East Capers Issue 65 by christine courtright

The New East Cape Health Center

Those returning to the East Cape after a summer away will notice a bright pink wall in Plaza Libertad (the plaza with Banamex Bank and Comex). In the west corner, with East Cape Health Center painted on the window is the new home of our community urgent care and health center. While the location is new, all of our programs are continuing from the previous years, and new ones are beginning. We have new diagnostics on site with our own lab, 3 D-Color Doppler Ultrasound and digital X-ray machine schedule for a fall 2013 arrival and we're mapping the community for speedy ambulance services for those injured or ill.

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Issue No. 65

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Los Barriles Community Market

Also ongoing are both of our Passport to Health programs for children and adults. All health screening information and medical records from our previous location has been retained and is--as always--being kept safe and private.

We Hope everyone had a great summer

2. Volunteer. We're looking for volunteers in nearly any capacity, whether its providing reliable community mapping to assist in the emergency data bank, assist with screening in our preventative health and nutritional counseling and education programs, or helping fulfill other needs for the clinic during our high season and community wide screenings. 3. Use our Medical and Dental services. One of the best options, check-up on your own health or get your teeth cleaned, whitened or restoration of those old crowns while knowing that your payments are going towards further helping the beautiful children in the community. While there are some noticeable changes afoot for East Cape Health Center our mission and commitment remain the same. With upcoming programs like our "Passport To Health" providing an annual check up with full diagnostics and new equipment we hope to even better serve the people of East Cape. 36

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1. Donate. In Mexico we are a registered Donataria non-profit organization allowing tax deductible donations here in Mexico. In the US we're part of the International Community Foundation, a 501.3c for ease of US tax deductible donations

and crafts. We don't want to lose sight of this goal, so we need you all to encourage anyone you might know to bring their talents to the market.

and ready or not here comes the 20132014 season! The Los Barriles Community Market will be celebrating its second full season with the first market on DEC.14 (9am-1pm) and running EVERY Saturday morning until April 5th!

We are no longer sharing space with AmeriMed; however, the familiar faces of Dr. Enrique Toledo, our staff physician and Edgar Lucero in reception and pharmacy are still here to greet and service patients. Even though AmeriMed is no longer in town our referral system for their advanced diagnostics, such as their Cardiac Cath Center, CT, MRI services and hospitalization is still in place. Our relationship remains strong to help keep costs reasonable and assist with Insurance needs or help schedule air evac if necessary. Most importantly, we're a fully functional non-profit clinic providing first line medical and dental services and education to the East Cape community. As ever, there are simple and effective ways you can help yourself and the clinics:

Free / Gratis

We need vendors and the vendors need shoppers!

Last year's market season surpassed all expectations with our local produce, food booths, local arts and crafts and great entertainment by our local musicians. So what is next? And how do we continue to grow bigger and better? The market was inspired by a town meeting with our mayor two years ago. The goal was to bring our local communities, Mexican and foreign together to provide an opportunity for folks to gather, support local schools, local functions, nonprofits, and of course food, produce, arts Dec/Jan

We welcome everyone to email us at â&#x20AC;&#x201D; losbarrilescommunitymarket@gmail.com with potential vendors, suggestions, comments, or any creative input that will make this market the place everyone wants to be on Saturday mornings!

See you DECEMBER 14 (9am-1pm) at the New City Park (behind El Viejo)

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Calendar Dec.-- 9 - International Anti-Corruption Day 12 - Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe 18 - International Migrants Day 21 - Solstice - shortest day of the year 23 - Festivus - for the rest of us 24 - Noche Buena 25 - Navidad Jan -- 1 - Happy New Year 20 - Martin Luther King Day 31 - Chinese New Year

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Table of Contents Los Barriles Market

Arrachera Bolognese

The Mexican Kitchen

To Fish or Not to Fish

Bay of the Dead

Amazing Recycling Winners Go Fishing

The Intimate and True Adventures of El Ballenero

Catch ‘Em All

Spanish Characters on Your Keyboard

Advertising in the East Capers gets the word out about your business AND your ad money supports the 3 week 'Cursos de Verano' summer school, for over 120 local children and provides art supplies for 18 East Cape public schools.

The History of the Mexican Flag

Vitamins and the Skin

Surviving a Tropical Storm

The Earth Under Our Feet

In addition to space in the printed version, your ad appears in the online version at no additional cost. You can download an Advertising Kit by visiting our website at www.eastcapearts.com.

Big Budget Dream Chasing

In Celebration of Atole

Cabo Pulmo Undersea

Mourning Customs

Writing for East Capers

Traditional Mexican Holidays

East Capers is looking for stories about our region and items that affect our residents. If you are interested in submitting articles, recipes, stories or personal experiences in Baja, email them to kaojaa@gmail.com.

The Wizard

Sense of Place

Baja Shakespeare

The Santo Niño Saves a Friendship

Advertising in East Capers

The Santo Niño Saves a Friendship From Mexican Folk Tales by Anthony John Campos

There

were two rancheros who loved each other dearly and were inseparable. The sun sparkled against the leaves on the nopales as they chatted aimlessly on the road to the fair. On and on they walked, without care, enjoying the beautiful afternoon. They could hardly wait to get to the fair. There was going to be music, tequila and plenty of young señoritas. Quite unintentionally, their conversation turned toward the question of money. "I have fifty pesos," said Pablo. "With that amount of money, I can enjoy myself better than any prince." Pedro made no response. He had only thirty pesos. The farther they walked, the more Pedro thought about the difference. Jealousy was beginning to take control of him and instead of enjoying the birds' happy songs; he became more and more bitter. Pablo noticed that his friend had grown quiet but thought he was simply tired. It was getting late and the friends began to look for a good campsite. They found a clearing, built a fire under the twinkling stars, and had their dinner. Pablo was the first to retire. His

dreams were happy and tranquil and the thought of death was as far away as the stars above his head. Pedro’s mind, on the contrary, was now filled with dark thoughts. He had to kill his best friend. While Pablo slept peacefully, Pedro quietly went away from the campsite and found a large rock. He took it back to where his friend was sleeping and dropped it on his head. Pedro then reached into his friend’s vest pocket, took the fifty pesos, and went on his way. When he had traveled a long way and was approaching the fair, Pedro began thinking. “What have I done? Santo Niño de Atocha, don’t permit my friend to be dead.” He began to weep bitterly as the weight of his evil deed crushed down upon him. He started running back to his friend. When he reached the spot, the corpse of the dead ranchero began to rise, the rock still embedded in his skull. “Santo Niño de Atocha,” Pedro cried wildly. He put his arms around his friend and wept uncontrollably. They began to walk down the road and didn’t stop until they came to Plateros and the Santo Niño’s temple. Pedro, still weeping, took the rock out of his friend’s head and placed it at the feet of the Santo Niño. When he looked up, he noticed that Pablo’s wound had healed. They both walked to the fair, as happy as could be.

