DELAYS and a NEW NORMAL?
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of May 14-23, 2020
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Secret parties being held all the time! Despite the quarantine.
Curfew time is 8 p.m. everyone off the streets, but locals use Facebook to let others know where the checkpoints are or where patrols will be.
This last weekend alone more than 8,000 people were chased off La Paz beaches which have been “closed” almost two months…supposedly. At one point, law enforcement confiscated everyone’s picnic gear, beach gear, floatie toys and ice chests.
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No fishing to report – Ports/ Marinas and all sportfishing and water activities continue to be closed and under quarantine.
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The news from Mexico and Baja continues to be conflicted and baffling…to say the least.
Amid reports that the State of Mexico and Mexico City seemingly keep setting records each week for infections and deaths, more than 300 “less infected” areas have started to ease their quarantines. This is occurring despite warnings that Mexico has not even faced it’s worst infections…yet.
So, some areas have started re-opening. Some industries like mining, auto manufacturing and construction might be re-starting.
Baja is not one of them.
Originally, slated for re-opening June 1, the government now says it is more likely to keep things shuttered until June 15th…or later. For, sure it definitely doesn’t look like anyone is opening up June 1st. Everyone from hotels to restaurants and airlines is back-peddling now.
This comes in the face of many hotels, restaurants and other businesses, and airlines who were already making plans to open their services at the beginning of June.
The U.S and Mexico also agreed to continue with the border being closed until June 22. However, this does NOT apply to air, sea or rail travel.
The problem is that Baja is among a handful of Mexican states where the virus has not abated. In fact, in areas such as Mexico City, many reports say that the infection and death counts are highly “under-reported.”
It sounds a bit like China. Experts hypothesize that the real statistics might be as much as 3 times higher than reported. As of this writing, there are more than 66,000 confirmed infections with more than 7000 deaths. Numbers that might only be 1/4 or 1/3 of the actual numbers.
In Baja, the big issue is that Baja Norte, which includes the border cities such as Tijuana and Mexicali are seeing very high numbers. It is being lumped together with Baja Sur (which includes Los Cabos, La Paz, Mulege and Loreto) which has relatively few cases.
It’s somewhat like grouping North Carolina and Southern Carolina together. Two different areas. Different cities and populations, etc. Or comparing New York and North Dakota.
However PER CAPITA, Baja has among the highest infection and death rates in the country. It’s always in the top 4 or so. And that’s not good and has the health officials concerned.
The tourism zones of Cabo and La Paz have been quarantined now for over a month. All non-essential businesses are closed. So, are hotels, beaches and restaurants. The ports and marinas are closed so no sportfishing is allowed either.
There’s also 8 p.m. curfews and many other restrictions.
However, as one of my gringo amigos living in La Paz told me, “The locals either ignore the restrictions or don’t give-a-s#@t! They party…sneak out to the beaches…have secret gatherings…you should have seen Mothers Day and Childrens Day!”
“The authorities are supposed to enforce the quarantine, but it is very arbitrary. Anyway, the locals use social media and other clandestine means to avoid checkpoints and to inform each other when the police are searching areas. It’s like a big game to not get caught! Many folks during the daytime wander downtown as if nothing is going on.”
So, bottom line is that no one really knows what’s going to happen. There are a lot of moving pieces.
And, I have to ask, what is the new “normal” going to look like? Do any of us even know what normal will look like in our own towns and cities in the U.S.?
In Mexico, we come to fish, dive and party and spend time with family and friends.
Fishing might be the vehicle that brings us to Mexico, but it’s the whole ambience that keeps us coming back. We come for the beaches, the great food, the nightlife, the shopping, and more.
I have no doubt that when Baja opens up again, it’s going to take time to get on it’s feet again. Whether things open up in early June, late June or whenever, it’s going to be a slow opening.
Officials predict 20-30% of all restaurants will not be able to open. I know our own Tailhunter Restaurant in La Paz had to be closed permanently as a casualty of the pandemic.
I think fishing will be some of the best ever. The fish have been left alone for months. But, which operators will still be running? I once heard that Cabo has over 500 “charter” operators. But, what now? Many could not afford the high slip fees in the marinas during the quarantine.
And what about the hotels and restaurants.
New sanitary protocols will have to be in place.
Does that mean social distancing in restaurants? In hotels? Wearing masks around town or to go to night spots or shopping? What does that mean for tours like snorkel tours or booze cruises where big groups get together? Hanging out on the beach with a mask or walking the waterfront or marina but not after a certain time or keeping social distancing? How are rooms going to be cleaned? Everyone will have to be re-trained.
How is all that going to work out?
I just don’t know. We’re all figuring it out as we go. Everywhere.
ON THE GOOD NEWS FRONT! THANK YOU ALL!
Hugo, our awesome Tailhunter team member, amigo and popular driver for our fishermen to Las Arenas/ Bahia Muertos was hospitalized about 2 weeks go with Covid. It was touch-and-go for a bit.
Happy to say that he has been released and is re-cuperating at home!
I made sure to alert him to all of the e-mails, and facebook messages and prayers that you all sent on his behalf. He saw them all and said to thank you and tell you that the messages were “the best medicine.” He’s looking forward to getting back on his feet and seeing you all again in La Paz very soon!
That’s our story!
Jonathan and Jilly
Tailhunter Sportfishing
Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
U.S. Mailing Address: Tailhunter Sportfishing
8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA 91942
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863
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