Weather: High-Summer
in Bahia de los Angeles is not for the weak
at heart. It separates the "men
from the boys", as the saying goes.
Temps of 110 in the shade with 80%+
humidity are a common occurrence and
sometimes it hardly cools off at night. Sleeping
inside a tent in these conditions is pretty
much out of the question unless you have
a 12V fan or other way to keep the air circulating
over you. The summer heat here can
be unbearable and overwhelming if you are
not used to it and do not have a way to
cool off or get out of the elements. Shade
is absolutely essential during this time
of year. For some, summer time camping
is quite enjoyable and it can be if you:
1. Can physically
handle and enjoy a hot envirionment.
2. Come prepared!
The water is beautifully
warm for swimming and bathing, and there
will be many days that are quite bearable
and even comfortable, but keep in mind the
conditions that exist here. For me personally,
I don't mind how hot it gets during the
day. One can always get under the
shade or jump in the water. It's not
being able sleep comfortably at night that
just saps the life out of you. If
you bring an extra car battery along, and
a way to charge it (small solar panel?)
life will be so much nicer with that 12V
fan blowing on you at night. Makes
an absoulute world of difference.
Winds: The
prevalent wind direction in summer is from
the East. These are generally coolish,
pleasant breezes, but they can pick up pretty
strong from time to time. Fog is also
a condition that you will run into out on
the water in summer time. This can
be dangerous so if you see a bank moving
in, head for shore and wait it out if at
all possible. Get to one of the near islands
or other shore.
West Winds can blow
in the summer and when they do, it's like
being in front of a giant hair-dryer. If
they come up a night, keep a bath towel
handy and enough water to soak it. Lay that
over you and the evaporative effect will
make you downright chilly!
When winds blow from
the South, these usually bring rain or other
bad weather including lightning and thunder.
Critters: This
is a definite consideration during the summer
months especially. One should always
be cautious, but Summertime is when the
critters are most active down here. MAKE
SURE YOU BRING A FLASHLIGHT ALONG AND USE
IT AT NIGHT IF YOU HAVE TO WALK AROUND.
Rattlesnakes:
During the day, you may find them curled
up behind some gear or underneath tarps
or other such items. At night, they
are out looing for food so USE CAUTION AND
USE THAT FLASHLIGHT.
Black Widows:
They can set up shop pretty fast and
you'll see them in their webs at night,
but sometimes even during the day. They
are out there in the dunes, or in firewood
piles or other spots, and can easily move
into your camp area. Keep that flashlight
handy.
Scorpions:
When camping on the beach, you'll
almost always see scorpions. There
are some beefy ones living in the dunes
and under wood, rocks, etc. They come
out mostly at night, but always use caution.
Alot of times, when you are packing
up camp and move your tent, you'll
see one right under there. When I
pick things up that have been sitting in
one spot for a while, I expect there will
be a scorpion underneath. If there's
not, then no bigee. But if so, then
I'm not so startled..
Matavenados (Deer
Killers): These resemble scorpions
and are indeed sometimes known as "Wind
Scorpions". They are pretty nasty looking
with two long forelegs and a double-set
of jaws. Kind of resemble a cross between
a potato bug and a scorpion. They
run like the wind too! They are fast.
I've encountered many, but one particularly
uncomfortable time was when I had a light
jacket hanging on a post. Went to
put it on and thougth I saw something in
the arm. Turned it inside out and
sure enough, there was a big Matavenado
in there. Not too funny.
Bees: Bees
may move into your campsite if there is
water around. The caution to use here
is when you open a soda can for example,
take a drink from it, then set it down.
It is quite possible that a bee could
land on it and go inside looking for moisture.
If you would then take another drink
and swallow that bee, you are in big trouble.
It is good practice to always put
something over opened cans or bottles, like
a small rag, ball cap, anything that
prevents bees or insects from getting in
there. It is common to see the locals
here with a hand over the opening when holding
a can. Just in case.
Suggested Items
for Summer-Time Camping: SHADE!!!!;
light-colored, lightweight cotton clothing;
some long sleeved to protect you from
the sun; SUNBLOCK; hat with a wide brim;
12V FAN for tolerable night sleeping; small
solar panel to charge battery; INSECT REPELLENT;
plenty of water; ice chest and something
to put underneath it to get it up off the
ground (ice will last much longer that way);
blanket or sleeping bag to put over ice
chest; FLASHLIGHT; some type of cot or other
bedding arrangement that gets you up off
the ground; light sheets; mosquito netting
and way to rig it up over you if you are
sleeping out in the open.
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