East Capers is published bi-monthly by the Asociación de Artes del Mar de Cortez A.C., Los Barriles, BCS, Mexico Managing Editor: Donna Morrison * Copy Editor: Pako Ford * Circulation Manager: Brian Cummings Advertising: Kathy Obenshain & Dennis Linnet This publication is possible with the help of the board members of the ASOC de Artes and community members. Printed by Imprenta Ciudad Los Niños, La Paz, BCS, Mexico

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Recycle and share with a friend or better yet read online at www.eastcapearts.com Continued from page 33 days in the refrigerator, or by freezing the roasted chiles with the skin left on, peeling them once they are defrosted. Locally, we can easily find certain fresh chiles. If you are not familiar with them, I have provided information that will help you identify and use these chiles. Jalipeño - Mild to medium hot with flavor of a green pepper ranging from bland to rich; bright green, torpedo shaped with rounded shoulders, tapering to a pointed end, about ½ ounce and about 2 ½ inches long. Serrano – A great flavorful substitute for jalapeños. Hot with a bold green apple, limey, green bean flavor with hints of olive oil and cilantro; bright green, with some chiles ripening to yellow or red; bullet shaped with rounded shoulders tapering to a pointed end, about ½ inch wide and about 1½ - 2 inches long. Guero – Delicious for green salsa and shrimp rellenos. Mild to medium hot, slightly sweet; pale yellow, similarly shaped to jalapeños; torpedo shaped with rounded shoulders tapering to a pointed end, about ½ ounce and 2 inches long. Poblano – An all-purpose chile pepper to use in a wide variety dishes, from soups, salsa, vegetables, and for chile rellenos. Mild to hot with a full green bean flavor and herbal notes of parsley, rosemary and thyme; dark forest green, sometimes gnarled or dimpled with wide

shoulders tampering to a point at the bottom, about 3 ounces, 4-5 inches long by 2 ½ inches wide. Habanero – Similar to, but NOT Scotch bonnet peppers. Use sparingly to intensify flavors. Fiery hot with flowery and fruit aromas that taste sweet and citrusy with flavors of green herbs; when ripe, bright orange, squared off, lantern shaped, body quickly tapering to a point just before the end, deeply dimpled, about 1/3 ounce, 1 ½ inches by 1 inch wide. Now you are ready to start cooking. Next time…dried chiles!

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Arrachera Bolognese By Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. Ingredients 2 medium pieces of Arrachera beef 4 strips bacon 1 small onion, chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 medium green pepper 1-34 oz. cans tomato sauce 1/2 cup Corona beer 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, crushed 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil ½ tablespoon pepper ½ tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon parsley 1 small can mushrooms

Stir in fresh basil. Simmer, covered, 60 minutes, stirring often, while sauce reduces to desired texture. Mix with pasta. Grate Parmesan cheese over top and sprinkle with parsley.

Directions In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven cook beef and bacon until browned. Drain fat. Add onions, carrots, mushrooms and garlic. Stir in tomato sauce, beer, Italian seasoning, salt, and green pepper. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat for 10 minutes; reduce heat.

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The Mexican Kitchen AN ADVENTURE IN VIBRANT FLAVORS AND RICH TRADITION By Holly Burgin

earlier Mexican Kitchen articles we learned about the history, culture, and science of the building blocks of this wonderful cuisine - corn, beans, squash, and chile peppers (see http:// issuu.com/eastcapers/docs/eastcapersissue62 and http://issuu.com/walters.zapotocznyjr./docs/ issue_63_april-may_2013_color). Now we head into the kitchen for some practical information about how to cook with chiles, the piquant fruit that flavors almost every Mexican dish. There are hundreds of cookbooks featuring Mexican cuisine, but I always turn to the cookbooks of Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy for easy to understand recipes, preparation guidance, and lots of tips for gringos who are not familiar with some Mexican ingredients and cooking techniques. I used their cookbooks as a resource for this article. Be careful when you handle any type of chile, as the oils (alkaloid capsaicin) on the chiles can burn your skin and eyes. Avoid direct contact with the chiles by wearing disposable gloves or putting your hands in food grade plastic bags. After working with chiles, always wash your hands, knives, cutting board, and other affected surfaces thoroughly with hot soapy water. Chiles are available fresh, dried, canned, and pickled. For this article, I will focus on fresh chiles. When shopping, look for fresh chiles that are very firm to the touch, have smooth skin, and are rich in color. To guarantee a crisp texture and full flavor, a fresh chile should be free of wrinkles (wrinkles are okay when the chile is dried). Use fresh chiles as soon as possible after purchase. Store fresh chiles in a paper bag in the refrigerator or in a cool dark place. The piquant levels (levels of spiciness or â&#x20AC;&#x153;heatâ&#x20AC;?) of chiles vary, even within the same variety. To choose a milder version of a varietal, select chiles that have broad shoulders and blunt tips (think bell peppers). Generally speaking, the smaller the chile, the more intense the heat. 4

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Hotter varieties will have pointed tips and narrow shoulders. The heat of the chile is caused by alkaloid capsaicin contained in the white spongy center (placenta) and membrane (septum) of the chile pepper, not in the seeds; and can range from mild to a four-alarm inferno. A simple way to test the heat is by taste or smell. Cut off the stem end of a chile and lightly touch the exposed white spongy area with your finger and then touch your finger to your tongue. You will know immediately how hot the chile is. Or, if you prefer, simply smell the cut end of the chile. Varying degrees of tingling in your nose will tell you. You can control the heat by the way you prepare the chiles for your recipe. To reduce the heat, cut off the stem end and cut the chile lengthwise in half or quarters. Using a spoon or knife, scoop out some or all of the placenta, septum, and seeds and discard them, then continue to prepare the chiles according to your recipe. By the way, if you ever need relief from eating a fiery chile, DO NOT drink water, as the capsaicin is not water soluble. Try milk or, better yet, a half-teaspoon of granulated sugar or a sugar cube. Both, I am told, provide relief. Some recipes call for fresh chiles to be roasted to remove the tough skin, and to add a smoky flavor. This can be done on a barbeque, using stovetop burners, or in the broiler of the oven. Put the chile directly in the flame and turn frequently to char the skin until the surface of the chile is blackened evenly. Be vigilant during the roasting process to only char the skin, without also burning the flesh, which will turn to mush. Next, rather than putting the chili in a plastic bag to steam, Rick Bayless suggests putting the chile in a bowl, covered with a towel, to avoid overcooking. Within a few minutes the chiles will be cool enough to handle and the skins will peel off easily. Roasted and peeled chiles keep well in a closed container for a few Continued on page 34 33

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Baja Shakespeare 2014 By Larry Epstein

Every spring for 13 years, a spirited and gutsy band of aspiring East Cape actors has assembled under the tutelage of courageous directors and with the aid of a talented crew to harpoon an otherwise lofty Shakespearean tale. But in 2014 our Muse is going to try something entirely new. The coming year’s play was not penned by William Shakespeare. Instead it will be a world premier with words and music written right here in East Cape by one of our troupe. An original drama-cum-comedy, our show will charm the pants off the audience members, except of course, for those in skirts or dresses. Entitled “The Puppets’ Ire OR How I learned To Love Barbed Wire,” our show is a story of tragedy, comedy, and triumph over the bad guys by the goodly humans [and others] of a quaint little town in the American West. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that the play is about a mature widow whose late husband whittled magic puppets. Threatened by a conniving real estate developer and his sleazy shyster into a scheme in which she’ll lose her ranch, our widow is left out on the proverbial barbed wire to dangle; until along come a Buddhist monk cowboy, a slow-witted hard-ofhearing town sheriff, a jealous husband, a live band, dancing townspeople and a few other actors (whose characterizations must remain anonymous to protect the innocent and the plot). In the end, what will happen? Ah friends… you’ll have to buy a ticket to find out. Miss it, and you’ll be sorry.

Moulopoulos will lead us this year. A student of the renowned Uta Hagen and the Royal Shakespeare Company, Gloria has acted and directed in theaters of London and throughout the United States including Lincoln Center and Broadway. She formerly was Artistic Director at the Toledo Repertoire Theater. By the way in addition to actors, we need a choreographer and dancers familiar with that favorite American invention: the Square Dance. Come join us for auditions on Sunday January 5 at 1:00 p.m. by the sea at Rancho Buena Vista. As in recent years the show will be performed under the stars at Rancho Buena Vista. To allow our audience to see and hear better, we will limit attendance for each show. No one will have a bad seat. So that everyone can attend, there will be performances on six nights during consecutive weekends: March 21, 22 and 23 and March 27, 28 and 29, 2014. Tickets will be available as time nears. Look for details in future editions of East Capers and BPE and on posters and banners throughout the community. Hope we’ll see you there, darned toot’n! ~ For more information contact Larry Epstein (lepc.mx@gmail.com, 624-132-3028).

