That's My Story

PUBLISHED in WESTERN OUTDOOR NEWS WEEK of SEPT. 3, 2006

WAITING TO BREAK WIND IN BAJA !

So, here I am tapping furiously on my computer trying to make deadline with WON while simultaneously watching my laptop computer screen; the ocean; the sky; and the beach hoping my boats get back before the winds come up. Hurricane John is bearing down on us and I’ve already lost computer power and internet several times today so I’m scrambling to get this written and e-mailed back to WON.

Looks like we’re not going to be able to dodge this one. We’ve been watching Hurricane John build to the south for two days now and all the forecasts and NOAA computer models have it coming right up to punch Baja in the gut.

This isn’t our first hurricane of the year. We’ve had several warnings here in La Paz where I am, but none have brought anything more than an hour of rain or so. I think John is one to take seriously.

All day long, local folks were taking things down. Plants and swingsets; barbecues and awnings; smaller boats were being pulled out’ve the water and put on trailers while larger ones were either being tied down or in some cases running for the horizon to get out’ve harm’s way.
Pangeros were putting their boats on the beach and putting in the drain plugs so the boats will fill up with water and will be too heavy to blow away. There’s been a steady stream of boat traffic back and forth across my window all day and you can tell by the speeds that these boats aren’t out for pleasure cruises or fishing trips. There’s a controlled sense of urgency.

I saw people boarding up and taping up windows. There were apparently thousands of folks lined up at the stores in Cabo this morning buying provisions and one amigo said “panic purchasing” has also hit here in La Paz where long lines were seen at gas stations as well as local grocery and variety stores.

I’ve been through perhaps half-a-dozen of these now and, although I don’t like them from the perspective of running a fishing business, it’s not like being in say, an earthquake or tornado. You can’t prepare for those. I have been watching the weather websites all day. I have my stuff stashed. It’s currently clear right now and a beautiful Baja day, but I know that in a few hours, we’ll probably see Mother Nature kick like the south end of a Mexican mule that ate a basketful of habanero chiles.

As long as everyone is safe, it’s not a bad thing to be around. I’m not talking about the poor folks who got hit by the likes of Katrina. In most cases, no one will be losing their homes in these garden-variety chubascos and most of us locals kind of accept that this stuff happens. Some roads will get washed out. There will be some flooding from drains that only get wet the rest of the year when someone empties an ice chest.

The biggest thing is convincing tourist that it’s OK. We’re gonna probably get a bit wet and it’s gonna get windy. Some things are gonna leak. You may not get to do that horsey-back riding thing at sunset you looked forward to and ex-nay on the scuba diving tomorrow. If you take precautions and listen to people in charge (Let’s not fire up the boat and see if you can troll around the eye of the storm!) it’s gonna be like a Disneyland ride with some eye-opening stuff and everyone comes out at the end with a big exhalation of breath and a great Baja story to tell. I’ve had some of the best hurricane parties ever during storms and storms parties throw together some of the neatest people.

In the grand scheme of things, for tourists, hurricanes aren’t an emergency. They are a big INCONVENIENCE. Planes aren’t on time. You can’t get your suntan. You might have to stay an extra night or two in your beachside room or condo instead of hustling back to work or commuting on the freeway. You might not get to fish. You may have an evening of candlelight because the electricity goes out. Is it so bad that no one can reach you on your cell phone for a few hours? Is the butter-dipped lobster at the restaurant really that bad? You’re not losing your home. Your kid might miss his football practice. You’ll miss that back-to-school sale at Wal Mart. There’s a big difference between an emergency and an inconvenience.

That being said, I sure hope this is a mild one and everyone stays safe. I’ve already had to cancel my boats so I’m going to play in the rain tomorrow; spend time inside with a big plate of nachos and have some laughs with my fishermen and their familes and take lots of photos! I have to end this and get it mailed out before we lose power!

That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@aol.com.