Spot Break-Down

SCORPION BAY

• In San Juanico, a group of landowners and developers have been pushing to remove the surf camp at the point of the epic right-hander known as Scorpion Bay to make way for gated communities and high end living.
• “Unfortunately, this kind of situation has occurred before in other places. With this in mind, our U.S. and Mexican attorneys have put in place safeguards to protect our lease,” Ruben Andrews, General Administrator for Scorpion Bay facilities said.
• Removal of the campgrounds to make way for residential development would lead to a major restriction of access to one of the top waves along the coast and end a legitimate business based upon surf-tourism.
• “Having this surf camp at Scorpion Bay is a prime example to the Mexican government that surfing does provide areas with a solid and sustainable source of economic value,” Serge Dedina, Executive Director of WiLDCOAST said. WiLDCOAST has been working in association with Baja’s tourism department to establish surfing as an important aspect that needs to be considered in the future of Baja’s economic vision.
    
BAJA MALIBU

• Tijuana's sewage treatment plant empties out off Punta Banderas, approximately five miles south of the border and just north of Baja Malibu, where 30 million gallons of partially treated and raw sewage are dumped into the surf daily.
• As the coast of Mexico becomes more and more developed, the government struggles with how to cope with waste. What is considered necessary infrastructure in the United States is often seen as luxury in many towns in Mexico.
• The easiest means of disposing of sewage waste is the closest body of water. However, in a third world country the money required to provide such services just is not available.

HARRY’S (Extinct)

• The secrecy and inaccessibility of Harry’s was what kept crowds away.
• In July of 2005, however, boulders were dumped directly into the lineup to make way for a new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) receiving facility owned by Sempra-Shell.

SAN MIGUEL

• One of the most popular and easily accessible surf breaks in Baja. Surf contests are held at there annually and the surf community has put millions of dollars into the local economy.    
• An unspecified resort development company is joining forces with the Sauzal harbor to extend the original harbor to gain enough area to house 550 yachts. The extension is being built in association with a 21 acre, five-star-resort proposed by an unspecified company.
• In an article published by a local newspaper, Ricardo Thompson, an economic consultant for the Ensenada Port, said they (the unanimous company) are “not resisting the creation of what has to happen at the port because of the positive socioeconomic impacts to tourism of the region.”
• Save the Waves environmental research director, Christine Garcia, thinks otherwise. “This project will negatively affect the national economy,” Garcia said, “due to the devastating impact that this marina will have on ecotourism, and the destruction of San Miguel’s waves and oceanic biodiversity”.
• As a main proponent for the project, Thompson was being considered by the City Council to lead a new agency that would change decision-making power from a federal level government agency to a local level private industry. In essence the business-leaders of the area would have the fate of the coasts in their hands with no political restrictions.
• Locals challenged the agency’s formation at City Hall and prevented Thompson from being appointed into the position and sidelined permits for the project… for now.  
•  “If the marina proposal goes through at San Miguel, Baja will lose both the hope to overcome unsustainable  coastal development and one of its best surf spots,” Carla Graziosi from Save the Waves said."
• The thinking behind developments such as the marina at San Miguel is true for so many areas along Mexico -- the tourists who own boats have money. Build a marina and they will come.