You’ll Love Her WayYou’ll Love Her WayStory by Jenna CavelleStory by Jenna Cavelle

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For all of this and more, we have fallen in lovewith her spirit, her ocean, her reef, her animalsand her people. And it happened so fast that we

didn’t know what hit us — we found ourselves deeply heart-broken at the possibility of getting it all wrong, falling short,and losing her forever.

As grand as she is, Cabo Pulmo is equally vulnerable.If ever we leaned into her for sustenance or craved herinspiration, she has been therewithout hesitation. But wehave not returned thesentiment. We’ve rapedher reef, polluted her waters,littered her shores and forgottenher people.

She deserves our restitu-tion, for we have not treated heras she has treated us. We should feelsmall because we are. Nevertheless, we areher children and her guests. She has nourished,taught and hosted us well.

We know what to do and the time is now…

Enchanting. Beautiful.

Nurturing. Forgiving.

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28 ISSUE NINETEEN 2005 BAJA LIFE

CABO PULMO IS LOCATED JUST60 miles north of Baja’s tourism epicenter,Los Cabos. This jewel of the East Caperegion of Baja California Sur stretches fivemiles from the northernmost tip, PulmoPoint to the southernmost tip, Los Frailes.Surrounded by undeveloped desert and astunning mountain range, the pristinebeaches of Cabo Pulmo give way to ashallow bay that cradles one of threeliving reefs (the only hard coral reef) inNorth America.

The Cabo Pulmo Reef has eight fingersof hard coral reef, providing a safe havenfor many of the 800 species of marineanimals found throughout the Sea ofCortez. The rich biodiversity of the area isunparalleled and as a result was targeted byoverzealous sport and commercialfisherman during the 80’s. Abusive overfishing and a tremendous decline in fishpopulation caused great concern in thelocal community, who subsequentlylobbied the government to protect theregion. Moreover, a series of studies atUABCS were directed by lead biologist

Dr. Oscar Arizpe to provide strong evidencesupporting the biological relevance of CaboPulmo and the Sea of Cortez. Dr. Arízpe wasthe first scientist to perform systematicresearch on the marine animals. Based onhis findings, on June 15, 1995 PresidentErnesto Zedillo declared the 7,111 hectaresand waters surrounding Cabo Pulmo aNational Marine Park.

Although conservation efforts are headedin the right direction, federal enforcementand financial aid remains scarce and thequest to protect Cabo Pulmo National Parkfalls heavily on the shoulders of the localcommunity of just 113 residents. But thepeople here are positive and last year LaComisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Prote-gidas, also known as CONANP, appointedthe first official Park Director, Carlos Narroto direct conservation efforts in the park. It’sa massive undertaking but local citizens andinternational conservation groups areworking together with the new park directorto implement programs such as park enforce-ment, reef monitoring, nest monitoring forsea turtles and beach clean-ups.

Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park — herprecious resources give rise to her name. We arriveat dark. This is my first time visiting Cabo Pulmo andthe consensus among our group is a night swim inthe sea—the single event that marked the beginningof my love affair with Cabo Pulmo.

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An Earth Kind Community —However few, one by one, it’sthe people that are changingCabo Pulmo.

Spend even a modicum of time inter-acting with the people of Cabo Pulmo andyou’ll experience a community rooted infamily and united by a common goal toprotect their home. The small town ofconcerned citizens, young and old alike,are taking positive action whenever,wherever, however possible.

A local dive shop owner speaks of adonation program he’s integrating into hisbusiness to help raise money for parkenforcement. Another concerned individ-ual patrols the park alerting visitors ofsimple rules like no fishing or anchoring inthe park. Children can be seen collectingtrash and making signs that display parkrules. Biologists, conservationists, mediaand tourists attend community meetings toshare ideas and support efforts beingdeveloped by the local community.

From friendly gatherings to ecologyprograms to simply enjoying the park, astrong sense of community is what binds thepeople of Cabo Pulmo together. The questionis, can they bring about the change requiredto preserve their home for future generations?

Conservation and Education –The youth of Cabo Pulmo aremaking a difference.

Unlike the sea, our relationship to theearth is seldom as deep, yet we live becausethe earth lives. Conservation is the preserva-tion, management and care of natural andcultural resources; a process that requireseducation and application for it to work. Wecannot protect that which we do not under-stand. In the expansion of our minds andthe wake of our hearts, the quest to protectCabo Pulmo has begun to take shape.

On the beach of Cabo Pulmo a youngMexican boy approached a man who waslittering the shore. Softly and respectfullyhe spoke, “Excuse me sir, please do notthrow trash here. This is where I live.”

