VIDEO: Julio Solis, Waterkeeper

Check out this inspirational video of Waterkeeper Alliance conservationist Julio Solis, whom the Broken Wagon Films team had the honor of meeting during the preliminary expedition. 

The MoveShake film series presents the story of Julio Solis, a sea turtle conservationist in Puerto San Carlos, Baja California, Mexico. In his youth, Julio was a poacher of sea turtles until a life changing mentor shifted his perspective about his relationship with the ocean. Julio is now working to protect the sea turtles by running a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Magdalena Bay’s natural resources. His story is one of perseverance and personal growth as he works to change the tide for the future of his community. 

Letter from the Producer

Hola!

The film crew returned safe and without significant issue a few days ago. We decided to cut the shoot early by two days due to weather and poor water conditions. While in Magdelena Bay and heading to Isla Santa Margarita, the wind picked up and the water conditions grew worse and worse. We decided for plan B, taking the shorter course for Isla Magdalena. The same thing happened while we were in San Quintin and wanting to make the long run to Isla San Geranimo. We had a wet ride just going the 20 miles to Isla San Martin.

While back at the Old Mill Hotel and Restaurant in San Quintin, we checked the weather and marine forecast for the Pacific Ocean extending out for the next few days. The wind was expected to blow and there was a bit of a swell. After the three of us had a chance to process this information and reflect on the work done so far, we came to a solid conclusion. With eight and a half hours of raw footage, five island film shoot locations, numerous interviews, and a bunch of good stories, we had a good representation of what Nelson and Goldman found on the islands off the Baja California Peninsula. So, we turned the truck north and headed home.

The crew and I would like to thank each and every one of you that have supported us so far on this adventure. Those of you that have been following us either on the website or social media, thank you so very much. Two of our followers were kind enough to donate to our project. Many thanks go to Suzy Uptain, Wanda Miller, and Sally Dewar for their generous donations.

The next move is to sift through the raw footage, do some rough editing, and get ready for a crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo. We will share some of the rough edits with you when we can and keep all of you involved as we move through this portion of the project. So, keep watching our website and blog, and keep following us on Instagram.

- Todd Bruce, Producer, Broken Wagon Films

Day 13, Preliminary Expedtion: Day 28, 2016

May 28, 2016 (Day 13)

On the long drive back home, we had plenty of time to reflect on the trip and sift through the many highlights. Here are some of the numbers:

• 3296 MILES driven
• 500+ DIGITAL PHOTOS taken by Greg
• 23 BOAT HOURS
• 8.5 HOURS OF DIGITAL FILM captured by JT
• 5 ISLANDS VISITED (Isla Rasa, Isla Espiritu Santo, Isla Cerralvo, Isla Magdalena, Isla San Martin)
• 2 POUNDS of corn tortillas we ate during the trip
• 1 DAY LOST to fix and repair the boat and trailer. Not bad, since it is not an adventure until you get just a little bit stuck!

We far exceeded our expectations for this preliminary expedition and are very excited to view the footage JT captured. As we move toward next March (when we plan to head out on the motorcycles for two months of filming) we will take what we’ve learned and continue the energy generated on this preliminary trip to do what we set out to do . . . make a feature-length documentary film!

JT, Broken Wagon Films director, in front of the rig before the long drive north. All in all, a successful preliminary expedition! 

Day 12, Preliminary Expedition: May 27, 2016

May 27, 2016 (Day 12)

We planned for an early launch so we could follow one of the pangas out of the bay. Bahia San Quintin is very shallow in places and there are no channel markers. While we were preparing to launch, only two boats took off, and we missed them. So, we headed out on our own. We had all eyes looking out in order to navigate through the maze of shallow areas to get to the mouth of the bay. JT was in charge of the GPS, Greg had the binoculars, and I was driving blindly. I could feel every time the motor would bounce off the bottom.

It was about a twenty-mile run out of the bay and up to Isla San Martin. It is a beautiful volcanic cone island with a spit of rocks that harbors a sandy beach. Again, I had to let the film crew off and stay on the boat. Nelson and Goldman took the “motor launch” called Todo Santos to this island during their expedition.

JT and Greg were almost immediately met by two Mexican biologists that were studying the island’s unique flora and fauna. A request for an interview was granted and they graciously escorted them around for a short tour. They caught and tagged a gopher snake during their walk. When Nelson and Goldman were here, they noted that gopher snakes and “alligator” lizards were found on the island in 1903.

The island is covered with a unique plant with velvety leaves commonly called a Live Forever, or Dudleya anthonyi. JT and Greg also came across an elephant seal hauled up onto the shore. In 1906, Nelson noted that “the island was once a breeding resort for the sea elephant and is now extinct there.” The elephant seal was once on the brink of extinction, being hunted for their rich blubber. Nelson also noted that they saw a few “leopard seals.” Either that was a miss-identification of a harbor seal or in 1905 the harbor seal was called referred to as a “leopard seal.” We did see a large group of harbor seals that took to the water as soon as we arrived on the island.

