Brahea armata canyons by drone

[GMann]

Here is my latest drone video of Brahea armata in habitat in Baja California:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ44dh4SyCE

[kinzyjr]

Awesome footage!

[Silas_Sancona]

Fantastic video Gareth!  How long were you able to visit / explore down there? 

[DoomsDave]

Muy bien! 

[Josue Diaz]

If the Brahea didn't capture my attention enough, the song choices has me watching this clip on replay! Excellent choices, especially El Pastor. Thank you for sharing. 

[Sr. Califas]

Bravo! Stunning landscape. Thanks for sharing. 

[Stevetoad]

Great stuff.  

[Alberto]

Wow!!! I love this desert habitat. Thanks for sharing! Gracias!

[awkonradi]

Fantastic!

[Firepalm]

Great video. Thanks for sharing!

[5150cycad]

That video was amazing. Thanks for sharing. 

[NC_Palms]

I watched it this morning. beautiful landscape! 

[Reeverse]

Wish we could grow these here in florida. 

[LJG]

Great vid. Thanks. Where roughly in Baja?

[Josue Diaz]

Len, I think it's from La Huertita, Baja California.

 

Edited December 6, 2018 by Josue Diaz

[joe_OC]

Awesome video!  Great music choice as well.  Really gives you a sense of the ecosystem there.  

 

Wouldn't be great if the drone footage can be done for all of the palm habitats?   

[Palm Tree Jim]

Nice video.

[GMann]

Josue is exactly right. The placemarker on Google called "La Huertita" is the location. The "Rancho La Huertita" and all of the land for miles around is owned by the Loya family. They have a lodge at the ranch that is essentially a hotel, and the hospitality was superb, but it is very remote, I believe it was 43 km of dirt roads to get there. Tomorrow when I have more time I'll post more info about it.

[GMann]

 Rancho La Huertita is owned by Adolfo and Margarita Loya. The accommodation and food that they provided was outstanding: private bedrooms with comfy beds, hot water, and home cooked meals, the quality of the food was outstanding. They also took us out on their ATV vehicles to all of the places you see in the video.

There are at least 3 bedrooms in the lodging, and probably more than that as the first night there was also a Mexican family staying somewhere else on the ranch.

This is the facebook page of the ranch:

https://www.facebook.com/people/Rancho-La-Huertita/100009465687714

 

We also had a great guide: Victor Morales, who drove us down there and is a wealth of knowledge on all the flora, fauna, the agricultural industry and history of the region.

Victor Morales has a youtube channel and facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Wildlife-Hunting-Services-138081886262146/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMYAZxH9dOu6_jZbQkIy9DQ

I did not talk directly with the ranch owners to reserve it, Victor did all of that. It really was great to have Victor with us, because the ranch was in the middle of nowhere and the dirt road to get to it is long and difficult. From Ensenada it takes about 6 hours to drive to the ranch. We stayed 2 nights at the ranch, which is kind of the minimum stay you can do to insure that you get one full day at the ranch and get back to Ensenada the next day before its very late.

In addition to the interesting flora, we also saw wildlife: deer and big horn sheep. Though this was at too far a distance for me to get any high quality footage.

Victor had a camera with a really good zoom on it, and he was able to make this close-up video of the deers we saw:

 

 

[realarch]

The videos are pretty cool, loved seeing the terrain, and of course, the palms. Just amazes me how robust they are tapping into the moist soils under the dry wash beds. 

Tim

[Tyrone]

I really enjoyed the video. Thanks for posting it. I've got a feel for B armata habitat now. 

[Kris]

Beautiful coverage,Thanks for the link.

Love,

Kris.

[Morabeza]

On 12/5/2018, 4:34:43, Josue Diaz said:

If the Brahea didn't capture my attention enough, the song choices has me watching this clip on replay! Excellent choices, especially El Pastor. Thank you for sharing. 

Yes! I really enjoyed it. This habitat is surely a wonder of the world.

[UK_Palms]

A bit off topic, but I would be too scared about getting spotted by cartel members in Baja. I mean travelling there is one thing, but going off the beaten path and having expensive camera equipment on you is another thing altogether. Imagine if they catch you surveying the landscape with an expensive drone.

I have heard all sorts of stories about tourists being kidnapped, murdered, or going missing in that area. It gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it. Great video though, nonetheless!