A local recalls this incident to illustratehow children in Cabo Pulmo are “thinkinggreen” and working to make a difference.Conservation is serious business to thesekids and the children in Cabo Pulmo arelocal heroes. Mindful and generous; theyparticipate in beach clean-ups, sell wrist-bands to raise money for the park, patrolturtle nesting sites and release hatchlings.

Instinct and survival — The baby sea turtles’ successful journey to the seais a miracle and the childrenare their angels.

I step out of my bungalow for anafternoon walk to find a group of boyspiled atop a canary yellow ATV, armsflailing and shouting “Tortugas! Tortugas!”We grab the cameras and follow by car.After a few miles, we abandon the car andwalk down a long stretch of secluded beachthat bends around the northern tip of CaboPulmo. We approach the boys as they siftthrough nests of sand. Patiently andcarefully, they prepare a total of ten hatch-lings for their difficult journey.

The first hatchling scrambles instictive-ly toward the sea. The boys step aside andthe other turtles follow. In awe, I watchtheir tiny bodies push through the thick,wet sand. It takes nearly half an hour forthem to reach the shoreline where theyencounter rough waves difficult topenetrate. Each time they try to enter theocean, a powerful wave slams their bodiesagainst the sand, hurling them back to

OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: Sometimes called aneagle, the Crested Caracara (CaracaraCheriway) is a striking, medium-sized falconwith a long tail and broad wings and behaveslike a scavenger, feeding alongside vultures.OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM: A water level viewof the Cabo Pulmo Marine Park reveals itsamazing beauty and the rough topography ofthe surrounding desert. TOP: Local Mariachisperform at Tito’s, one of Cabo Pulmo’s oldestrestaurants. BELOW: Cardon cacti stand assentinels against a backdrop of searing reds,oranges and purples—typical of the vividsunsets seen throughout the Sea of Cortés.

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where they started. This goes on for over anhour. I was certain with each subsequentblow that this would be the wave thatwould knock the life out of them. Theirdetermination was staggering and in theend, all ten turtles made the sea their home.The fact these turtles make it this far is amiracle and the children are their angels.

Diving and Snorkeling —Swim free, dive deep and justfeel the sea open up.

Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, founded byCole Barrymore, features a full-service divecenter. Lively hosts indeed, Cole and his teamof Padi-certified divemasters know how toserve up fun and adventure in heapingsupply. Our morning with Cole begangliding through the warm, blue waters of themarine park in a traditional Mexican boatcalled a panga. Our original plan was to headnorth along the reef, but we gladly switchedgears when someone observed a sea lionfeeding on a large bait ball of green jacks.

I’d never seen a sea lion feeding before andI was moving so fast from the excitement, Icould barely get my snorkeling gear on. I finallyfixed my mask and fins and fell backwards intothe ocean. I swam alongside the large bull sealion in close proximity for such a long whilethat I lost all sense of time. The sea lion’s laborswere, for the most part, all about breakfast. Butto my delight, he took several breaks,swimming and dancing like an ocean ballerinain perfect sync, first with me, then back tochasing jacks and then with me again.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Minutes afterhaving reached the surface, baby turtlesbring smiles to those who are luckyenough to see them just after birth. •Divemeaster Carmel Lamar and GuideChuy Lucero team up to keep clientssafe while educating them about thereef. • After the adult turtle lays hereggs, the nests are marked by youngconservationists and then carefullymonitored to assure that the greatestnumbers of hatchlings survive. • Buriedfor six weeks nearly two feet deep underheavy sand, several hatchlings rest afterhaving dug their way to the surface.

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Later that afternoon, we joined RogelioMagos, manager of Cabo Pulmo Divers,another dive operation on the south end oftown. We made our way to the sea lioncolony at the southern tip of the parkcalled Cabo Frailes. As we approached thepoint, our captain, Manuel Castro Floresand Rogelio scoured the area; they werelooking for something. We steered slightlyinland to a rock cove where a man wasfishing with a handline.

Rogelio addressed him politely andwarned, “There is no fishing allowed in themarine park, this is a protected area. If you donot stop fishing I will report you to the author-ities and you will be subject to a $500 fine.”

At first, the fisherman did not budge sowe moved in closer and took a few pictures todocument the incident and show him thatthis was serious. Finally, he pulled his linefrom the water and left in a huff. Rogelio wasfrustrated as the incident emphasized theconcern about the lack of park enforcement.I was impressed how skillfully and politelythat Rogelio handled the situation andrealized that these people really do want tomake a difference. I found out later thatRogelio and the community donate generousamounts of their time to patrol the parkwhenever possible. In the high season whenit’s busier and they are working long hours,it’s extremely difficult to find time to monitorthe park.

