Sailing Tips 1.3. Sea of Cortez traveling North from Puerto Escondido to Bahia Conception MAY/JUNE 2016

Puerto Escondido

Mooring balls inside the inner bay, anchoring outside the bay, might want to ask the Fonatur office for all anchoring spots.

Fuel dock.

Portable water from the mountains at the fuel dock end tie of the marina next to dinghy dock.

Marina Puerto Escondido bought Fonatur recently and runs the docks and also the mooring balls. Prices are higher now, 40′ for $20 a night on a mooring ball.

Includes pool, showers, coin laundry open from 9-5 and two laundry tokens (you can buy more at 50 pesos each.

Upstairs pool and restaurant (upscale and very good food) are lovely.

New market opened June 2017.

Nice pool side restaurant, Tripui, half way to main road. They come and pick you up if you call foe reservations.

Marina has Wifi, best on land, spotty on mooring field.

Cell reception further out on the mooring field.

Loreto for provisions is 20 km away or 500 pesos by taxi one way.

Loreto

Open stead anchorage outside of the commercial port.

We heard that afternoon winds make it a rolly affair, wait to go back to the boat after the winds die down.

Pretty malecon and beautiful historic small town behind with the oldest mission on Baja California, worth the visit. Across the street a courtyard restaurant, Mi Loreto, excellent food at good prices. Heard that Mr. Gourmet at the center square is very good as well.

A couple internet are N off the main square, Cafe Ole has good breakfast and bad coffee, the other is a coffee house.

Provisions of fresh vegetables depend on timing when the food truck arrives. Farmers market is on Saturday.

Isla Carmen

Baja side of Isla Carmen has cell reception.

There are lots of no-see-ums in both West anchorages, we heard, so we didn’t stay.

Isla Coronados

Beautiful island and western beach.

Anchored at Bahia de Loreto, the south west bay. Large bay with two beaches. Large anchoring shelf, sand, 20′-35′. clear

Protected from Southern winds, anchorages on the East side of the island are better in North West winds.

Beautiful white sand beach with palapa shade covers and light turquoise water. Great for snorkeling. Nice short interpretive walk with sign of the plant. Didn’t do the hike up the volcano, over 900 feet high.

Baja side of Isla Coronado has good cell phone reception from Loreto.

We had bees scoping our boat for fresh water and also no-see-ums came after sunset. Come prepared with screens and bug repellant and don’t rinse the boat or cockpit with freshwater just use saltwater.

Very good cell phone reception.

Caleta San Juianico

Beautiful large bay with dramatic rock formations. Large bay, which provides plenty of room for lots of boats. Shelves between 12′ and 35′. Not very protected from the swell from the east, but offers protection from north, west and south winds. Leave plenty of room around the rocks, which divide the beaches.

Sandy beach, turquoise water, a rock beach section.

No cell reception.

Bahia Conception, many small playas within the inner gulf.
Playa Santispac.
Large bay for many boats, 30′ shelf nearly the whole bay.
Sand bottom.
Chubascu squalls at night in summer so set the anchor well.
No cell phone reception.
Situated right at the Mexico highway No.1, busy, noisy road, easy access to get to Mulege.
‘Armando’s Restaurant’ for strong drinks but not for food.
‘Ana’s Restaurant’ charges 20 pesos for one hour of internet and they have bread and baked goods delivered Monday, Wednesday and Saturday after 1pm in winter after November. They also have a small tienda in a corner and showers in the back for 15 pesos per 1/2 hour.
The food is ok and the owners are nice.

Playa del Burro
Shelf of 25′-30′ extends the whole bay.
No cell phone reception.
Picturesque small bay for about 6-8 boats with palapas on the beach and a restaurant (Berta’s, open in winter), and a tienda up the highway 1/2 mile at the next beach. Another restaurant across the highway, JC’s, basic food, limited Wifi if you ask nicely. Easy access to get to Mulegé, we saw a bus stop.

Please note that different weather conditions make a big difference for anchorages. Also there is personal preference. This is what worked for us.

We traveled here in summer of 2016 and 2017.