[Silas_Sancona]

22 minutes ago, UK_Palms said:

A bit off topic, but I would be too scared about getting spotted by cartel members in Baja. I mean travelling there is one thing, but going off the beaten path and having expensive camera equipment on you is another thing altogether. Imagine if they catch you surveying the landscape with an expensive drone.

I have heard all sorts of stories about tourists being kidnapped, murdered, or going missing in that area. It gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it. Great video though, nonetheless!

In all honesty, having heard such claims made regarding travel to Baja and / or anywhere in mainland Mexico  a majority of those cautions are, for the most part, overblown and are based more on fear.. than in-person experiences. That being said, yes.. there are spots, mainly on the mainland,  you might avoid exploring. On the other hand, most people i have spoken with who made trips were with local guides who know where exploring is..and might not be safe. Especially in the more remote locations on the Mainland.

I've hiked in.. and spent nights alone in places back in San Jose (CA.) where i felt more concern than what concern i might have camping for a week, or staying somewhere and exploring in Baja with a group of friends.. and / or a guide. In one area i hiked, i always carried a knife w/ me after a couple "interesting" experiences while collecting plant material /seed for study. 

Baja itself is pretty safe and is a magnet for California residents embarking on out of state weekend or week-long surf trips, and hosts huge annual Moto cross racing events, etc. Various cities along the peninsula also boast large populations, within the general, local population of both American and International Expats and offers up some pretty spectacular landscapes. La Paz, in Baja Sur literally means " Peace "  and i believe is one of the wealthier cities in Mexico itself.. Atm, Baja, esp Baja Sur is also considered a biological / eco-tourism hot spot where both new plants and animals are currently being discovered.  This is also true for other regions across the Gulf, on the Mainland.

Illicit activities happen for sure, but more concern regarding it stems from the mainland.. and even there, you're fine if you keep your wits about you and listen to the locals when they advise you where you are best off avoiding. I'm sure that would be the case when traveling pretty much anywhere though.

 Overall, i myself look forward to future travel opportunities both to Baja and various parts of the mainland. ..And not just to explore the local Flora / Fauna, bringing back seeds of something rare on my lists to cultivate / study here perhaps.. but to share experiences with my neighbors to the south.. Latin culture.. is a great culture.. Like here in the states, ..No need to allow the poor choices / thinking of some to spoil all the life lessons i might gain.  Un-reasonable fear is something to get over, not allow to cloud ones judgement.  

[UK_Palms]

@Silas_Sancona Well I was looking to go to Mexico a few years back, but was put off after that incident involving 40+ school kids being machine gunned down a back country road and thrown into a mass grave by cartel members and rogue police. If that can happen to innocent school kids, it can happen to anyone. I also saw a video on social media of two tourists having their heads cut off with a dull knife for taking pictures of the landscape in a cartel zone. I have seen quite a few Mexican execution videos doing the rounds on social media. I know that the same cartels responsible operate in Baja California. 

I'm not saying that people shouldn't go to Mexico, and there are no doubt safe-ish areas that you can go to and have little, if any, concerns. But at the same time, I would argue that leaving the beaten path anywhere in Mexico is a big risk. I definitely wouldn't try to insinuate to people that it is 'safe' and that the dangers are 'overblown'. If cartels or rogue agents spot you, as a tourist, they are going to pick you off. Especially if you are out in the open, away from civilisation. Robberies, murder & kidnapping are rife even in Baja. Call me over-cautious, but I am very sceptical about leaving the urban areas, or coastal regions. I just don't think it's worth the risk. I mean the US government advises it's citizens not to step foot in half of the Mexican states, which are classified in the same bracket as Syria, Iraq & Afghanistan. And cartels from all those black listed states operate in Baja. 

I just don't think I would risk travelling inland, off the beaten path in Baja. Is it worth the risk? Maybe it's just me...

[Josue Diaz]

I agree with Nathan, Mexico is a wonderful country. I've traveled to most countries from Mexico to Panama as well as several in the Middle East. I can tell you that aside from general situational awareness, as long as you are not involved with any illegal activities, you'd be fairly safe. When I travel, going "off the beaten path" is my norm, but that's also just a result of my personality. I have plenty of friends in the San Diego area who cross into Mexico for weekend surf trips and sometimes will cross for tacos and a night out. 

