Everything in Mexico is a Logistical Statistic
Fuel trucks, armed soldiers, bait-balls, and Boojum trees — filming Baja from a helicopter
Geology and climate know no political boundaries. I have filmed aerials extensively throughout the American Southwest, so the opportunity to follow the Sonoran Desert across the border into Baja region of Mexico was immediately intriguing. In America, the images of Baja are mostly about the grueling off-road truck races that take their deathly toll on humans and machines at every event. But Baja Mexico is so much more than a race course - it’s a geological theater unlike anywhere north of the border.
Working in extreme environments requires extensive planning. Helicopter flight routes need to be filed in advance, and logistics arranged for hotels and fuel. Helicopters consume Jet A fuel at the rate of 170 liters per hour. In Mexico, Jet A fuel is highly regulated as access to aviation fuel can be used for nefarious purposes. Everything in Mexico is a logistical statistic.
Airbus AS350B2 (Astar) rigged with the Cineflex 5-axis gyrostabilized system and RED 6K camera with a Canon 30-300mm cinema lens.
San Diego is the start of our filming adventure where I rig the camera system to an Airbus AS350B2, otherwise known as an “Astar” in the helicopter world. Local helicopters are not available in Baja, so we made a strategic decision to bring in a helicopter from the USA. Rigging the helicopter goes quickly with the 5-axis gyrostabilized system and 6K cinema camera now mounted to the nose of the helicopter. All of our personal gear, terabytes of hard drives, and spares are loaded into the baggage compartments. We clear US Customs & Border Patrol at Brown Airfield, just across the border from Tijuana, Mexico. As we lift out of the airport, I immediately see the massive steel border fence stretching for miles in either direction, and the huge Mexico flag dominating the Tijuana city landscape. From the air, the border fence is nothing more than a thin line with civilization pushed up to each side. Flying high over Tijuana, the first impression of Mexico is not the best, however, the urban sprawl gives way quickly to a barren landscape as we fly towards Ensenada to clear Mexico Customs.
Entrance to “El Sacrificio” where we parked the helicopter on the first night.
Panorama of “El Sacrificio” and our helicopter landing zone. Credit to film pilot Garner Shepard with Corporate Helicopters for the excellent skills.
Our first night will be at a camp along the Gulf of California. We have arranged for a fuel truck with Jet A to meet us at dusk. The camp is auspiciously named “El Sacrificio” (The Sacrifice) which really has me wondering where we are going!
On the flight, I review pages of notes, maps, and wish lists from the BBC program director. She challenged me to come back with unprecedented Baja footage. I remember one of her notes in particular… “Oh, and if you can find a ‘bait-ball’ that would be amazing!” A bait-ball is a marine life phenomenon whereby smaller fish school and jump out of the water to avoid the dolphins below looking for a quick snack. Finding a bait-ball is simply luck and can burn up hours of helicopter time. The pilot and I decide to make a quick pass before sunset over a nearby island. Just as we approach, he pulls a hard right bank, and points us toward the sea. “Look, right there, what’s that!” he exclaims. There’s our bait-ball… the most difficult shot checked off the list! Much relieved, I am now fine with landing at El Sacrificio.
A baitball in the Gulf of California. A bait-ball is a marine life phenomenon whereby smaller fish school and jump out of the water to avoid the dolphins below looking for a quick snack.
Sleep is restless at best. We are up early. I have already decided against a morning shower as the water at the El Sacrificio cottages smells far worse than our own sweat. Early mornings and late afternoons are the normal routine for filming. In Mexico, flight rules restrict flying before sunrise and mandate that we must be on the ground by sunset. The pilot and I board the helicopter, start up the jet turbine and camera. All systems go. The helicopter is at 100% power, blades spinning at full RPM, just waiting for the clock to tick past the official sunrise time so that we can lift off.
Daybreak on the east coast of Baja Mexico, in the Gulf of California. Still-frame from the 6K RED camera and Canon 30-300mm cinema lens.
I feel a peacefulness, despite the roar of the jet engine a few feet from my head, looking for the play of light as beautiful golden rays of sunrise illuminate the landscape. Our first scenes of the day will be along the Gulf of California towards the Bahia de Los Angeles (Bay of Los Angeles). The headwinds are unusually strong as we traverse the rugged western edge of the Gulf. Even though I have traveled extensively throughout North and South America, this is a fresh vista, and I am recording almost continuously. The sun glistens off the water, highlighting the jagged geology of the coastal mountains. Each island of the archipelago in the Bahia de Los Angeles has a unique personality surrounded by every color of the blue spectrum. The winds are stronger now so we head towards the airport at Guerrero Negro where, hopefully, the fuel truck will be waiting on us.
An island in the in the Gulf of California, Baja Mexico.
As we land, I see the soldiers of the Mexico Army stationed at Guerrero Negro pour out of the barracks and hasten towards our helicopter. There must be a dozen, each with automatic weapons slung over their shoulder. Security is tight as any commercial aircraft taking on Jet A fuel is immediately suspect. The soldiers check the aircraft, inspect the pilot’s documents, review the fuel truck permits, and watch carefully as I change out recording media in the camera system. The winds are hot, dusty and dry. The pilot and I each gulp down a bottle of water, wolfing down one of those power bars disguised as flavored cardboard, and quickly lift off the hot tarmac. Socializing is not on the agenda this morning.
Boojum trees on the Baja Penninsula, Mexico.
Wild horses on the Baja Penninsula, Mexico.
Our next destination is a canyon area in the center of the Baja peninsula. Along the way, we find a forest of Boojum trees (Fouquieria columnaris for the botanists among us) that only could have been previously envisioned in a Dr. Seuss book. The afternoon sun highlights the bright yellow blossoms on the evenly spaced trees as we drift across the tops of these strange yet magnificent plants.
Canyon in Baja Penninsula, Mexico
Undiscovered oasis in Baja Penninsula, Mexico
Finding amazing locations is a passion and my job, and the canyons are beyond stunning. Palm trees punctuate the sharp red cliffs with oasis-like pools of blue water in the valleys. The sky is perfectly blue and the palm tree foliage has a tinge of blue as well. I feel as if we have just discovered a new Shangri-La in the heart of Baja, Mexico. I need to remind myself that we are likely 100 miles away from the nearest human… should anything happen to the helicopter, our newly discovered paradise would quickly become a geographically isolated prison.
Patterns of the Colorado River at the north end of the Gulf of California, Mexico.
All is well though, and the strong jet turbine engine moves us quickly towards San Felipe. We now have a tailwind pushing us along. This is the winter, and we need to be on the ground one minute before sunset. The pilot tells me about his favorite local restaurant as my stomach reminds me that I have only had a single power bar for sustenance.
Photos and story from a BBC project on “Southwest Deserts” in 2016. Credit to film pilot Garner Shepard with Corporate Helicopters for the excellent skills.
This is Ron Chapple, the author. I’m writing a series of remembrances, starting with 50 years of negatives that I am unearthing and scanning, a few at a time. I hope you will join me on this journey.