Slipshod, irresponsible, undependable, disorganized, out of control, lazy, corrupt, etc are some of the words that describe Baja inhabitants for many travelers. For the Mexicans some of the words that often apply to the Gringo visitors are impatient, impolite, inconsiderate and lacking regard for the culture and language of the country they are visiting. But, just like going into a more relaxed state to improve our breath hold, we can also go into a different mental state to improve our dive travel to Baja or any less developed country—- We can go into the “Zone of Tolerance”. Those things that are different from our norm, not what we expect, or not what we are used to, can also be anticipated, allowed and even appreciated when we as freedivers travel in the mental “Zone of Tolerance”. If there is anyplace you need to be in the “Zone” to travel and still have fun it is Baja..

Tim Stewart, from the freedive list, volunteered to join me on this Mexico adventure, and we got our first test of tolerance at the airport waiting for the flight to Cedros Island. After four hours of hanging out at the airport waiting for the fog to lift we were told to come back tomorrow. But, because we chose to stay in the “Zone”, we were not hassled, and had an enjoyable time talking to the other passengers waiting for the plane and catching up on the gossip and fishing news at Cedros. Some bits of info that we gathered were interesting.

One abalone diver we talked to had somehow flipped his boat the week before when his line got wrapped up in the prop. The boat sank and he and the other two crewmen swam to shore. He then took off his wet suit and wearing just his shorts and dive booties walked for six hours without water, across the rugged mountains back to civilization for help. He still had the scratches and cuts from his hike. I forgot to ask him if he needed a new pair of booties after six hours on the rocks.

A less encouraging story we heard is that the fishing co-op is now using fish traps.  After long lines, gill nets and trolling have killed off most of the midwater fish, the traps are the final commercial effort to clean out all forms of life between 50 and 300 feet deep. The co-op has ten teams, of two men each throwing traps. The average catch of bottom or reef fish per day is 800 pounds per team, or a total of 8000 pounds of bottom fish every day. When the last fish is caught in one place they move to a new location. The most commonly caught fish is the pacific white fish but many other species are being decimated at the same time because almost everything will go after the sardine bait being used.. Fortunately for me, they have not figured out a way to trap yellowtail and white seabass—-at least not yet.

On a lighter note, I got the latest gossip report that a cute neighbor girl that I know on Cedros just got married. She was pretty but I was surprised since I knew she was young. But the report was that everyone was tolerant because her mother gave her permission and she was very mature for her age——twelve. I think her 18-year-old husband has the Mexican fisherman’s mentality. Don’t wait for it to grow up—-take it before someone else takes it.

The next day the plane got off in good form and we were introduced to their new anti-hijacking program used with any suspicious foreigners aboard-like my buddy Tim Stewart. They actually invited him to ride in the cockpit. After some time in the cockpit as co-pilot of this classic 1957 model Convair any potential terrorist can see for himself that this is not the plane you want to hijack. Nobody would trust this plane enough to highjack it and, not surprisingly, they have not had a single terrorist incident.

The weekly arrival of the plane on Cedros is a little like the stagecoach coming in at small towns of the Old West. It is a festive social event and everybody turns out and gathers around the plane to welcome the travelers back and to say goodbye to those off to Ensenada for a visit or a vacation. If any outsiders or Gringos arrive the whole town knows about it within the hour via the grapevine.

In the truck to town we pass first an area on the outskirts, out of sight of the main road. The Mexicans call it the “Zona de Tolerancia”. It is the red light district of the island and the source of this story’s title. It is a place of fewer rules, a more permissive, forbearing attitude, somewhat out of control, and where people are left alone as they seek to have a good time. From my reference point I actually consider all of Cedros and much of Baja as one big Zone of Tolerance. The whole island is somewhat out of control, there are fewer rules, less government, fewer restrictions and everyone is more indulgent and understanding. This more liberal attitude, or style of living, is what allows the freedom, adventure and magic of Baja to exist. This same lack of control or haphazardness occasionally tests your patience and adaptability but at the same time allows for much more personal freedom. When the diving is slow, this freedom allows me to enjoy many harmless activities that would not be permitted in the US. Because Tim forgot his license it is even nice to sometimes have corrupt officials that will tolerate your forgetfulness for a few dollars. For the first dive day we decided to try some of my favorite places for yellowtail and if it was too early in the season and none could be found, then we could do some of the other fun things available and still have a great time.