With a nod to the Bard of Avon, our play is written in iambic verse --- a rhythmic poem! But the language of the play is plain American English. Our actors will not abuse a single bit of High English, and there will not be any references to British royalty. In their place will be a relaxed drawl and references to the Ole’ West.Our faithful Artistic Directors, Lesley and Bob Currier of the Marin Shakespeare Company, are taking a well-deserved year off. Visiting Director Gloria 32

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To Fish or Not to Fish By Mark Rayor My father started taking me fishing when I was 6 years old. From my first experience I caught the fishing fever and was hooked. At the age of twelve we started taking day and a half albacore trips and loved every minute. Through high school and until I was married raising my own family ocean fishing was a special time for my father and myself. My daughters were introduced to fishing at a young age but never seemed to have the passion for the sport and looked for other activities. Water skiing was a sport the girls enjoyed. As much fun as it was to spend time with my kids it was difficult for me to be on the water without a fishing rod. Then I bought a bass boat that could satisfy everybody. I would get up at day break and get my fishing fix while everyone else was still sleeping then spend the rest of the day boating with the family. In 1987 I entered my first fishing tournament with enthusiasm

and excitement. Prior to the event I was knocking ‘em stiff and was confident first place would be mine. As it turned out my performance was disappointing and I just couldn't get them to bite when it counted. This pattern started to develop and tournament after tournament pre-fishing for an event Dec/Jan

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would be outstanding but when it was show time it was no go. I was obsessed and it got to the point my wife told me to stop punishing myself with tournaments. I was convinced that somehow the game fish we targeted could sense when there was a tournament scheduled and would vanish. One day it dawned on me. It wasn't the fish that changed, it was me under pressure. Prior to this revelation when the shot gun start went off I would head out at full throttle like my hair was on fire with the rest of the contestants. I would spend too much time worrying about what others were doing rather than concentrating on what I needed to do. I would find myself fishing new areas with different baits using different techniques. As crazy as it sounds I have found that many others in competition do the same thing. Having this new revelation changed everything and success in competition started to come. There are just a few simple things that turned it all around. Now I mentally make a plan in the morning

and then work my plan. What others do is not important. What is important is to stay focused. I fish the same locations, use the same bait and use the same techniques that worked while not in competition. I live or die by what I know works. Tournament time is not the time to try something that has not worked for me in the past. It sounds too simple but it's huge. 5

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Bay of the Dead North of El Cardonal

Historians

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know why a 1777 Spanish map named this shore Bay of the Dead, but the name gained substance when a Chinese ship beached there in 1885. The ship had been refused entry at La Paz harbor because the crew was suffering from yellow fever; after putting in at this bay, all 18 crewmembers died. Mexican fishermen buried the bodies above the tide line and marked their graves with wooden crosses, a few of which still stand. In the early 20th century, a community of American farmers tried unsuccessfully to cultivate the desert surrounding the bay; some died of thirst or hunger, adding to the bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list of Muertos. Ensenada de los Muertos, an abandoned port at the north end of the bay, was built in the 1920s for the shipping of ore from El Triunfo and San Antonio mines. The current maps still list it as Bahia de Muertos.

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The Wizard By Jim Smith

Federico

Velasco somehow manages to elevate the title of “mechanic” to a high art. He compliments the job description with design, fabrication, assembly, experimentation, imagination and an attitude that nothing is impossible. While working at Rancho Buena Vista as chief mechanic, Fred discovered that automatic transmission repair was a facet missing from his skills. When he decided to go to an automatic transmission repair school he discovered that the only automatic transmission schools were in the USA and that the classes were taught in English. No problema. Fred learned English in a matter of months and off to school he went.

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he sang the Mexican National Anthem in basso profundo, ceremoniously made the sign of the cross over the engine compartment, and closed the hood neatly retying the rope. “Sir”, said Velasco, “your truck has been revised.” “What do I owe you?” asked the rancher. “On the house,” said Fred. “God will pay you,” said the rancher as he mounted the truck and drove away. Damned if I don’t believe that truck ran better when the rancher left! FUN MEXICAN FACTS

Note: This story and many others can be found in the East Capers “Tenth Anniversary Anthology” published by the Asociación de Artes del Mar de Cortez A.C. The 163 book is available at Amazon.com. Type East Capers Anthology in the search window. It makes a great gift.

After leaving Rancho, Fred opened a repair shop and parts store in downtown Los Barriles. One afternoon a highland rancher arrived at Fred’s shop and announced, “Maestro, I come that you may revise my truck”. Fred approached the ranchers old Ford cautiously. He untied the rope that secured the hood and lifted it up. He propped it open with a handy stick and gazed in amazement into “Dante’s Inferno”. The battery terminals were great gobs of green goop; the carburetor was a malignant mass of mutable mud; the radiator did not just leak, it wept; a tarry substance that might have been motor oil at one time seeped from every conceivable seam. Battery caps, oil filter cap, radiator cap, air cleaner and dipstick were conspicuously absent. The fan belt functioned only by a Catholic miracle…something to do with the statuette of the Virgen Guadlupe added to the dashboard, I’m sure “Santisima verija de Señor” Fred said in amazement He then stood at rigid attention while 30

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The first printing press in North America was used in Mexico City in 1539.

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The National University of Mexico was founded in 1551 by Charles V of Spain and is the oldest university in North America.

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Millions of monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico every year from the U.S. and Canada, though logging operations are rapidly destroying their habitat.

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The border between Mexico and the United States is the second largest border in the world (only the U.S.-Canadian border is longer).

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Mexico is second only to Brazil in the number of Catholic citizens.

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The red poinsettia originated in Mexico and is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico (1820s).

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Are You Prepared? By Pablo Ponce

Igrew up in earthquake country. If a sunny southern California tremor didn’t tip the scales at 5.0 or higher, it was no big deal. From grade school though, we were taught that when you hear that warning bell it was time to hide under your desk. Through countless drills we became as prepared as any little kid could be, as long as we were at school. The pantry of our Orange County home was stuffed with every kind of canned food known to man. My dad always said that we had more than enough emergency water out back in the pool, all we had to do was treat it and it would be fine to drink. I was just a kid at the time. I never worried about anything happening and even if it did, dad would handle it. I still live in So Cal only now besides living right on top of the San Andreas fault line, I’m surrounded by dry brush on one side and forest on the other. To get anywhere I rely on the freeway and nowadays traffic can be terrible 24/7. So what if something happened and I wasn’t at home? What if my dad wasn’t there to handle it? Am I prepared? Yes. At home I keep enough food for four, and that should keep us fed for about a month. My water storage needs some work but between bottled water, water in the water heater and toilet tank, not to mention our wine supply, I think we have enough fluids for about a month as well. Other essentials I’ve got stowed away include a medical kit, flashlights and battery operated radio. If I’m on the road and something should happen I’ve got a backpack filled with clothes, small medical kit, food, water, flashlight and multi-tool. This is all backed up with supplies stuffed in the vehicles storage compartments. I also include road flares and cold weather gear for the winter months. My home and vehicle emergency equipment is geared for my area. I don’t ever plan on having to use it but if something happens, I know that I will be ready. I’ve gone over my emergency plan with my family and should someone be stuck out on the road during an emergency we know to call a relative out of state who can hopefully get us all synced up.

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Now this plan of mine might sound well and good but, what if something happened while I was in Baja? I don’t see us having to worry about a wildfire or a snowstorm but how about an earthquake? Read this, and I quote, “Archaeologists have concluded that the (Baja) peninsula was separated from mainland Mexico by the San Andreas Fault.” I know, it’s a scary thought!

Amazing Recycling Winners Going Fishing!

