By Dave and DeeDee Kelly
Here in Southern Baja it rarely rains, and water, of course, is necessary for all life. Plants and animals in desert areas have amazingly adapted to life with little water.
Cactus can store water for years to survive droughts, small animals, birds and insects live on dew drops that accumulate in the cool mornings. Larger animals know where small pools of water may rise from underground aquifers. Fish and amphibians bury down into the mud and go somewhat dormant in a state similar to hibernation called aestivation. But at some point we need rain. The majority of our surface water comes in the form of rain from tropical storms and hurricanes.
The Good
The best case scenarios are small, slow moving tropical depressions that rise over the mountains and drop rain over a period of days.
The Bad
When these tropical storms strengthen and hit directly, the rain can be torrential and the winds damaging. With torrential rains come flash floods and washed out roads, but when all subsides, the rain still nourishes the land.
The Ugly
The worst case scenarios are massive hurricanes that hit directly on the coastlines causing massive floods, property damage, loss of livestock and sometimes fatalities. Hurricane Odile was one of those storms. Odile made landfall on the southern tip of Baja as a large category 3 hurricane It was the first major hurricane to strike this region in 25 years and is tied with the 1967 Hurricane Olivia as the strongest land falling hurricane in the historical record. Odile was responsible for 11 direct deaths and over 12 billion pesos in losses.
Hurricane Odile will likely go down in history as one of the most destructive on record in Mexico.
In all of these cases, in the aftermath, the desert comes alive. Seeds that have lain dormant for years sprout to life. Frogs, fish, and salamanders rise from the depths of dried mud to reproduce. Mammals and livestock fatten up.
Fortunately, here in Southern Baja, several tropical storms have come our way over the past few months, returning our desert to a colorful wonderland of green grasses and colorful flowers. For us hikers and explorers, we can once again enjoy the streams, waterfalls, pools and beautiful fauna that we have missed over the past few years. It’s time to get out and enjoy our incredible desert wonderland!
For information about hiking in the Loreto area, visit HikingLoreto.com. The Hiking Loreto Guidebook is available for purchase through our website, and at El Caballo Blanco Bookstore in Loreto, BCS at the corner of Calle Davis and Benito Juarez. Enjoy!