At the end of the long day, we foundourselves on the beach at La Palapa, a localhangout that serves up great tacos andplenty of cold beer.

Mario Castro — A fishermanevolves from hunting tobecome a leading protector of the park.

The next afternoon, I joined Roger fora hike along the bluffs overlooking LosFrailes to hear the story how Mario Castro,owner of Cabo Pulmo Divers, first beganhis work. A crimson sunset exploded in thedistance. The flaming sun ending its effortby melting into the tepid sea, but not beforepainting every cloud in the sky.

The Castro family’s presence in CaboPulmo extends back to the early 1800’swhen Mario’s grandfather Jesus Castro Foil,enjoyed celebrity status as a famous pearldiver at the height of the pearl fishingindustry. Jesus’ success entertained bigideas of fame and fortune among divers innearby communities. Before long, pearlswere over harvested and the fishing trendthat followed determined the future of theCastro family. The demand for sharksduring WW II ignited a brutal fishingfrenzy in Cabo Pulmo that resulted in overfishing so severe that its impact on theshark population is still noticeablethroughout the Sea of Cortez today.

By the early 80’s, the decline in marinelife had become so devastating to CaboPulmo that it threatened the very survivalof the community. Consequently, Mariowas unable to work locally so he set off tofind work as a fishing boat captain in CaboSan Lucas. There were no positionsavailable so Mario took a job as a dive boat

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TOP: Concerned community members meetoften to discuss ways in which to manage andprotect Cabo Pulmo’s sensitive resources.CENTER: From left, Rogelio Magos, divemasterand Mario Castro, owner of Cabo PulmoDivers, Jenna Cavelle of Baja Life and ColeBarrymore, owner of the Cabo Pulmo BeachResort. BELOW: Educational programs and lotsof family support goes into the protection ofthe reef which influences budding youngenvironmentalists to get involved.

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captain. Sport diving allowed Mario toexplore his relationship with the ocean in adeeper way and within a month he becamea divemaster, returning to Cabo Pulmoshortly thereafter.

Mario recognized that sport divingprovided the community with an opportu-nity to prosper without harming theenvironment. And in 1985, he openedCabo Pulmo Divers, an eco-tour business,promoting sustainable tourism in the areathat would soon become recognized asCabo Pulmo National Marine Park by theFederal government.

During those years, another tragicthreat to the marine life in Cabo Pulmooccurred as the growing demand for seaturtles promised very poor fisherman alucrative income. Locals quickly begantargeting sea turtles, killing them by thethousands every week, contributing greatlyto their current endangered status. Today,due to the efforts of marine biologists, con-servationists and community educationalprograms aimed at educating thefisherman, sea turtle populations are on therise in Baja California Sur.

Food and Accommodations —To enjoy delicious food withinteresting people and tosleep soundly in a farawayland surrounded by beauty iswhat makes travel so magical.

Cabo Pulmo’s remote setting andsmall town charm distinguishes it fromother towns in southern Baja wheremassive resort complexes and touristmegaplexes reign as the preferred vacationspot. Cabo Pulmo is off the power gridmaking all development in the areadependent on the use of solar power—afitting energy source in a place where thesun is almost always shining.

Most properties in Cabo Pulmomaintain a consistent level of service andamenities. I spent my time at the CaboPulmo Beach Resort; a quiet bungalowvillage operated by the Barrymore familywho have led the community in responsible

real estate development for over 30 years.Phase I of their master-plan extends fromthe main road down to the shores of theMarine Park and is positioned right in theheart of the town. It’s here you’ll enjoywandering pathways framed by brightlypainted walls and matching bungalowsbrushed in apricot, turquoise and lavender.The residences are also available for rent forextended periods and feature privatebeaches and gardens, viewing decks,barbeques, full kitchens, baths and mastersuites. Prices range from $49 to $79 USdollars per night.