Those of you that either live or have spent a lot of time in Baja Sur know that we get upwards of 600 tremors every year. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that a big one could strike at any moment, without warning. We could lose power, bridges could go down. Our supply chain from the north might get shut off and if that happens we are out of luck, at least until it can be fixed, and who knows how long that can take.

By Teresa Comber

I know that many of you have large propane tanks with smaller back up tanks. Lots of you might even have big generators that will keep your house lit up for days. But if you don’t have food and water stored, the only thing that propane is going to be cooking is the fish you catch. And I hope you have back up gas because once the Pemex station runs out you will have to wait for the fuel truck as well as the grocery truck. Please take some time to sit down and come up with your own plan. Figure out how much food and water your household needs to survive for about a month, then stash it. Put a first aid kit together. Make sure your house or dwelling is as secure as possible. Make sure your non-electric lighting works and your crucial paperwork is in order. Keep some hard currency handy and be prepared to go mobile (car/ATV/feet) if necessary. Nobody likes to think about stuff like this but every once in a while Mother Nature gives us a reminder that she’s still around. Anybody remember hurricane Katrina or Sandy? How about hurricane John? We never know what might happen. I’d suggest you make a plan now and IF something happens, you too will be prepared. If you can get your hands on one of those little school desks to hide under, that wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

2013 "Protect Mother Earth" Summer Camp Recycling Winners Save Almost 2 Tons of Plastics from the Landfill!

During the last three weeks of July, many of the 100 children, ages 6 to 12, who were lucky enough to participate in this summer’s “Protect Mother Earth” Summer Camp, scoured the streets, searched the arroyos, checked the roads and highways, pleaded with their Abuelas, Tias, Amigas y Vecinos (Grandmas, Aunts, Friends, Neighbors) and convinced their parents to save all their plastics for the Recycling Contest. Some enterprising kids even went to local restaurants and businesses, leaving behind bags and boxes for people to recycle and save for them. Each evening families could be seen coming from the beaches, highway, and hillsides with a Santa Claus bag full of plastics! They knew that 11 Grand Prize Winners (along with their mothers) would have the opportunity to go fishing on the beautiful Sea of Cortez with Baja’s Awesome Sportfishing. The results were more than awesome - they literally blew us away. Each Friday’s haul built on the previous and by the third Friday an awesome total of 2,712 pounds (1.3 tons!) of plastics had been collected. For the winners, the anticipation to go fishing was stronger than the wait for Christmas morning. The following Monday couldn’t come soon enough for these kids. Many of their fathers, uncles, grandpas, family friends make their living from the Sea of Cortez and the fishing stories and the fishing culture run deep in their histories. Yet at the same time, most of them, including their mothers, had never been on a boat. Never. At sunrise on the dock, two groups divided up, some going aboard ‘Too Awesome’ with Captain Adan, others aboard ‘Awesome’ with Captain

Luis. Adan’s 5 year old son, Frederico, was aboard. Luis Araiza, Captain of ‘Jukate’ in the Palmas fleet, volunteered to cover the deck for ‘Too Awesome’ in order to be with his winning twin 8 year olds. First Mate Joel volunteered to be deckhand on Awesome as his son was on board. This was indeed, the first time children and their mothers from the East Cape were ever winning a fishing trip! Moms and kids and helpers spread out all over the surfaces of the boat - in the bridge, on the bow, on the engine covers, two teamed up in the fighting chair. Everyone perched and ready and we were off! Within sight of one another, each boat’s captains and crew were applying all their skills to assure these children and their mothers had the time of their lives. As Mother Nature was the theme of the summer camp, she was turning on all her glory. The water was clear blue, the sky was clear blue, the sun bright and the wind just enough to keep the gang cool. On Too Awesome and Just 6 miles offshore and trolling lures, zzzzzeeeeeeeeee the starboard rod went off like a rocket had just grabbed it and was heading for Mazatlan. Can you imagine if that was the first time you had ever heard or seen a rod going off? And as eyes peeled the sea surface, a monster marlin came flying out of the water. Crossing my fingers and wishing and hoping I had prayed we would at least catch a dorado; maybe a small tuna. But this, the top of the food chain, and Captain Adan shouted ‘Marlina Azul’! Mother Nature was indeed turning on her charms for these children. NONE were big enough for a fighting belt. Instead, we literally belted them on to the fighting chair assuring they wouldn’t slip off. The rod solidly in the holder, with all the enthusiasm and strength they could muster, the little ones put both hands on the reel handle while 6 other little hands held the rod and one very capable deckhand made sure everything stayed in place. Crank after crank after crank and even with Continued on page 10

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Recycle and share with a friend or better yet read online at www.eastcapearts.com Continued from page 9 everyone pulling together, one small child against a big blue marlin only made about 5 turns before wearing out and shouts came up to share a turn. First fifteen minutes passed, then thirty, an hour. Now, the Mom’s were getting in on the action. Some a little shy at first, others practically tossing the kids out of the chair for their turn. One single minded mother was adamant that marlin was going to be dinner. Aghast, I adamantly opposed that thought and told her no way, we were releasing Mother Nature’s gorgeous creature. Another half hour, then another. Pretty soon everyone had a turn and were going in for seconds. This big blue was having its way with these little tikes and their mothers. Hunger hit and lunches were appearing as we were still fighting. I handed the rod to Omar Araiza, my operations manager and younger brother to Luis, and told him to get that stubborn fish to the boat. After another half hour, the magnificent fish was alongside. And we practically capsized as everyone rushed to the boat’s edge for their first close up look of a real, live, lit up blue marlin. Now the meeting of the ‘release versus eat’ minds collided, and much to my absolute disappointment this incredible fighting machine failed. Captain Adan knows of my deep seated principles to release and Luis knew I was adamant that this fish swim, but it rolled over and after many tries, the fish was boated. I was heart struck and had to shed a few tears on the bow while the ‘eat it’ Mom was practically dancing on the outriggers with joy. Once I collected myself and realized we’d be feeding about 20 families, I righted my attitude and off we went in search of more Sea of Cortez fun. No more than five minutes passed when we saw the surface of the water break. A lot. ORCAS! Woohoo, shouts and screams and again for the first time in their lives a pod of feeding Killer Whales were literally within arm's 10

reach. A couple of babies included, these whales put on a thrilling show for all. I couldn’t believe our good fortune and sent up a mighty big thanks to Mother Nature above and King Neptune below for imprinting on these children this wonderful day. We had heard that Awesome was having her own joyful day. The kids on board and parents had caught and released a large striped marlin and spent great fun running along with a dancing school of dolphin. Good sense overtook us and we headed back to the dock and finished up the afternoon with a pool party at our East Cape Casas & RV Resort. I’m not sure we’d ever had before so many people happy, tired children in the pool. And speaking of happy and content. I knew since my beginning in the fishing business 11 years ago about the disparity that occurred between the men who worked on the sea and their families who never went on the sea. I had determined a decade ago to try and right that. I wanted to give the moms and the kids a firsthand chance to experience a fishing day on this extraordinary water, a place I am always reminded that Jacques Cousteau called ‘The World’s Aquarium’. They now have experienced it personally, up close, and I couldn’t be more happy. FUN MEXICAN FACTS 

The official name of Mexico is Estados Únidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States).

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Mexico introduced chocolate, corn, and chilies to the world.

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Mexico is home to a very rare rabbit called the volcano rabbit which lives near Mexican volcanoes.

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The largest wildcat in North America is the jaguar, which can be found in Mexico's southern jungles. Dec/Jan

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Traditional Holidays in Mexico The people of Mexico love their special holidays! Calendars are marked almost every month of the year with a date celebrating an important event. Some are religious in nature and others are focused on a date specific to Mexico’s history. The following holidays should keep all of us busy saying “adios” to 2013 and “hola” to 2014…. December 12, 2013

Dia de Guadalupe honors the patron Saint of Mexico who visited Juan Diego on a hill near Mexico City. This event is seen as bonding Catholic and Mexican traditions.