We arrived back at The Old Mill Restaurant and Hotel early in the afternoon, packed up our gear, and headed for the States.

The Old Mill Restaurant and Hotel

Day 11, Preliminary Expedition: May 26, 2016

May 26, 2016 (Day 11)

We had one of the coldest nights any of us had ever spent in the Baja desert. We woke to significant dew and it was still windy. While trying to get warm, we had a sluggish morning getting our things in order and heading off to San Quintin.

We stopped in Catavina to film the arroyo and a stand of palm trees. We found a natural tinaja (or water tank). The water was low and full of green slime, most likely due to the frequent deposits of cattle feces and urine.

The sandy wash of a dried riverbed in Catavina's arroyo.

We stopped a few times to get some footage of the natural surroundings and events. Hector is somewhat of a legend in this part of the peninsula. He lost his life on this road and a magnificent shrine memorializes him. We also found a number of Nelson’s century plants in full bloom.

Hector's shrine in Catavina. 

Nelson's century plant in full bloom. 

We landed at The Old Mill Restaurant and Hotel on the bay of San Quintin. The wind is blowing hard again tonight and may be an issue in the morning. But as JT’s friend Mark Watson says, “When life gives you wind, just fly kites and drink margaritas.” I think we need to go and build a few kites!

On to Isla San Martin in the morning.

 

Day 10, Preliminary Expedition: May 25, 2016

May 25, 2016 (Day 10)

The day was long and mostly full of driving. We left Mulege after a good night’s rest and headed north. Our first stop was Kenny’s taco truck in Vizciano. The best fish tacos in all of Baja! He graciously accepted our offer for an interview on camera as we stuffed a few tacos into our mouths.

Kenny suggested we park the boat in his yard while we headed for the Sierra de San Francisco and the world heritage site of cave paintings. It was a long and slow drive to get to the town of San Francisco. The community seems to survive on raising goats and cows, and providing a guide service to the cave paintings. This is a high altitude community with a permanent water supply. Nelson and Goldman came through here and stopped at the settlement of Santa Ana in October of 1905. Then it was a small, unoccupied ranch along the old El Camino Real.

After some very uncomfortable wanderings about, Greg was able to find a guide to take us to the cave paintings to film. Refugio—a well-seasoned man with gnarled fingers, a slow gate, and a cowboy hat slightly tilted atop his head—was our guide. We drove the mile back down the road to the Cueva del Raton (or Mouse’s Cave) where a chain-link fence with razor wire prevents access unless guided by a local with the key.

The large paintings stretched out on the ceiling of the cave, maybe 20 to 25 feet above the floor. Figures in red and black were spread on the rock; a puma, deer, and humans are clear to see. This site has evidence of human occupation dating back 10,800 years ago.

We retrieved our boat at Kenny’s house and continued on our northern drive to Punta Prieta for the night. Just after sunset as we slid into a grotto of cactus and rocks, pushing it a little harder to get to this near-perfect camping spot in the middle of the peninsula. A roaring fire and one of Greg’s famous dinners was highlighted with a good bottle of red wine from the States.

 

 

Day 9, Preliminary Expedition: May 24, 2016

May 24, 2016 (Day 9)

I woke well before dawn to the sound of a familiar buzz. Mosquitoes! There were thousands of them all swarming around my head and especially into, on, and around my ears. Greg soon followed suit in waking to the sound and JT was, seemingly, sleeping peacefully with his shirt swaddled around his head, just a small hole around his mouth so he could breath. He, too, was miserable.

We packed faster that I thought would be possible. At the launch ramp, the tide was low, but still suitable for an easy launch. Julio joined us for a tour of the islands and the bay. We headed for Isla Santa Margarita, the farthest island from San Carlos. In 1905, Nelson and Goldman landed on the east side where unsuccessful attempts were made to can sea turtle meat for export. We found the frame of a small house on the beach, the only remaining marker of the cannery. According to Julio, there were still ruins of the old canning facility.

Halfway across the bay, the wind picked up and the conditions began to deteriorate. The decision was collectively made to abandon the attempt to visit Isla Santa Margarita for the closer and more interesting Isla Magdalena. We first landed by an old pier, the site of a phosphorus mining operation that had been overtaken by a seasonal shark fishing camp.

Next we moved up the eastern coast of Isla Magdalena to the village of Magdalena. Here the crew was treated to a quick and informative tour of the village and a short history lesson by one of the town’s elders.

The village of Magdalena.

When Nelson and Goldman were here, the orcilla lichen business was in decline. This lichen was gathered, processed, and shipped to Europe for use in the textile business as a dye. It was very expensive and of good quality. The only business being conducted at the time of their visit was the selling of beef to visiting vessels and the shipment of sea turtles to San Francisco. We learned that in the height of the turtle business, they were processing over 100 turtles a day.

We left the village after learning that the fishermen of the island were not fishing today because the weather and water conditions were too rough. So, we ducked into a nearby mangrove lagoon to film.

