

Said Miller: “This is great. You’re out on a point, and you’ve got the ocean to the left, and to the right, it’s like being on a little island in Spain or something. Johnny used to live in Spain, and as soon as we got here, he said, ‘Oh my God, this is just like Spain.’ ”

Most Baja campgrounds provide a variety of nearby activities, although the terrain gets more rugged farther south. Miller and Guagliardo spent most of their time snorkeling in the bay’s shallow waters.

Miller learned how to snorkel at La Jolla Cove, probably the best area for snorkeling in San Diego County. But when he enjoyed the underwater view at La Bufadora, he said it would be difficult to return to La Jolla.

“It’s so pretty down there, because there is nothing but colors, with all of the sea snails and the sea urchins,” Miller said. “There’s a pretty good nature reserve at La Jolla Cove, but it’s picked dry.

“There is just more of a variety down here and so much more of it. This is pretty much virgin water. At La Jolla, there are always so many people, that most of the fish are scared away.”

The fishing isn’t bad, either. After about 10 minutes exploring, with spear in hand, Miller came dancing out of the water with a bright orange garibaldi twisting on the end of his spear.

“I’ve found some grub for dinner,” he said.

“Catching that garibaldi,” he said later, “man, that was a rush.”

Fishing for garibaldi is illegal in California, as they are easy to take underwater because of their bright color, said Dick Heimann, a marine biologist with the State Department of Fish and Game. Miller said he was attracted to Mexico in part because it is legal to fish for garibaldi.

Said Guagliardo, who emerged with an 11-inch rockfish: “It doesn’t matter how big the fish is, what kind or even if you get one. You just get a thrill trying to catch it.”

The two also discussed surfing at Todos Santos, a small island eight miles off the coast of La Bufadora.

Todos Santos is considered one of the top surfing spots on the West Coast, often visited by top professionals, such as defending world champion Tom Curren, according to Dale Erwin, who operates a boat service to the island. Most of the campgrounds offer boat service to the island for a day or half day of surfing.

There is more to beach camping, of course, than snorkeling, fishing and surfing.

“We’re going to play Frisbee, worship the sun. . . . basically, just take it easy,” Miller said.

“Taking it easy” could be the true art to any camping trip, whether it’s at Yosemite or on the beaches of Baja.

Just looking at Miller and Guagliardo’s campsite gave one the impression that relaxation was the prime factor here. Next to Guagliardo’s compact car was a small green tent, stuffed with the campers’ clothes and supplies.

Outside was a small table-top barbecue grill, two lounge chairs facing the bay and a well-stocked ice chest.

“Where can you have this in San Diego with the serenity?” Miller said. “Plus, it’s only about 100 miles from San Diego.

“When we drove up, we were sold on it. As soon as we sat down, we said the old saying of Brigham Young: ‘This is the place.’ ”