December 16-24, 2013 Los Posadas celebrating the journey of Mary and Joseph on their way to find the manger. People in the villages carry candles as they go from door to door asking to come in. They are turned away until one door is opened and they are all invited in to join in a fiesta. Noche Buena is celebrated on Christmas Eve. December 25, 2013

Navidad the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

January 1, 2014

Año Nuevo New Year’s Day.

January 6, 2014

Dia de los Reyes Twelfth Night – Gifts of the Magi to the baby Jesus.

February 2, 2014

Dia de Candelaria Marks the end of the Christmas season. If you find the “baby Jesus” in the special cake it’s your turn to provide the tamales next year.

February 5, 2014

Dia de la Constituition Document written after the end of the Revolution.

February 24, 2014

Dia de la Bandera History of the Mexican Flag.

March 21, 2014

Benito Juarez birthday First indio Presidente of Mexico.

May 1, 2014

Dia de Trabajo World Labor Day.

May 5, 2014

Cinco de Mayo victory against the French at the battle of Puebla.

May 6, 2014

La Paz Founder’s Days The second largest celebrtion in La Paz, BCS.

May 10, 2014

Dia de las Madres

June date varies

Dia del Padre Father’s Day.

Sept. 16, 2014

Dia de “El Grito” The cry for freedom from Spain on Sept. 15th.

Nov. 1&2, 2014

Dia de los Muertos Since pre-Columbian times. Families celebrate their ancestors.

Nov. 20, 2014

Dia de Revolución Celebrates the Revolution of 1910 which brought Mexico a more democratic constitution and land reform.

Dec/Jan

Mother’s Day (always on May 19th.

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Foreign Correspondent in LA Blue Legs, Blue Eggs By JoAnn Hyslop

“urban craze” has hit LA County, a craze that was unthinkable years ago. Chickens are being raised in backyard coops from Altadena to Sherman Oaks (hens NOT roosters). Bags of feed grace the shelves of outdoor garden sheds. Flukers freeze-dried Meal Worms have been purchased as “chicken snacks”. Neighbors share chicken stories at cocktail parties. The backyard chicken idea became a reality in our family when Holly and Steve decided to check out designs for the latest style in chicken housing. I was given a tour of the chicken abode in the corner of their backyard in Altadena recently.

Three American Breed hens (one with light blue legs) clucked loudly as they do a “Michael Jackson” shuffle-scratch across the dirt floor of the chicken run which features a large area with sawdust, a water bowl and fresh veggies. When the hens paused and gave me the once-over, they apparently determined that I was not there to feed them, so they went back to the pecking and scratching routine. Next Holly took me to the sleeping/egg laying room and opened the door, where I spotted a small blue egg. “Blue! I said…how does that happen?” Holly replied, “Blue legs-blue eggs, a standard in the industry.” My daughter … the urban farmer! JAH

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The Intimate and True Adventures of El Ballenero Episode 3: The Whales of Hawaii By:Urmas Kaldveer,PhD

Two years after my adventures in The Channel Islands with the humpbacks and blue whales of the east pacific breeding population (the very same that I would encounter again here in Mexico six years later to study for the following 10 years)) we at Pelagikos (a world marine research organization) were contracted to act as the lab platform for Cornell University’s monitoring of the humpbacks in Hawaii during the ATOC experiment. This was the first serious attempt to determine sea temperature change in the north pacific as the ocean warmed due to climate change. The “lab platform” was to be our 84’ sailing schooner Dariabar. The methodology was to submerge a large sound box at a depth of 8,000’ off of the island of Kauai and send a sound wave through the ocean in all directions to be picked up by various sensors positioned around the north pacific. Knowing the time of emittance of the “big” sound and the speed of its movement through the water, the temperature could be calculated. Dr. Chris Clark at Cornell University was concerned that the sound would disturb and possibly damage the humpbacks in the area (this being the largest breeding/calving ground in the north pacific). Chris and his crew of graduate students joined us once we had made the passage from San Francisco and we monitored the humpback behavior in the area with surface and underwater observation by sight and sound. While crossing the east pacific to Hawaii we also made plankton trawls and observed any whale movement between California and Hawaii. The only whale we did encounter was a lone sperm whale about 600 miles out from northern Baja and was unable to make a positive ID. On our 10th day out from San Francisco we sailed right into a full gale that had been churned up by the sudden appearance of an

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El Nino that year. It hit us at mid-night just as I took my turn at the helm and for the next half hour we fought to get down 3,000 sq. ft. of sail, keep our bow to the wind (60 mph), rolled in 20’ swells breaking over the storm bridge and in general had a rather uncomfortable ride. The storm abated some 8 hours later with us 90 miles off course with a torn mainsail but otherwise in good cheer. Being the most novice of the crew I had of course drawn “dogwatch” (2X 12:00 – 4:00) and as it being my first passage and first Beaufort 8 storm at sea, I can tell you that I was ‘seasoned” quickly. We arrived in Hilo, Hawaii a few days later and were the talk of the harbor seeing as two sailing boats had been lost during that same storm. From Hilo we sailed past Maui and Molokai and then made port at Kauai where we would be stationed for six months. From Nawiliwili harbor at Kauai we would sail out for ten day periods deploying “sona bouys,” tracking humpbacks, recording song - and using the latest declassified anti-submarine hydrophone arrays - observe their movement in real time as the big sound was emitted. We would then come in for three to four days of R & R and then out again. It was during this time that I became a relatively adept sailor and also had a chance to watch Dr. Clark and his crew carry out their mission. This was a new roll for me because on previous expeditions with Pelagikos I had gone as Director of research and not crewman. It was also the first time I had an extended opportunity to “relate” to the humpbacks, including my first “close encounter” with a whale in my kayak. There is a story to all of these and they are all available in my book. We had many adventures in Hawaii those six months and I consider that time as right up there with the three most adventurous, exhilarating, growing experiences in my life – and I was 58! I believe it was during this expedition that I began to see my life somehow inexorably tied in with “The Whale People.” This was 1998 Continued on page 14 11

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Catch 'Em All By Jorge Bergin In the early 1900s there were rare sightings in the Gulf of California, in the open Pacific ocean and in bays and estuaries near the coast of Mexico. Fishermen in small boats reported seeing these boils or pile ups of fish feeding on the surface in such great numbers that the writhing, slashing tons of marine biomass was pushed above the water to form a hill or mound of prey and predator. Yellowtail jacks, skipjacks in roaming shoals of thousands might have encountered an unbelievably large school of sardines, anchovettas and other baitfish. The sound and fury of the feeding frenzy may have drawn huge herds of dolphin, perhaps orcas and sharks which joined the melee until it became more than the sum of its parts and literally burst through the surface to become a transitory island of fish flesh that rose then disappeared as fast as it had formed. As Mexico began to realize and appreciate the grand scale of this virtually unused natural resource, it put in place a rough plan to have and husband, from Brownsville to Belize, from Tijuana to Guatemala, what would soon become as important as corn and cane. It proved to be the perfect kind of saleable resource they did not have to share with farmers or ganaderos. While Mexico was setting up systems to sell marine life and permits to harvest, weekend fishermen from the U.S. were taking as many

fish as they could hook, clean and transport without a single thought to common sense self limits. The word along the border and all over the U.S. was “Catch as many as you like.” Finally formal Leyes y codicos de Mexico Pesca was written, refined (16th edition now) to include sport and commercial limits and the Mexican fishing license was born. My copy of the 15th edition of the law convinces me congress has a good grasp on how the resource should be treated --- too bad few regulators or anglers do not make good use of it. The government allows the buyers to harvest their own marine life; reminds me of U.S. roadside fruit farms that let buyers pick the fruit from the tree. Fish are difficult to store and transport but easy to catch – a very liquid asset indeed. Back to the roadside farm: the sign is the contract; “Pick your own Apples” for sale. The farmer would be out of business if he allowed the buyers to not only pick their own apples but to dig up the trees and the topsoil they grow in, haul them off with the apples. Some farmers may not be good businessmen and this ruinous situation could shut them down for lack of policing the picking process. That’s Mexico in a nutshell. The laws could be perfect for protection and advancement of marine resources but the laws are very seldom enforced. This awful situation is only possible if a lot of people are living the model of a “Look the other way” society. Continued on page 25