Here's a pic from Playa Salsipuedes (the name "means get out if you can" )

[Silas_Sancona]

.... Social media.

If i believed every word that was put out by our dear state dept. / the local, national, Intnat. media regarding traveling, or almost anything else it seems .. i wouldn't leave my house.. let alone eat, drink water, etc.  Maybe that's our neighbor's issue (and the reason for all the cardboard covered windows, junk piled up against their front entrance, rarely are outside during the day  ) Thankfully, most people aren't like this.

 To each their own i guess.. anyway
 
Will say that if a concern regarding crime one might see / encounter is cause for pause, i myself hold more concern for our current trash ( ..and cat ) collecting / hording neighbor,  let alone one of our neighbors we had in Florida who, after taking my mom to the Hospital, i confronted after returning to see that he had set up a one stop "shop" with cars lined up around the end of our street.. Including blocking or driveway / parked on our Lawn.. waiting for their "pick up"  Weren't thrilled when i called the cops on them, in front of them.. and let them know i was turning over months worth of evidence to local law enforcement..   There are questionable elements everywhere.. Not phased, or afraid at all..  Too many great people to gain life lessons from / share with, and great places to see.    

As the saying goes "Life is short, live it.. or find yourself lying in bed, in your final hour rehashing all the things unhealthy fear kept you from experiencing".  

 & for goodness sake, don't always trust Social media, a crime in itself.

 

[Brian F. Austin]

Great video! I want some of those Brahea seeds. I only noticed 2 or 3 trees growing here in Austin and they are very unique in their silver blue fronds.

[GMann]

On ‎12‎/‎6‎/‎2018‎ ‎4‎:‎05‎:‎03‎, joe_OC said:

Wouldn't be great if the drone footage can be done for all of the palm habitats?   

HAHA! I am working on it. Though only some types of palms lend themselves well to drone videos. Understory palms obviously don't work. What you really want are large palms that look great from far away and that grow in large numbers spread out across a landscape.

[GMann]

On ‎12‎/‎10‎/‎2018‎ ‎11‎:‎12‎:‎50‎, UK_Palms said:

A bit off topic, but I would be too scared about getting spotted by cartel members in Baja. I mean travelling there is one thing, but going off the beaten path and having expensive camera equipment on you is another thing altogether. Imagine if they catch you surveying the landscape with an expensive drone.

I have heard all sorts of stories about tourists being kidnapped, murdered, or going missing in that area. It gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it. Great video though, nonetheless!

One of the reasons that I employed a local guide, who knows the areas well and has good relations with the local ranch owners, was to minimize these kinds of risks. As far as being "caught" surveying the landscape with a drone, that was not really a concern because all of that area for miles around is owned by the Loya family, I was a guest staying on their ranch and they were totally ok with me filming there.

Baja is not on the US State Dept. website as an area of high risk. It is a peninsula, cut off from the main drug routes (once you get south of the immediate border area). I am not claiming that it is 100% safe, but neither is it one of the riskier parts of Mexico.

[GMann]

Here are some pictures:

 

[Josue Diaz]

Wow! Simply spectacular

[Stevetoad]

nothing better than habitat photos.

[GMann]

The guide on the trip, Victor Morales, made a new video of the trip from his perspective. Lots of amazing videos of the big horn sheep.

 

 

 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

How did I miss this thread?? Amazing!

[Palmfarmer]

On 12/5/2018 at 8:01 PM, GMann said:

Here is my latest drone video of Brahea armata in habitat in Baja California:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ44dh4SyCE

wow, i plan on doing a long roadtrip in Mexico soon and that is one of the places i would like to visit. Is it easily accesibel by a non offroad motorcycle that is very low i dont mind walking an hour or two. 

[Palmfarmer]

I will try and Find Brahea aculeata in the free on my next trip down to Sinaloa.

[WaianaeCrider]

I planted one back in say 1998 or so.  Somehow it die, might fault, around 10 years ago.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr stupid me.

[DoomsDave]

19 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

I planted one back in say 1998 or so.  Somehow it die, might fault, around 10 years ago.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr stupid me.

Try again, give good drainage, don't mess with the roots too much.

SO worth the trouble!