(11/3, La Paz
BCS) Unless you happen to be near the two marinas that were so severely
damaged in Marty you would not know we had a hurricane. Life about the city
of La Paz has returned to normal. The sand and potholes are disappearing
from streets and other than the marine community, most of the damage has
been repaired.
The
last victims of the hurricane to be tallied were the resident dolphins at
the dolphinarium outside of town. The vast amounts of toxic run-off and raw
sewage leaking into the bay for days following the storm caused a variety of
disease amongst the dolphins. One died shortly after the storm and three
more since. The remaining three dolphins were moved to temporary facilities
in P.V. to recuperate. There is already a move afoot at the government level
to return the dolphins to La Paz in a better facility
There
are still at least four boats still on the bottom in the marinas.
Reconstruction of the two facilities is still in the planning stages.
 With
more boats now at anchor, the dingy dock situation is becoming critical.
Lack of space and the mix of hard and inflatable boats will prove an
increasing challenge to boaters here in La Paz. The municipal pier dingy
dock has not been repaired as of 11/1.With the anticipated influx of winter
visitors this problem will not abate.
Salvage
work appears to be at a standstill at the two marinas. Vessels aground near
Vista Coral are being demolished and removed this week. The task of hand
cutting, smashing and ripping apart of these vessels was too much for this
sailor to watch.
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Link to AccuWeather
Hurricane Marty History
DRAMATIC BIRD'S
EYE VIEWS OF MARINAS
(Click
to expand images)
Marina de La Paz and Abaroa as
seen from the air 10/1 or 10/2. These photos were provided to BajaInsider by
Mary Schroyer, owner of MDLP.
The yellow lines on the image
below indicate the major dock locations prior to the storm.
By this time most of the boats
have been moved or salvaged. Huge cranes removed "Baja Dream" to a
waiting truck taking it to repair in the states.
All boats have been identified by
the time of these images. Recovery efforts are underway on all but two of the
vessels.
Plans are currently being drawn
up for the reconstruction. Mary told me that she wanted her customers to
know, be it a year or more Marina De La Paz will be back.
AS
THE DOCKS BROKE UP
Photo Essay by Bill Roberson
THE
FINAL RESTING PLACE OF
MARINA DE LA PAZ
A Poem by Bill Robertson
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John's boat Gypsy is still aground on the magote, despite three high tide
attempts to remove her. John's confidence remains high as he continues to
engineer his way off the beach where the tidal surge of Marty left him.
Having broke loose from her anchorage, Gypsy became lodged in the pilings of
the dock of the old hotel on the Magote. John jumped into the churning chest
deep water with the heart of a true captain. "I got right in there and
started trying to lift it off the pilings." said John. " I don't know who I
think I was, Charles Atlas or something." John did free his boat and beached
her just north of the pier without too much damage. Unfortunately, damage
has since been done to Gypsy in the rescue effort.
Road reports of Hwy 1 from Tijuana to Cabo indicate that most of the damage
has been repaired. Some washouts and construction points do still exist.
However, the large vados outside of La Paz were graded and repaved this past
week. Between La Paz and Cabo there are a few edges to the road to be aware
of and water is still flowing in most of the vados. The desert is still
exhibiting her greenest coat in years.
There are still several boats aground in South Bay. Most of the valuable
items have been removed by various persons and the prospect of salvaging
them seems grim.
As when last checked Lion's Share was the only vessel remaining aground with
minimal damage at CostaBaja at the north end of the bay.
THE
ORIGINAL STORY
The
path
of Marty went directly over La Paz. Winds began to pick up around
midnight Sunday and reached hurricane force in La Paz about 4AM. The storm
center passed over us at about 8AM. The second portion of the storm provided
as much damage or more than the first.
LIST
OF KNOWN VESSELS DAMAGED
10/4
UPDATE FROM ESCONDIDO
Barometric
pressure was recorded as
low as 971.9 at Bercovich Yard by Jim on S.V. Sea Witch. Winds were unofficially
clocked at 100 kts. in Palmira. (Docks
initially began to break up at Marina La Paz and Abaroa's before first light
Monday. The wind at that time was from the NNE, pushing MDLP customers into
Abaroa's. Calls for assistance as the docks began about 4:45AM. Several
vessels, including Wanderlust were able to break free and reposition
themselves as the docks parted. Some were removed from their boats during
the eye period. It
was about 5:30AM when I recall hearing Bill aboard S.V.