Recycle and share with a friend or better yet read online at www.eastcapearts.com Continued from page 12 under one kilo – restaurants serve the tasty fish It’s simple and pervasive --- “If I look the other cooked and presented whole – so the market way, you must pay me. We both get what we place encourages them to catch and kill immawant with little risk and nobody is hurt.” They ture fish. consider that a victimless crime but they might There is little outcry about who and what is deas well be breaking into the Mexican treasury. pleting the waters, law enforcement aside. An The moral aspect of these unlawful acts or occasional story with photos shocks but only for omissions is clouded further because much of a day or two --- they catch a factory ship with 30 the resource is transient and travels other seas, tons of baby marlin, small seiners with no perother waters. mits with 10 tons of dorado and everybody With or withknows those things go on every day in every out chicanery way in all the waters that touch Mexico. the bycatch If there is good news I personally believe public problem is awareness and fair play are increasing. For not easily every avaricious scofflaw there are legions of solved. There fishermen of every stripe who set personal reis a huge and sponsibility bars ever higher to help the fishery, natural loss of to play by the rules, to help others see into a prohibited sad future, a sea without fish. specie fish inherent in the process -- until and unless invention and a new morality steps in to capture only the fish for which you have permits while you release the bycatch unharmed the damage continues. Some parts of the law make little sense. Sportfisher licensees are prohibited from cleaning the fish on the boat so inspectors can clearly identify species included in the daily limit. That leaves lucky anglers a choice, the roadside or the nearest landfill instead of returning that protein to the sea to be made good use of by marine scavengers. Most charter boats hoping for billfish spread the bait/lures out trolling with 12 rods while the law allows only one rod per angler, (with a single hook). One of the most favored bait for all game and bottom fish is squid but that’s a mollusk on the no capture list. (the law is basically ignored by all Mexican and gringo private recreation and charter fishermen). Hand line bottom fishing co op members receive the highest price f or Huachinango

Dec/Jan

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Senor Coyote and the Cheese A Mexican Folktale One night, when a full moon was shining rightly in the sky, Senor Coyote crept up to Conejo (Kone-A-hoh), the rabbit. Conejo was sitting at the edge of a pond. Senor Coyote said, "Conejo, I have you, and I am going to eat you, pronto!"

How To Type Special Spanish Characters On Your PC Keyboard Did you ever wonder how you can type those special accented Spanish characters on your PC computer keyboard, even if you have just a standard U.S. keyboard? Turn on Num Lock and hold down the ALT key while entering the three digits on the numbers pad using your number keys: é á í ó ú ñ ¡ ¿ ü

= = = = = = = = =

For the ñ, hold down the Option key while you type the n; release and type n again. ñ = Opt + n, then n ¡ = Opt + 1 ¿ = Opt + shift +?

There, gleaming in the black pond, was something that looked like a big, round, delicious, yellow cheese. "Do you like cheese?" asked Conejo.

To place the dieresis over the u, hold down the Option key while pressing the u key; release and type u again. ü = Opt + u, then u

"I love cheese," said Senor Coyote. "Swim out, then, and get it," Conejo said. "I'd go myself, but I can't swim. While you get the cheese, I'll get some tortillas, and we'll have a fiesta." "How do I know you'll be here when I come out of the pond?" asked Coyote.

ALT + 130 ALT + 160 ALT + 161 ALT + 162 ALT + 163 ALT + 164 ALT + 173 ALT + 168 ALT + 129

"I've been watching this cheese for hours," Conejo said. "Do you think I'd leave it all for you? Hurry, I'm hungry." Senor Coyote jumped into the pond and swam toward the cheese. But the cheese stayed ahead of him. Every time he lunged for it and snapped his jaws to catch it, pond water rushed into his mouth, and he coughed and spluttered. Senor Coyote's eyes filled with water, and he had to blink them many times to see the cheese.

To get accents on the MAC, hold down the Option key, and while holding it down, type the letter e; then release those keys and type the letter that you want the accent to appear on: é á í ó ú

"Wait," said Conejo. "Do you see this fine cheese in the pond?"

His heart pounded from the effort of swimming. Finally, disgusted, he gave up and swam to shore and shook the water from his fur. Of course, Conejo was gone. He had tricked Coyote.

= Opt + e, then e = Opt + e, then a = Opt + e, then i = Opt + e, then o = Opt + e, then u

Senor Coyote lifted his head to the big, round, yellow moon in the sky and howled in anger and frustration. He went hungry that night. Dec/Jan

Dec/Jan

Sense of Place by John David Lionel Brooke My favorite place is this place, facing briny bountiful green sea, salty air on my tongue tip taste, breathing clean ocean ozone breeze, Swim off deserted white beaches, bare legs sting from a gritty gust, high float mauve mountain reaches, below lies low down desert dust, Green fountains sprout after rain, cacti, succulents, torotes, boojums, suddenly flowery, white pulmaria came, blooming clouds of divine perfumes, Hilarious hibiscus in circus paint, lures iridescent feathered hummers, raucous bird songs, would taint a saint, barking dogs, mooing cows, both bummers, Silent serpents, lazy lizards, hide, from blazing daylight and so do I, In ambient moonlight, with rising tide, think infinity, heavenly bodies, sigh, Feelings, music, vision has no season, for a happy heart, there is no place to go, my sense of place, this place, I reason, where the land ends at Baja, Mexico.

Recycle and share with a friend or better yet read online at www.eastcapearts.com Continued from page 11 and oddly enough it would be my last contact with the humpbacks for another six years. What was happening during that time was my discovery of Baja California Sur and the East Cape. Through a series of what seemed unrelated events I ended up on the East Cape for an extended 6 month stay and a whole new chapter in my l if e began. My book, THE OTHERS “The Whale People”: A Personal Journey of discovery, Transformation and Healing is available online at Balboa Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. There are some copies also available locally at the office of Homes and Land Realty and also the Baja Beach Company at The Plaza del Pueblo in Los Barriles.

The History of the Mexican Flag One of the most important national holidays in Mexico is the celebration of the national flag. Many historians consider the first Mexican flag to be the Standard of the Virgin Guadalupe, which was carried by Miguel Hidalgo during the Grito de Dolores on September 16, 1810. Although the design of the flag as we know it today, has changed four times, the colors of the flag, green, white and red have remained the same throughout its history. In the beginning the color green stood for independence from Spain. The color white stood for the Roman Catholic faith and the color red for the union between Europe and the Americas. Under the presidency of Benito Juarez, the meanings changed to: green for hope, white for unity and red for the blood of national heroes. Today, Article 3 of the Flag Law does not give official symbolism to any of the colors.

Recycle and share with a friend or better yet read online at www.eastcapearts.com Continued from page 16 on high ground in case of flooding. We continually monitored the weather report. We mapped out an escape route in case the water level got to high. We were set! As the wind got stronger and the rain fell harder, people began showing up at the hotel. We gathered under the roof of the pool-side bar to have a drink and exchange stories. Someone said, "Let's have a hurricane party." We all agreed and pulled together our food and drinks. After a while, no one cared about the storm. We all figured we were prepared and there was nothing we could do about it, so why not have a party.

~ Walter is a retired U.S. Army historian and former editor of East Capers. He currently works as a freelance writer and editor. You can see some of his work at: www.wzaponline.com.