We ended the day with a three-hour drive to Mulege, a shower, dinner, and bed at the Serinidad Hotel.

 

Day 8 (Continued)

May 22, 2016 (Day 8)
Continued...

On the road to San Carlos, we came across yet another dead cow that had a dozen turkey vultures and a half dozen caracaras picking at the carcass. We found a spot to turn around so we could slowly creep up on them to film so as not to spook the birds. A little care was needed to get the camera in place, not scare the birds and get a good shot. We may have succeeded.

The best find along the stretch of road was a photogenic patch of creeping devil’s cactus. They look like caterpillars that very slowly creep along the ground. The back end dies while the front end keeps growing. The main stalk then sends out fine rootlets into the ground to sustain itself.

The creeping devil's cactus. 

Arriving in the small fishing village of Puerto San Carlos was a little bit of a shock. The weather was cold; the wind was still problematic. We drove around town to get a “lay of the land,” scope out the launch ramp, find a camp spot, and try to find Julio Solis, the director and manager of the Waterkeeper Alliance. One of Greg’s contacts, and the Bay Keeper, Solis keeps poaching for sea turtles in check and helps educate the watermen of the area about conservation.

For more information on the Waterkeeper Alliance, visit waterkeeper.org

We camped in a nice spot next to the mangroves and back waters of the slough in Puerto San Carlos. We had a great dinner of chicken tacos with fresh veggies. We all slept fitful.

 

 

 

Day 8, Preliminary Expedition: May 22, 2016

May 22, 2016 (Day 8)

When we woke, wind was again looking like it may interfere with our plans. Thankfully it began to lay down around ten this morning and we made our run to Isla Espiritu Santo. The journey to the island was uneventful and we slid into the cove where Nelson and Goldman landed in February of 1906.

This was the place where a company out of La Paz was showing successful results at growing pearl oysters. Scattered about the shore were ruins of buildings (mostly the rock foundations) and an amazing network of rock-walled channels where the seawater entered and exited further down the beach. Many of these channels were in surprisingly good shape for being over 110 years old.

Pearl oyster beds on Isla Espiritu Santo in surprisingly good shape for being over 100 years old.

The old rock foundation of a house.

We spent time viewing and watching a magnificent frigate bird colony. The parents were feeding their downy chicks, a few males were showing their red throat pouches, among a wide assortment of other behaviors.

Colony of magnificent frigates.

Farther up the shore is an arroyo where a well had been dug many years before. A short walk to film that and the fiddler crabs on the beach was a special treat.

This island is the most visited island of the Gulf of California. Many tour boats full of tourists pass through each cove along its spectacular coastline. The brilliant blue colors of the water set against the bright red and brown of the island is truly spectacular.

A true Baja paradise... despite the harsh and unforgiving desert beyond.

We are off to the Pacific side of this wonderful peninsula, to Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita in particular.

Day 7, Preliminary Expedition: May 20, 2016

May 20, 2016 (Day 7)

Dawn: Ready to launch!

The launch at La Ventana went smoothly and the crossing to the island went almost as smoothly. We arrived at the south end of Isla Cerralvo and found a small group of sea lions hauled up on some rocks. It was as though they posed for us so we could get a few shots of them sunbathing. Working our way up the western shore (the eastern side was more impacted by the wind) we were looking for the area where Nelson and Goldman landed in February of 1906.

Greg suggested a promising arroyo, or valley, where there were many biznaga gigantesca, or giant barrel cactus. These cacti are only found on this and four other islands in the gulf. They can be nearly two and a half meters tall. We found a number of specimens that were over six feet tall.

Broken Wagon Films scientific director Greg Meyer beside a biznaga gigantesca, Isla Cerralvo.

An hour’s stroll up the sandy arroyo yielded some fascinating finds. JT was able to get some amazing footage of several Baja California spiny-tailed iguanas. They are the largest lizard on the peninsula and very photogenic. We came across the skeletal remains of a feral goat, and spotted a total of 13 different species of birds. Nelson and Goldman noted only a few species of birds during their visit. One that stood out for us was the Northern Cardinal, a recent addition to this part of the world.

The goats were introduced to this island and others in the 17th century. Early records indicate that sailors introduced them to certain islands as a food source when food was scarce or if they became stranded. There are also competing opinions about the existence of the iguanas on the gulf’s islands. This animal is found on a handful of southern gulf islands and one small locale on the peninsula. Some think that the Seri Indians (from Isla Tiburon and Sonora, Mexico) were responsible for transplanting the iguanas to these islands hundreds or thousands of years ago. These iguanas are found in that region and due to isolation have evolved into a distinct species.

Feral goat remains. 

In 2009, the Mexican government decided to change the name of Isla Cerralvo to Isla Jacques Cousteau in honor of French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau (1910–1997) who led many expeditions to this area. Many of the local residents are less than pleased with the name change and continue to use the original name given to the island in the 1630s by the Spanish explorer Jose Francisco Ortega.