Dining options in Cabo Pulmo arelimited so consider bringing a few grocerieswith you to take advantage of the fullyequipped kitchens provided in most of thebungalows in town. There are only a fewrestaurants in operation and I enjoyed thefood and ambiance at each. Caballeros,near the center of town, features tradition-al Mexican cuisine and serves breakfast,lunch and dinner. At La Palapa, a beachsidepatio restaurant serving lunch only, youcan feast on seafood tacos while taking inthe best ocean view on the beach south oftown. Tito’s, located at the northernentrance to Cabo Pulmo, just reopened andflaunts the skills of celebrated Los Cabosexecutive chef Alfredo Rosas. During ourstay, Alfredo prepared a delicious gourmetdish of Chiles en Nogadas for our group.Nancy’s is also a good call, especially whenfresh tuna and scallops are available.Whether you opt to grill seafood in yourprivate garden BBQ or venture out to dinewith the locals, rest assured that food andspirits are central to celebrating the joy ofliving in Cabo Pulmo!

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BL: What are the different types of reefs?HRB: In general, there are three kinds:barrier, fringing and atoll. In westernMexico and the eastern Pacific, most arefringing reefs, but one atoll exists at Clipper-ton in the Revillagigedo Islands 300 milessouth of Los Cabos.

BL: The Cabo Pulmo Reef is known asa hard coral reef. How is this differentfrom a typical coral reef?HRB: Other than the one I mentionedbefore, there is generally no acceptednomenclature for coral reefs. For manypeople, Pulmo is not a “true reef ” as coralsbarely modify the bottom topography (acharacteristic of all "true reefs" in theCaribbean and Indo Pacific). We believethat Pulmo functions as a reef in that thefish and invertebrate assemblages dependgreatly on the physical structure and energyprovided by the corals.

BL: What are the greatest threats tothe Reef?HRB: Fishing was the main problem until1995 when the area was declared a NationalMarine Park by the Federal government.Today, we fear that large-scale tourist devel-opment complexes (a lá Los Cabos) wouldcause irreversible damages, especiallybecause of the input of nutrients andexcessive use of the area.

BL: What is the state of the Reef nowcompared to 10 years ago when it wasfirst declared a National Marine Park?HRB: It’s much better now. Fish communi-

ties (species richness, abundance and size of

organisms) are among the best in the entire

Sea of Cortez.

BL: What direction do you see develop-ment taking in Cabo Pulmo and howwill that affect the health of the Reef?HRB: Some representatives of the state gov-

ernment and many developers want to pave

the Corredor del Cabo del Este from San

Lucas to Cabo Pulmo and even further to the

north in order to continue their large-scale

tourism policy. Cabo Pulmo locals are

opposed to this and want a more relaxed

approach using small bungalows and

limiting the number of rooms for rent in the

bay. As the locals own most of the land, it is

hoped they will be able to diminish the

potential damages.

BL:Should there be restrictions and guide-lines put in place for developers to helpprotect the Marine Park and the Reef?HRB: There are restrictions already included

in the Management Plan. Basically, it

considers limitations on the size of hotels or

bungalows, total number of rooms and

tourists at one time and other regulations

involving water use and treatment.

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A Biologist’s PerspectiveSwimming in the Unknown Where Everything is Possible

TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT

the marine environment, the

threats and what is being done to

protect the Park, Baja Life

welcomed marine biologist and

former Cabo Pulmo resident,

HÉCTOR REYES BONILLA to

answer the following questions:

above photos courtesy of Rogelio Magos

BL: What is a Management Plan andhow does it work?HRB: In Mexico, a management plan is themain tool that determines the kind of usesthat are acceptable in protected areas. It isimportant to mention here that the law inMexico forbids “no-take” zones. In otherwords, all protected areas should be able toproduce some form of economic benefit totheir residents. However, in the core zones(“zonas nucleo”) of the park, extractive activ-ities are prohibited.

BL: How does silting, sewage andhuman waste affect the Reef?HRB: Silting is natural during the summeras storms create rain that fills the arroyos,discharging tons of sediment from theSierra de la Laguna into the bay. However,it is a normal situation and causes littleconcern. Sewage and human waste are verywell controlled in the town, although incamping areas south of the bay, it canrepresent a problem on certain days whenvisitors arrive in flocks (Semana Santa andsummer vacations).

BL: What methods do scientists use todetermine the health of the Reef?What is a Reef Monitoring Program?Is there one in place and if so, howdoes it work and who is leading it?HRB: The health of any reef is a very difficultthing to establish. In general, it is consideredthat a healthy reef contains many fish and

invertebrate species, high coral cover, lowalgal cover, and no apparent diseases or otherkind of perturbations. Most monitoringprograms thus measure these traits in thefield and compare results from time to time.The analyses provide evidence of the state ofthe reef that can be used by managers to dotheir job and make any decisions required.Pulmo has no official monitoring program,however, UABCS (our laboratory) has beentaking a census of fish, corals, gorgonians andechinoderms since 1987, and with moreintensity after 1997, when the ENSO causeda severe coral mortality.