Mourning Customs From Mexican-American Folklore by John O. West

The most disturbing rite of passage, death, has strict rules of behavior among traditional Mexican families. Early in this century, formal or personal invitations to a funeral were given (seldom via newspaper announcement), and only men went to the cemetery. Mirrors and photographs of the deceased were covered or turned to face the wall, and musical instruments were put out of sight. The women in the family went into deep morning, never appearing in public except at church, for a full year. The customary strip of black crepe tied to the door was never untied, but simply weathered away.

The coat of arms in the center of the flag was inspired by Aztec legend. The Aztec people were a nomadic tribe who wandered throughout Mexico for over 200 years in search of a sign indicating the precise spot upon which to build their capital. Their war god, Huitzilopochtli, had commanded them to find an eagle perched atop a Nopal cactus growing on a rock submerged in a lake. The eagle would have a serpent trapped in its beak. During their travels they found the promised sign on a small island in Lake Texcoco where they founded Tenochtitlan, their new capital.

~ Note: This story and many others can be found in the East Capers “Tenth Anniversary Anthology” published by the Asociación de Artes del Mar de Cortez A.C. The 163 page book is available at Amazon.com. Type East Capers Anthology in the search window. It makes a great gift.

Dec/Jan

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Vitamins and the Skin

Cabo Pulmo Undersea by John David Lionel Brooke

By Connie Heinen

Vitamins

Surfing waves above roll over and over and over me Minnows mass then act as one weaving living drapes Quick silver rippling ceiling shows where air is sea Shields schools of psychedelic show stopper shapes

are found naturally in organic food substances, in plants and animals. They are needed to ensure the proper functioning of all organs. They also contribute to the body's cell metabolism. Vitamin supplements taken on a regular basis will help the body cope with daily environmental and emotional stresses.

Million minnows act fast as one weaving living drapes Above the bottom where oysters dream in their bed Fin vast schools of psychedelic show stopping shapes Lobsters under rocks their antennas twitch in dread

Topical application of vitamins can provide the skin with local vitamin concentrations which are considerably higher than those normally obtained by oral ingestion. Topical application of vitamins on the skin helps to prevent, retard, or arrest certain degenerative changes associated with the aging process: dry, scaly skin, wrinkles, hyper pigmentation.

Above the bottom many oysters dream in their beds Jet propelled octopi fly streaming flaccid legs behind Hidden lobsters waving long antennas on their heads Camouflaged fishy anglers advertise bait for the blind Jet propelled octopi fly streaming flaccid legs behind Quick silver quivering panoply marks Air Ocean Sea Camouflaged fish wriggle fake bait for unwary to find Surfing waves above roll over and over, and over me

Vitamin A will improve the skin's elasticity and regenerate prematurely aged skin, contributing to a more youthful, smoother appearance. It normalizes the skin's cell renewal process and counteracts dry, scaly skin. It also enhances collagen production, thereby resulting in firmer skin. Collagen is the substance that holds all the cells in our body together. This connective tissue is the ''mattress'' for younger looking skin. Strong, healthy connective tissue protects the thin cell walls from invasion by environmental toxins.

are called anti-oxidants and include Vitamins A, C, and E. They neutralize the damaging effects of ''free radicals'' and help skin to cope with environmental influences. One of the main causes of ''free radicals'' is sun exposure. Be sure to use a sun block with both UVA and UVB protect tion. A combination of internal and external measures is necessary to achieve optimum health and beauty. Beauty from the inside is determined by a well-balanced diet, healthy lifestyle and positive attitude. Externally, professional skin care treatments, topical product application and personal hygiene will provide the finishing touches needed for a healthy, youthful and radiant appearance. For more information on the benefits of topical vitamins and skin treatments call Connie Heinen (624) 1410422 or email: permsolutions@aol.com 'SOLUTIONS' CLINICA de BELLEZA Connie Heinen is a licensed Paramedical Esthetician

Vitamin C is essential in the health and maintenance of collagen. Studies show that the skin's Vitamin C level can be severely depleted after UVA/UVB exposure. Topically applied Vitamin C inhibits ultraviolet radiation induced damage to the skin. It also helps to refine the skin's texture and reduce melanin synthesis, diminishing pigmentation spots and significantly improving skin tone. It stimulates collagen production, improving the skin's elasticity, contributing to a firmer skin. Scientific research reveals that certain vitamins counteract the accumulative damaging effects of ''free radicals'' and help to reverse the signs of premature photo aged skin. Such vitamins 22

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Surviving a Tropical Storm An Unwelcomed Vacation Guest: Tropical Storm Jimena By Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. (With Permission From Yahoo Voices)

In August 2009, my wife and I decided to take a vacation to Los Barriles, located in the East Cape region of Baja California South. The spot is world famous for its beaches and for Marlin, Dorado and Tuna fishing. We didn't know it at the time, but it is also famous for late summer storms. Most of the time storms pass by the southern Baja Peninsula. Sometimes they change their minds at the last minute and visit the small fishing villages along the Sea of Cortez. We rented a beach house and rode up and down the beach on our ATV enjoying ourselves until one day the surf started to get very large and t he wind started to pick up. We checked

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the weather report to find out that tropical storm Jimena was heading our way. The beach was very rocky where we were staying, but it didn't matter. The storm eventually took care of the rocks. As the storm intensified, we decided to abandon the beach house for the relative safety of a hotel in town. It had a large wall facing the sea so we figured it would give us some protection should Jimena become a hurricane. Both of us had experience in emergency management, so we knew we could manage a little storm. We made sure that we had plenty of food and water. We kept our cooler full of ice in case we lost power. We bought flashlights and extra batteries and placed our passports and clothes in Ziploc bags. We parked our rental car Continued on page 23

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In Celebration of Atole By Renee Lagloire

Atole has been central to celebrations throughout Mexico for centuries. It is a delicious masabased hot beverage that has its roots in ancient Mexico, having been consumed by the Olmec, the Maya, and the Aztec people. In Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, the drink was known as “atolli,” becoming atole in Spanish. If chocolate was the drink of the rich and powerful in preconquest civilizations of Mexico, atole was the beverage of everyone else. Atole is made primarily of corn that has been soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, and is then cleaned -- a process called nixtamalization. The importance of nixtamal is that it allows for various minerals, amino acids, and vitamins to be absorbed into the human body. This makes masa -based foods, including atole, very nutritious, especially when combined with other foods. To make atole, the nixtamaled corn is ground or milled, becoming masa. The masa is mixed with water (or milk) and piloncillo (sugar cones, similar to brown sugar) and is heated. Sometimes cinnamon, vanilla or anise is added. Chocolate atole, called champurrado is also a popular beverage. Atole de fruta has pureed pineapple, strawberries or other fruit added. In the day-to-day life of modern Mexico, parents depend on atole for their children’s sustenance when they are sick. It is also a comfort food for many, and is especially appreciated by the elderly. Atole, however, continues to play a role in the ceremonial life of 21st Century Mexico. It is served at Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebrations in November throughout the country. It is also the beverage given during Las Posadas on the days preceding Christmas in some of the more traditional areas of Mexico. Las Posadas are community re-enactments of Joseph and the expecting Mary seeking shelter in Bethlehem.Year after year, after knocking on many doors and asking by song for a place to stay, the request is finally granted, and the procession is given “shelter.” The guests are served atole and

tamales. Atole, in addition, is featured at the Candlemas celebration (el Dia de la Candelaria). The host of this party is decided on Kings’ Day (January 6) when a traditional wreath-shaped sweet bread (Rosca de Reyes) is served, into which a small plastic baby doll is baked. The person whose slice of sweet bread contains the doll is obligated to serve tamales and atole at the Candlemas party, celebrated in February. Atole is very soothing, and for its simplicity, is amazingly delicious. It tastes lightly of corn tortilla, with creamy hints of cinnamon and vanilla, a true marriage of flavors. Atole is also delicious as champurrado or de fruta. Its consistency can be thinner or thicker, depending on personal taste. While atole is now available in a variety of flavors in instant form, you’ll find it more satisfying if you make it using this recipe. Enjoy!

