A fairly recently adopted, and semi-regular (clear weather
permitting) event occurred this week, an informal Beach bonfire celebrating the
Full Moon was held just north of the Loreto Bay Development under the auspices
of the Nopolo Association of Property Owners.
As I am on their mailing list I received an email from Alois, their
Secretary, earlier in the week inviting people to gather at the usual spot, a
stretch of sandy Beach between a now vacant Hotel property and the Sea of
Cortez. While most of the length of the
Beach is accessible on foot, the “NAP” has arranged vehicle access for these
events by having a normally locked gate on the old Hotel property opened so
those attending can drive down to the Beach and park.
In spite of the fact that Fonatur, the Mexican Government
agency that manages the Nopolo area surrounding the Loreto Bay Development, has
recently torn up parts of the access road in preparation for paving, I was able
to make my way to the designated entrance, although I did encounter a white
burro free ranging in the brush near the opened gate. I parked my vehicle near the dozen or so
others that were there ahead of me and made my way to join the other “Moonies”
that were gathered around the blazing driftwood fire.
After taking the requisite “moon over Isla Carmen” shots
before the subject got any higher in the night sky – and hearing from several people
that I had just missed the moon rise which had apparently been spectacular, big
and ruby red as it broke over the jagged peaks of Carmen in the dark distance,
I then settled down with one of the cervesa I had brought with me and enjoyed
my surroundings.
Recognizing several acquaintances in the couple of
dozen people who had gathered there that evening, I was soon involved in a
conversation with a person who introduced herself as someone who lived in Nopolo
full time and she had recognized me from the Blog, which she was a regular reader of. This sort of “local recognition” doesn't
happen very often so I enjoyed talking to her and hearing her stories of “Living
Loreto”, which was now her and her partner’s full time home.
Later I joined another conversation between a neighbor of mine and
his fishing buddy, who also lives in Nopolo, and they introduced me to the
person they were talking to who they had just met that evening, and who, incredibly
as it turned out, had gone to the same High School back in the US as the
fisherman! What are the chances, thirty
odd years later, to meet someone standing around a bonfire on a beach in the
Baja that you used to go to High School with?
Not sure what that number is, but let’s call it serendipity, for
starters!
As the moon continued to rise, shrinking in the sky but
giving everything a silvery glaze, I mingled with a few more friends and
neighbors before I decided to head home again.
As I drove the short distance back to my Home I reflected on the quietly
enjoyable evening I had had – nothing “earth shattering” had happened, just a
few beer and a few conversations, meeting some new people and seeing other
friends and neighbors – all with the beautiful backdrop of the Sea of Cortez
bathed in moonlight! But as I thought
about it, I realized that was what was special about it, an impromptu get-
together on the Beach to watch the moon rise and re-connect with friends, old
and new – it doesn't take anything more than that to remind me why it’s special
to be “Living Loreto”.
