| To the rear of the hills in the foreground lies the Vizcaino Desert where the Lagoon Ojo de Liebre otherwise know as Scammons Lagoon is located. This is an arid and sparsely populated area consisting of wind sun and salt flats. In about 1855, 25 year old Captain Charles Melville Scammon arrived on the scene from San Francisco on a whale and seal hunting expedition and stumbled on the Lagoon in question and the whales contained therein. Capt. Scammon was able to obtain his command at such an early age on the basis that all of the most experienced whaling Captains had departed for the gold fields. Anyway, Capt. Scammon got his command of two ships across the bar and into the lagoon and loaded the ships to such an extent with whale oil that they could not get out requiring a wait for the winter storms to raise the water level in order to clear the bar. This find brought others to such an extent the gray whale became almost extinct and Capt. Scammon had the honor of a whale louse named for him, the c.scammoni. |
| Turtle Bay is a refueling stop for most vessels and fuel normally would be taken from the high pier by backing and mooring stern first and downloading with the fuel hose from above. However, as a matter of convenience, a local and part of the family that has the fuel concession, will bring out the needed fuel by panga in his 50 gal. drum or your jerry jugs for cost plus tip. Cost is usually about twice what the Pemex station retails the fuel for in the small nearby village but this requires the sailor haul his own and really the savings are not worth the effort. Pay Ernesto his due! Further, there is no water available at the fuel dock, and again, it has to be hauled from town and according to rumor, cost will be about $1.00 per gallon, bring enough! |
| Turtle Bay is a well protected anchorage providing an excellent rest stop for vessels northbound as well as southbound, usually in the season, there would be from five to 10 vessels or more in the anchorage at any one time. |
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| TURTLE BAY |
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| Ernesto, Panga Operator and Diesel Salesman. |
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| Morning Time, Turtle Bay |