Atole Recipe 3½ cups water 1½ cups milk ½ cup masa 1/3 cup shaved piloncillo or brown sugar Pinch salt 1/8 tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. vanilla     

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The Earth Under Our Feet By Russ Hyslop

In our last article we discussed TAMU MASSIF, which many geologists are saying is the largest volcanic feature on Planet Earth. We promised some additional information at this writing. Here is some of what we found:

LOCATION Northwest Pacific Ocean/Shatsky Rise at 33° North and 158° East (1,000 miles east of Japan) SIZE

310,000 kilometers (sq) 119,000 miles (sq)

SUMMIT

6,000 feet (below surface)

BASE

4 miles deep (6.4 kilometers)

AGE

144 million years

To better know why the Earth is in continuous motion somewhere let’s turn our attention to PLATE TECTONICS.

Combine water, milk, masa, piloncillo, salt and cinnamon in a sauce pan; Using a whisk, bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly; Reduce heat and simmer mixture for 5 minutes; Remove from heat and add the vanilla; Serve in mugs

Chocolate Atole (Champurrado) Omit the sugar and the cinnamon. After removing the cooked atole from the heat add one tablet (about 3 ½ ounces) Mexican chocolate, chopped, and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Pineapple Atole Omit milk and use a total of 4 ½ cups water. Omit the cinnamon. Add 1 ½ cups pureed or finely chopped fresh pineapple after the mixture is removed from the heat.

~ Denise Elliott is the Chef and Renée Lagloire is the Anthropologist at Buen Provecho La Paz, where they offer Mexican cooking and culture classes from now until March 15, 2014, www.buenprovecholapaz.com.

Dec/Jan

Like many powerful theories plate tectonics is basically simple and easy to understand. It starts with the idea that the earth has a cold and relatively rigid outer rind about 60 miles thick, the lithosphere. The lithosphere consists of segments called plates that cover the earth’s surface like bones in a skull. The earth has about a dozen large plates and an imperfectly known, but small, number of lesser plates. Some plates have only oceanic crust on their surfaces, some have only continental crust, but most have a little of each.

at a rate of about 2 inches per year. From time to time, a fissure opens in the rift, and an enormous basalt flow erupts from it, forming new ocean crust. The ocean floor grows flow by flow. If new oceanic crust forms at the crest of ocean ridges, then old oceanic crust must disappear somewhere else. That happens where plates collide. One plate slides beneath the other and on down into the earth’s mantle. An oceanic trench appears where the sinking plate bends down as it starts its long slide into the depths. The trench appears as a long trough on maps to the ocean floor. A chain of volcanoes rises above the sinking plate parallel to it and 50 to 200 miles away. Continental crust is too light to sink. It stays on the surface, carrying the rocks that contain the record of the earth’s history, the planetary archives. Some plates slide horizontally past each other along transfer boundaries. The San Andres fault, which separates the North American and Pacific plates, is the most famous example of such a boundary and its just to the east of the Baja Peninsula in the floor of the Sea of Cortez. The San Andres fault connects the East Pacific ridge with a trench off the coast of northern California, Oregon and Washington. Transform boundaries define the edges of plates moving away from oceanic ridges and ocean trenches. See ya next issue!!

Plates move about the surface of the earth in an apparently random pattern that shows no hint of grand design. Some pull away from each other, some slide past each other, and some collide with each other, either directly or obliquely. Ocean ridges mark the lines where plates pull away from each other. Every ocean has one, a long ridge with a deep rift along its crest that runs the length of the ocean. The opposite sides of the ridge move away from each other Dec/Jan

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Big Budget Dream Chasing By Gary Graham

Private

airplanes in Baja have become less and less common over the years, except at major airports like Cabo, La Paz and Loreto. Gone are the days of tail draggers landing on an obscure beach with their passengers hauling out their tents and inflatable's and setting up camp for a few days. You can imagine my surprise recently when a private aircraft with a 40,000 lb. payload showed up in a remote camp half way down the Baja peninsula. I had begun one of my frequent trips to Baja that morning, crossing the line just at sunup and hurrying through Tijuana. I was soon on the toll road with the cruise control engaged tooling south. Magdalena Bay was my final destination, but I looked forward to an overnight stop in Bahia Asunción the first night. The trip was uneventful and by late afternoon I was headed out west to Bahia Asunción. Upon my arrival, I was met by Juan and Shari Bondi, owners of a local B and B and fishing operation. The Bondi’s are great hosts and over a fish taco dinner, they brought me up-to-date on the many changes in the area. Early the following morning, I continued my trip down the dirt road, hugging the coast all the way to Abreojos. Passing through Hipolito, La Bocana and on to Abreojos, the Roadtrek handled the washboard road without a snag. Plenty of photo stops later, by 3:00 p.m., I was past Abreojos, with plans to spend the night in Mulege at the Hotel Cuesta Real

and RV Park which offers reliable Wi-Fi connection. Although I had ample time to make it there before dark, I decided to turn around and stay at the Estero Coyote in Campo Rene. A sec-

Recycle and share with a friend or better yet read online at www.eastcapearts.com Continued from page 18 and a crowd of surfers. Leaving there, they hit a toys over the years, I have learned there are few of their “secret spots” before coming to always others with bigger and better toys. And Campo Rene. this was the case that evening. By the time the Encountering the “Billabong Clipper” served to sun finished its plunge into the Pacific, the road kindle my imagination. As I watched them fly trek was hooked up. As I was settling in for the out early the next morning, I fantasized having night, I heard a loud roar and a huge twin ena similar toy to ferry me to the next Baja “hot gine plane flew over the park just above the bite.” rooftops of the cabins. It circled and came in for ~ a landing. As the plane slowed at the far end of the dirt strip, the two-stories-tall tail section could barely be seen as the dark settled in. Slowly turning, the plane taxied toward the park. I could hardly believe my eyes as it turned into the park. Spinning around, it stopped.

Aerial View of Campo Rene

tion of hard-packed road leading into Campo Rene doubles as a landing strip and allows easy access to the RV Park and Its small cabins. I will have to admit that I was feeling pretty smug as I parked my Road trek at Campo Rene’s. I was extremely pleased with my selfcontained, one-ton van with all Its electronic gadgetry, including GPS, Satellite Radio, (imagine up-to-date sports and news on remote locations in Baja), and it’s creature comforts, a flat panel TV, air conditioning, hot and cold running water, and even a refrigerator and microwave. But, though I have had my share of

Silence suddenly returned and the plane’s flood lights illuminated the parking area. The cargo door flew open and seven eerie shadows tumbled out onto the dirt lot into the light. As I walked toward the plane, I could clearly see in large letters “Billabong” emblazoned on the fuselage of the aircraft. Closer still, I could make out 9 people, several of whom were in an animated discussion with the pilot on how to hang their wet suits from the wing to dry. I struck up a conversation with one of the two photographers unloading his camera gear. He volunteered that they had left Palomar Airport near Oceanside that morning and flew down in search of big surf. First they had landed at Scorpion Bay finding poor visibility

“BILLABONG CLIPPER" is a vintage G-111 Grumman Albatross combining a 50-year-old military seaplane with the latest in high-tech gear. It also serves as a clothesline for wet suits. It takes the world's best surfers in a unique expeditionary approach to seeking out the most remote wave-riding destinations on the planet. The Grumman G-111 "Albatross" amphibian is 62 feet long. It features a 96 foot wingspan and a range of over 2500 miles. In its current configuration, it seats up to 13, and is equipped with a 15-foot Zodiac with Honda outboard, 2 jet skis and a rack for dozens of surfboards and surf equipment.

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