BL: What are the current conservationprograms in place to support the CaboPulmo National Marine Park, and whois leading them?HRB: There are many programs inoperation, funded by NGOs, the govern-ment and academic institutions. Amongthe most successful are those related toturtle nesting, monitoring of marine com-munities and environmental education tolocals and visitors.

BL: Why is there no appointed ParkEnforcement officer patrolling the Park?HRB: It is very difficult to do because theplan was not in place and there is littlefunding. Now, there is much more attentionfrom PROFEPA and the Mexican Navy,and also a member of the park staff on siteat La Rivera, who visits Pulmo at leasttwice a week.

BL: Is there a check-in point orsignage at a nearby port that boatersare required to visit prior to enteringthe park?HRB: No, and it is one of the goals of themanagers for 2006.

BL: What is the significance of theCabo Pulmo Reef compared to otherMarine Protected Areas (MPAs)throughout Baja?HRB: As surprising as it may seem, there arejust a few marine protected areas in thesouthern Gulf of California which includeCabo Pulmo, Loreto and Cabo San Lucas.Cabo Pulmo is the only one with significant

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TOP AND CENTER: Once hunted almost toextinction, the sea lion colony at Los Frailes,

located at the south end of the Park, attractssnorkelers and divers eager to cavort with the

friendly and often playful marine mammals.BOTTOM: At Tito’s, master-chef Alfredo Rosas

prepares traditional Mexican cuisine such as Chiles en Nogadas — flavors that will

surely keep you coming back for more.

above photos Erik Cutter

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coral cover and it is small enough that localpeople have been involved with fairly success-ful conservation efforts. Even when the localsdisagree on how things should be done withregard to conservation, they generally sharethe same objective, to conserve the area aswell as they can as it is their patrimony. Noother protected area is viewed that way by thelocal residents.

BL: How did you first come to experi-ence Cabo Pulmo and how do you feelabout it?HRB: I visited the reef for the first time in

1985 and was taken with its beauty and therichness of the marine communities. Also, theexperience of building personal relationshipsand working, teaching and fishing with thelocal families was wonderful; they haveshared with us their knowledge and love forthe reef and in return they know much moreabout the living marine communities fromour information. I love the area.

Q: What do wish for the future?HRB: For things to continue in the positivedirection they are headed now and that the nextEl Niño events don’t hit the area so hard!

Héctor Reyes Bonilla studied Marine Biology(UABCS, 1990), has a M.S. degree in Marine Ecology(CICESE, 1993) and a Ph.D. in Marine Biology andFisheries (University of Miami, 2003). He has doneresearch in coral reef communities in the Pacific coast ofMéxico since 1993, and particularly at Cabo Pulmo reef,an area from where he has obtained data for seven of his54 peer-reviewed papers. He leads the Reef ResearchGroup of the Mexican Long-Term Ecological ResearchNetwork (MEX-LTER), and his main interests are macroecology of reef associated fauna (especially related to dis-tribution and functional diversity of corals, echinodermsand fishes) and the effects of large-scale perturbations(especially El Niño) on community structure.

Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Sur

Departamento de Biologia MarinaApto. Postal 19-B, CP 23080, La Paz, BCS, MEXICOTel. (612) 123-8800, ext. 4180 • Fax: (612)123-8819

Dr. Oscar Arizpe has been workingin Cabo Pulmo for nearly 20 years.He began as a research studentstudying biological communitystructures (fish, corals, equino-derms and mollusks). In 1991,realizing the extent of the reef degra-dation, Oscar began integratingsocial, economical and environmentalelements into a natural protected areaproposal that was submitted in June 1995.Since then, having become the first researcher to performany systematic research at Cabo Pulmo, Oscar hasprovided assistance as the main consultant in the devel-opment of the current management plan.

Ecología de Sistemas Costeros

P.O. Box 618, La Paz, BCS 23000 Mexicoemail: oarizpe@uabcs.mx

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DIVING / ACCOMMODATIONSCABO PULMO:Baja Bungalowswww.bajabungalows.com

Cabo Pulmo Beach Resortwww.cabopulmo.com

Cabo Pulmo Diverswww.cabopulmodivers.com

Pepe’s Dive Centerwww.pepesfoundation.faithweb.com

Reinhard’s Casas www.reinhardscasas.com

LOS FRAILES:Hotel Bahia Los Fraileswww.losfrailes.com