Category Archives: los cabos

Construction Update – Highway 19 To Los Cabos, Baja

Posted on April 27, 2012 by howardekman| 2 Comments

I made a run to Cabo on Wednesday, my first trip in nearly 7 weeks and I am happy to report that great progress (90% completed) has been made on the road construction. They are still in the early phases of a new bridge just south of Todos Santos, but the detour is asphalted, short and in good shape. The highway is 4 lanes all the way to Rancho Nuevo and the bridge there is completed but only 2 lanes were open when I drove by.

The first hassles show up in Elias Calles and it’s not that bad, a couple of dirt detours and some two lane sections but mostly asphalted and ready to go. Next problem spots are north and south of Migriño. The detours are very short and understandable – they are still carving their way through a small mountain to finish with a straighter road. The new Pastor bridge appears completed but traffic is still not allowed on it so there is a detour to the old bridge. It shouldn’t be long before the new bridge is in full operation. It looked ready to me from a distance. The section replacing the enormous vado at KM 93 is finished and a pleasure to drive. [ read more ... ]

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Posted in baja sur, los cabos, todos santos

Los Cabos US Consul Saga Continues

Posted on April 24, 2012 by howardekman| Leave a comment

This just arrived in this morning’s email:

The U.S. Consular Agency in Los Cabos is pleased to announce that we will be
open to the public by appointment from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on May 2 and 3
and from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 am on May 4, to process applications for U.S.
passports and consular reports of birth abroad, and to provide notarial
services. A consular officer from the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana will
be present to provide these services. If you would like to make an
appointment, please call 624-143-3566. The U.S. Consular Agency continues to
provide daily assistance to U.S. citizens who require emergency services.

The Consular Agency is currently unable to provide routine passport and
notarial services outside of these dates, but will announce future
opportunities as they arise. In the interim, please call 624-143-3566 with
questions or to add your name to the waiting list.

The Consular Agency is located at:

Tiendas de Palmilla, Carretera Transpeninsular Km 27.5
Local B221, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23406

Contact information:

Telephone: (624) 143-3566
Fax: (624) 143-6750

Email: USConsulCabo@yahoo.com

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Posted in baja sur, la paz, los cabos, todos santos

México Tourism Bounces Back

Posted on April 20, 2012 by howardekman| Leave a comment

If you haven’t yet read Christine Delsol’s SFGate story on the resurgence of tourism in México, you should. Christine is the real deal and she knows México very well.

Here in Todos Santos, Baja it has been very obvious this tourist season that things have improved measurably – even with our local issues, i.e. the massive road construction on the only highway from Los Cabos to Todos Santos, highway 19. I haven’t been to Cabo for 6 weeks so have no first hand reports, but I hear that the road is 85% completed. (A friend reported it took him only 1.25 hours from Costco to Todos Santos.) The last 15% will likely take a while as it constitutes the hardest parts, plowing through mountains and multiple bridges.

México Tourism Bounces Back

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Posted in baja sur, la paz, los cabos, todos santos, todos santos baja

Diving Overview From Cabo Pulmo FB Page

Posted on April 14, 2012 by howardekman| Leave a comment

I just ran across this great advice about diving in western México and Baja Sur on Cabo Pulmo’s Facebook page.

Diving Mexico (Western) Overview

Diving the sea mounts of the Sea of Cortez can yield sea lions and occasional schooling hammerheads, though fishing continues to wipe out the big fish. Still, there’s good diving from Cabo Pulmo to San Lucas and even farther north operators are getting to the seamounts. In winter and spring water temperatures can drop to the low 60s. Visibility is lower (25-40 feet), but generally improves to 80 to 100 feet by late summer, when the water warms to the 80s in the Sea of Cortez. From December through May winds kick up the water, which makes diving difficult. Wear a skin or wetsuit for protection from jellyfish. Diving Socorro Island gives you hammerheads and mantas, though it’s a long ride from Cabo and there’s no guarantee of sharks or good weather. Manta sightings are reliable and they have a reputation for letting divers approach. One can fi nd good accommodations and food at all the dive venues north of Cabo. Farther south, Pacific diving is dulled by low visibility.

Mexico (Western) Seasonal Dive Planner
[ read more ... ]

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Posted in baja sur, cabo pulmo, los cabos, todos santos

The Ever Changing US Consul In Los Cabos Affair

Posted on April 6, 2012 by howardekman| Leave a comment

It seems to me, judging from the public notices and my private emails with the consul office, that the US Consul in Los Cabos, Baja Sur is having personnel problems and cannot offer the normal services consistently. I hope to call them next week and find out the full story and to discover how we are supposed to renew passports if they cannot accept the forms. Until then, here is yet another public notice courtesy of BPE:

The U.S. Consular Agency in Los Cabos is pleased to announce that we will be open to the public by appointment on April 10, 11, and 12 to process applications for U.S. passports and consular reports of birth abroad, and to provide notarial services. A consular officer from the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana will be present to provide these services. If you would like to make an appointment, please call 624-143-3566. The U.S. Consular Agency continues to provide daily assistance to U.S. citizens who require emergency services.
In addition, a town hall meeting for U.S. citizens will be held on April 10, at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort on Carretera Transpeninsular. Mr. Bill Whitaker, Chief of American Citizens Services at the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana will address issues of interest to the American community. He will also discuss the roles of both the Consular Agency and the Consulate.

The Consular Agency is currently unable to provide routine passport and notarial services outside of these dates, but will announce future opportunities as they arise. In the interim, please call 624-143-3566 with questions or to add your name to the waiting list. The Consular Agency is located at:
Tiendas de Palmilla, Carretera Transpeninsular Km 27.5
Local B221, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23406
Contact information: Telephone: (624) 143-3566 Fax: (624) 143-6750 USConsulCabo@yahoo.com

In case of an after-hours emergency involving U.S. citizens, please contact the Duty Officer at the U.S. Consulate general in Tijuana. From Mexico dial 001 (619) 692-2154, from the U.S., call (619) 692-2154. U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad should enroll in the Smart Travelers Enrollment Program (STEP) at the following website: https://travelregistration.state.gov.

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Posted in baja sur, los cabos, todos santos baja