 Inspiration
announced on Chn. 22A that he and Barbara were leaving their vessel and
signed off. Barbara later told me that had to wait and time there exit as
the docks rose and fell beneath them. A Dock at Abaroa broke up a short time
later.
Bill
of Shazam was onboard Novia in MDLP. His radio call went out about the same
time that the companionway hatch was stuck and he needed assistance in
exiting. Novia was crushed and sank within the hour. Eye
witness Tom, from La Casita, reported that Tortuga, a large power vessel,
broke free and blew up against the B dock of Marina de La Paz. "It was
all the extra that dock could take."
 B
dock soon gave way into the already disintegrating A dock of Abaroa and the
whole press of boats moved to the south. Boats from B dock of MDLP were as
far south as the Navy Pier and as far north as the shore of
Espiritu Santos.
It could not be determined if this press southward is what sank Clipper de Harro and Traveler.
Out
on the Magote John, from the trimaran Gypsy, was having his own drama. |
 There
was no long eye period to salvage vessels, like Ignacio. With the 180 degree
wind switch, the large bundle of damage vessels ended up moving north to
pile into the sea wall between Vista Coral and MDLP.
The floating boats and
wreckage gathered additional boats as they moved back across Abaroa and MDLP
to the sea wall adjacent to Vista Coral.
 In
the ensuing crush of boats the S.V. Warwick was pressed north from Marina de
La Paz INTO the sea wall adjacent to Vista Coral. Still intact on the hard,
Warwick pressed through cement and rebar at least 10 inches. Since that time
insurance adjusters have examined Warwick and despite being at the bottom of
the pile, she will sail again. S.V. Susanne was high on the rocks at 90 degrees to the former location of the MDLP fuel
pumps. Surviving the event she is now at anchor adjacent to the dingy
dock. A
catamaran and three monohulls were broken and sunk along the Playa Coral
frontage. Richard, of Midnight
Wisdom, survived the press at MDLP. On inspection of the four wrecks along
the frontage wall he felt good about abandoning his Marina Santa Cruise
mooring for MDLP. " I took some damage in Marina La Paz, "he said.
"But I would have just been their cushion against those rocks." gesturing
to the four hulks. Richard's rigging and hull were damaged along with a preponderance
of other smaller damage made his boat a total loss. CLICK
HERE FOR MORE HURRICANE PHOTOS
 Marina
de La Paz and Marina Abaroa are the two major points of damage. No
significant damage reported at Marina Palmira, Abaroa dry storage or
Bercovich dry storage. Two vessels at anchorage are still missing. At Coast
Marine only three vessels suffered repairable damage, Moon Me, Wanderlust V
and the vessel which Wanderlust V ensnarled.
Slade
of S.V. Moon Shadow and PFYC
fame dodged the bullet three times. One, his usual home at the end of A dock
in Abaroa's is no more. Slade had decided to turf his boat during a short trip
to the states. Two, about 4:30 the report came that the freshly parked Moon
Shadow was "dancing in the cradles" out at Bercovich. Quick work
in 90 mph winds by the yard crew stabilized her for the time being. Three,
about 7:30 she apparently started to come free again. Another radio call to
the yard and the Bercovich crew got it under control. Having spoken with
Slade who will be celebrating a birthday Saturday, he expressed relief in a
call from San Diego at having a home to return to.
 Clean
up had was underway Wednesday with power being restored to most parts of the
city. Twisted signage and downed trees still litter the streets of La Paz.
As of this afternoon Aguila reported the road south west to Cabo was open.
The road to Tecolote is still closed past Pichilingue. By
late afternoon many of the intact boats from the effected marinas had be
moved to Palmira or yards for repair. Some of the most severely wounded
still remain giving the area an eerie likeness to movie scenes from Tora,
Tora Tora or Pearl
Harbor
Tomas
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