Re: [Paddlewise] No Paddling _at_ Cabo San Lucas (long)

> La Paz--a day's drive north--would have kayak outfitters like you might
> expect.

As I recall, La Paz is 1.5 or 2 hours by bus north from Cabo (buses go there
every 2 hours, for something like $15). Long-distance buses in Baja
California Sur are better than US Greyhound buses or Economy class on planes
(more leg room); aircondition usually works.  With a folding kayak expect to
pay extra luggage fees about 1/2 of passenger ticket, and luggage surcharge
is sometimes negotiable when collected by driver (which isn't always the
case in big bus-stations).   Tickets are issued with seat numbers - unless
they let you in without a seat number when bus is full, then you just stand
for an hour.  On longer routes (like Cabo to Loreto, 7 hrs) they make lunch
stops at roadside restaurants.  There are also "federales" blockpost stops,
but only for buses and cars going north.  Very few people at bus stations
speak any English, - just tell your destination, - better yet, show it on
the map. And "Nombre" isn't a "number", but "full name".

> "No Gracias" means 'no thank you'.  Works well on timeshare salesmen,
> silver hawksters, pot dealers, and small children selling chicle (gum).

With local children that inevitably show up when you start assembling kayak
on the beach (with all food and other fancy stuff around), the word "vaja"
(sounds "vaya") works the best, as I've found.  I think it means "go away".
You can't say "No Gracias" when they want to take some Power Bars or use
your fishing gear for a while, - while you are busy with a boat.

> There are different places in Baja to meet all your kayaking
> expectations...Cabo is not one of them.

Yes, this isn't the one.  There will be no decent kayaking destinations left
in Baja California in not too distant future, I'm afraid.  Wherever there is
no resort, there is a garbage on the beach - a lot of it.  The are few
exceptions, where coast isn't acessible from Mex 1 highway.
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