As we slowly approached the first place where I have shot many big yellowtail, I stood in the prow of the panga to check the water visibility and Tim drove. Much to my surprise two big home guard yellows were cruising the surface five feet from the boat and others were driving up the bait. Tim was excited to shoot his first yellow so I pulled off the area while he popped into his suit in record time. We returned to the spot and Tim eased into the water knowing full well that the fish had probably passed. Within five minutes he was yelling that he had shot a big home guard. The fish stripped out a lot of the reel line and the Kevlar was so thin that was it hard to grasp and pull without wrapping it around your hand——not the best idea. Tim got the fish close two or three times and was so impressed by the yellow’s power that he was especially careful not to get wrapped in the thin line and get pulled down. After fighting for ten minutes Tim had the fish almost at hand.  Then a seal came roaring in, the yellowtail went crazy thrashing in every direction and the spear pulled out. It would have been an awesome first yellowtail for Tim, because it probably weighed around fifty pounds and those are not easily landed.

No other yellowtail showed up so we had a great time shore diving for big calico, sheephead and whitefish. I hunted two monster calicos with my pole spear for over half an hour in eight feet of water. I got almost—-but not quite——close enough. The eight- inch range of my pole spear did not cut it, but it was perfect hunting conditions for a euro gun with its range and pinpoint accuracy. Tim with his euro managed to score on some nice fish for dinner but never saw the monster calicos.

Since we now realized that the yellows had not yet arrived in force we decided to just explore some of the points, buoys, high spots, kelp beds and the salt loading harbor. The salt pier, where one big ship at a time ties up to take on salt, is exposed to the currents and often is great diving.  I like the thrill of being down, scanning for yellows while holding on the edge of one of the ship’s twelve foot prop blades as I envision the engines being started up. In Cedros, a first class Zone of Tolerance, we can dive around the ships, around the steel tubes of the pier that go down 70 feet to the bottom, or go jump from the salt barges, which we decided to do next.

The barges are enormous enough to each carry ten thousand metric tons of salt. It looks like snow is being brought in from Alaska to the desert of Baja. The barges bring the salt from the evaporative ponds at Guerrero 24/7 and are loaded on the big tankers that go all over the world. The walls of the barge for jumping are about 20 feet high and you don’t have to worry about hitting bottom in eighty feet of water. Tim cleaned out his sinuses with a couple of nice jumps and it was time to go look for grouper.

We went to a known grouper spot as Tim had not had the opportunity to shoot one yet. Fortunately the current was the right direction and the bait was there. Tim got a great shot on a nice Broomtail with his euro gun but they are almost impossible to stone. He ran through some rocks snagging the line in several places and then into a big overhang at about thirty-five feet. For at least the next twenty minutes Tim dove, freed the line, rested, dove and worked to free the fish.. Finally after he calmed down and started diving relaxed again, Tim was able to grab the shaft and bring the fish to the surface. He was very happy that the efforts were successful and the fish was recovered, but he was so wasted that he had to ask help from a Mexican youngster to clean the fish. The broomtail weighed just under forty pounds and was a first for Tim.

On dive recovery days often the kids come over to see what the grown up kids are doing.  We turn them on to activities that in the Zone of Tolerance are considered perfectly safe and acceptable. We shoot at crows with the carbide cannon that will shoot a tennis ball out of sight. We see who can break a bottle in the air with the slingshot. We see how far we can throw a Molotov cocktail off the bluff. We have BB and blowgun competition, shoot firecracker cannons, and throw knives, roll boulders and any other generally safe and sane activity, by Zone of Tolerance standards, that we can think up. Like we can build an eight-foot wall with the discarded cardboard boxes, pour gas on it, light it and drive through it with the truck. Of course we only do this for the kids enjoyment since at my age I am far too mature to possibly indulge in this type of behavior. However, I must say that with the kids in a natural Zone of Tolerance, and Cedros being a physical Zone of Tolerance there are a lot of fun activities for the non-diving days.

Tim finished up the trip with one more grouper but the biggest monster eluded him with a boom of his tail. Though I shot few fish it was another great dive trip to the “Cedros Island Zone of Tolerance” and because we stayed in the mental “Zone” we never got stressed out, we enjoyed the surprises, had some new adventures, and we lived moment to moment and let the divine unfold. There is also a special “Underwater Zone of Tolerance” that only freedivers get to visit. Don’t miss out. Next time you are in the water go there for one dive.——- Feel all strings and limitations falling away as you slowly descend; know the unexpected is about to happen and it will be delightful; really feel gratitude as part of the world you are surrounded by and immersed in; invite and allow in your private soul connection, pause, and then take these feelings back to the world. But, on your way up, you might look behind you, and don’t be surprised if you see your dream fish giving you a perfect broadside.

Stay in the “Zone”
Dix Roper
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June 2003