A Maritime History of Baja California [Hardcover]

Edward W. Vernon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2010

"A Maritime History of Baja California" describes the most important harbors and anchorages of the Baja California peninsula by charts, maps, satellite imagery and photos. The history of each of those places is developed by recording, in chronological order, the most important ships to have touched that anchorage. The visits in the 1500s by Spanish explorers including Ulloa, Cortes and Cabrillo, as well as assaults by pirates all contribute to the rich history of the peninsula. The entradas of the mission ships, otter hunters and whalers are also described. The ships of the U.S. Navy and their assaults on San Jose del Cabo, La Paz, and Mulege are recorded. The 'Concessions' to American and British companies and their influence on maritime trade is an important part of the story as is the era of the Gold Rush Steamers. The history of each harbor is brought up-to-date with photos and information on the many U.S. military ships including the 'Great White Fleet' to call at these ports. The impact of the fishing industry, yachts, sport fishers, and cruise ships on the peninsular waters, ports, and cities brings the book into the modern era.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Vernon thoroughly covers the peninsula's rich history of ships and shipping from the sixteenth century to the modern era.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 310 pages
• Publisher: Ashwins Pubns; First American Edition edition (January 15, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0578036681
• ISBN-13: 978-0578036687
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #874,264 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Written & Superbly Illustrated, February 10, 2012

By 

LaDonna Bubak "Sailor, Knitter & Writer, not ... (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Maritime History of Baja California (Hardcover)

This review was originally written by Richard Spindler (my boss) for Latitude 38's website on February 10, 2012:

At first glance, the Sea of Cortez might look like a place where the desert meets the ocean and not much ever happens. But looks can be deceiving, as you'll quickly discover if you read Edward W. Vernon's A Maritime History of Baja California, a beautifully written and superbly illustrated 300-page hardback.

Vernon's maritime history starts as far back as when 'Baja California' was known as Isle de California -- early charts showed it to be surrounded by water. It continues right up to the present. Covered are the visits by the Manilla galleons, the French and Spanish pirates, the attempts at settlements, the treks north by the friars to establish the missions in Alta California, the various wars and battles, the sinking and grounding of vessels, and much more.

When it comes to the loss of vessels, few can compare with the loss of the magnificent 162-ft Newport Beach-based schooner Goodwill and her entire crew of 10 -- or maybe 11 -- on Sacramento Reef. There's even an aerial photo of Goodwill, which twice won the Barn Door Trophy in the TransPac, as she lies in pieces atop the notorious reef.

In reading the book, you'll learn how rapidly some things have changed in a short period of time. Who would think, for instance, that just 150 years ago there was enough water flowing in the Colorado River that Yuma, Arizona was a U.S. port of entry! And that there was regular ship service from San Francisco to Yuma. Even more mind blowing, vessels were able to sail all the way up the Sea of Cortez and offload cargo onto shallow draft vessels that were then able to take the cargo as far north as what is currently Lake Mead/Las Vegas. For the geographically challenged, that's farther north than Morro Bay.

The book will no doubt provide succor for those who might be stuck at Cedros Island attempting a Baja Bash, for there is a chart on page 195 showing the tracks of Francisco de Ulloa's 70-ton flagship Trinidad as Ulloa and crew tried to head north from Cedros in 1540. They were driven back to the island three times by storms, and it took them three months to clear the north end of the island.

There's even a Sausalito angle. At the start of World War I, 11 German sailing cargo ships with 300 German crew found themselves interned at Santa Rosalia. Some of the vessels stayed on the hook in the same place for up to 10 years before being brought north to Sausalito, where they were converted to lumber barges and such.

Then there's the section on the Cabo storm of '82, where scores of cruising yachts -- including Bernard Moitessier's beloved Joshua, now in a museum in France -- were driven onto the beach and either badly damaged for destroyed. We're jazzed that Vernon used a number of our photos to illustrate the destruction.

Published by Viejo Press of Santa Barbara, with the cooperation of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, and distributed by the University of New Mexico Press, A Maritime History of Baja California sells for $38 from Amazon. That might be a little steep for some cruisers' budgets, but if shared by the crews of four or five boats, it would be a bargain. Enjoy!

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars pictorial history and guide to the Baja Peninsula, February 26, 2010

By 

Henry Berry "Henry Berry" (Southport, CT) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Maritime History of Baja California (Hardcover)

MARITIME HISTORY OF BAJA CALIFORNIA - A Photographic Essay on the Harbors, Anchorages, and Special Ships of the Baja California Peninsula by Edward W. Vernon. Viejo Press, Santa Barbara, CA, published with the cooperation of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, distributed by the U. of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, NM. 2010. $49.95 hardcover, ISBN 978-0-578-03668-7, 11" x 8-1/2", maps on endpages, color/black-and-white photographs and illustrations, glossary, bibliography, index.

The visual matter is mostly photographs, but not entirely. There are illustrations, historic prints, and maps too. These with running text on history, geography, commerce, and major points of interest bring the Baja Peninsula to attention as having a part throughout history and today as well in the discovery, growth, and development of the wider Pacific coast region including California and Mexico. In the contemporary time, the peninsula attracts especially vacationers and boaters.

Vernon organizes the diverse material around the peninsula's primary bays. He is a retired businessperson living in Santa Barbara, California, with a keen and incomparable interest and knowledge of the location. Besides bringing to view the interwoven histories of parts of the Peninsula, Vernon's work with elements of a gift book is an ideal souvenir or reference; which for some readers would inspire a trip once seeing what it has to offer in the way of activities and sites of interest.