Sailing Tips 1.6. for Puerto Peñasco/Sonora/Mexico
We arrived in Puerto Peñasco after a night passage from Puerto Refugio on the North of Angel de la Guarda early in the morning at low tide. We tried to reach the harbor master and Fonatur Marina per VHF, but nobody answered our call, which was in English and in Spanish. We heard later, that Fonatur never answers VHF calls, nor does the harbor master.
The guide books said that the channel would be at low tide 7-8 feet deep. We draw 5.5 feet, so we decided to go for it and went in really slowly holding a bit to the North side at the narrowest part (see arial photo above). The info proofed to be right that morning, the shallowest depth we saw was 7.5 feet and we heard later that the channel is dredged out to 8 feet periodically. A good person to call and check the tides and artival times with is Salvador Cabrales, as he works very closely with the tide schedule.
We tied up at an open end-tie to orient ourselves and decided to go to Fonatur Marina, which is cheap ($15 a day for our 37’ monohull) and state-owned with run-down docks (more below). The Rocky Point Fishing Club and several sunset cruises keep boats at the Fonatur docks and their captains have a wealth of knowledge about fishing in the area. All the other marinas in the harbor look just as run down as Fonatur but rent slips at $40 a night (for a 37’ monohull). We haven’t checked out their facilities, but we’ve not heard great things about those either. Most cruisers come into the harbor and haul out right away.
The harbor is a commercial fishing harbor with all the noise and smells a fleet of shrimp boats and sunset cruising boats bring. If you don’t expect a clean and pretty yacht harbor and can appreciate hard working fishermen, Puerto Peñasco is for you. Puerto Peñasco, also called Rocky Point, is the ‘Beach of Arizona’ and large resorts on miles of sandy beaches cater to the American tourists. There are parties every weekend on Calle 13 and on the Malecon, but Semana Santa’s Easter celebrations, Spring Break and the weekend of the Motorcycle Rally in November are the most wild (and loud!! if you don’t plan to join them bring ear plugs).
We rented a room for a month while painting our boat in the summer of 2016 at the Dreamweaver Inn (info below) in the Old Port part of town, where we watched the sun setting over the Sea of Cortez on their nice, large and airy terrace covered by a large palapa roof.
General Tips
Fuel dock at Fonatur Marina.
Cell phone service in the entire city and harbor.
Limited anchoring outside the harbor in calm weather only, note very high tides of 23′ at spring tide!
The harbor master only answers to calls in Spanish, if so. Check in with the harbor master within a couple days of arrival and check out on the day of departure at the office on Calle 11 near Cabrales Boatyard.
High up in the Sea of Cortez, 250 nautical miles North of San Carlos and very safe for boat storage: Peñasco is outside the hurricane paths (hurricane season is from June to November) and no earthquakes in the region either.
Very convenient place to haul out, get boat work done and get equipment and parts from the US. Phoenix is a 4 hour and San Diego a 5.5 hour drive. 1 hour drive to the US border crossing at Lukeville which has a post office and a gas station with a parcel service (more below).
Several marinas in the harbor. Fonatur is the cheapest, 24/7 security, desks with wifi in the lobby (marginal wifi on the docks), laundry, showers and friendly staff. Call well ahead to get berth instructions as the office often doesn’t hear the phone nor answer the VHF. The facilities are clean, but the docks are dirty and not maintained – make sure to bring cockroach spray for docks and lines. Fonatur is governmentally run and we hope that after the Mexican presidential election a more effective person will manage this Fonatur marina and make it as nice as the Fonatur in Santa Rosalía. Update June 2019: Martin Martinez took over at Fonatur and seems enthusiastic to cater to cruisers – we hope that he will clean up docks and facilities and rid them of cockroaches, office 638 388 5599, Martin’s cell 638 380 1088. Safe Marina is just next to Cabrales’ boatyard and charges regular US marina prices.
Astilleros Cabrales is the local boatyard servicing cruisers (Safe marina has a small storage yard) and services all sizes and all kinds of boats up to 150 tons. They build large steel boats for the fishing industry and have a very large and wide lift and a marine travel lift for haul outs, a welding and machine shop and a carpenter shop on site. Painting is done either ‘in the elements’, which can be tricky for rolling paint so spray painting is recommended, or in a new (2018), sealable paint booth. We opted for the cheaper, in-the-elements version and had good results with spray painting the freeboard and deck. We supervised all work done and mostly do our own, but Cabrales’ prices are competitive and affordable. Cabrales’ pleasure boat business has tripled between 2016 to 2018 as more cruisers stay outside of the hurricane belt in summers and the boatyard is trying to keep up with the demand. Be sure to reserve your spot early for storage and, especially, for boat work. Storage for boats, trailers, cars on asphalt and in gravel/dirt lot. Air-conditioned cruiser’s lounge with a table, chairs and sofas. Two bathrooms with showers (more showers/toilets are being added now). Cabrales’ website here. Our interview with Salvador Cabrales from 2016, who runs the cruising boat services here. Please note that haul outs are scheduled around the high tide and allow for maximum 3 boats to haul out in one day. Sign on to Cabrales Boatyard Cruisers facebook group for carpooling to Phoenix or getting parts from the US.
Getting around
Puerto Penasco doesn’t have public transport.
Taxis charge 30 pesos per person per trip anywhere in town, if you stop and/or get out somewhere, that counts as another trip. Ask for the price per person before getting in. If you travel further negotiate the fare prior to starting the trip. Several radio taxis in town: Eco Taxi 638-106-3897, Lunaje Taxi 638-116-5035.
Bufalo Rental Car located on Freemont Blvd rents small cars for $50 per day including unlimited milage and insurance for Mexico and the US, 7 day rental discount pays only 6 days, they also rent bigger cars, SUVs and vans. 638-388-9999 broken english
U-Save Rental Car located near the Pemex at Benito Juarez (Eusebio Kino 2 at Benito Juárez), smallest car $55 per day, US insurance $3 extra per day, small cars to trucks and large vans, 638-383-1990 good english spoken
ABC (Autobuses de la Baja California, off Benito Juarez on Constitucion y Nicolas Bravo No. 70 link) and Albatros (Av Sinaloa 74 at Benito Juarez (638) 388-0888) run comfortable, cheap overland buses go to Tijuana, Mexicali and Hermosillo. To get to Los Angeles, we took several times an ABC bus to Mexicali (5 hours), then a taxi from the bus station in Mexicali to the pedestrian border crossing, walked across the US border into Calexico and picked up a reserved rental car from Avis about 9 blocks away from the border crossing (or per taxi). The greyhound bus station is right next to the pedestrian crossing in Calexico.
Head out to Rocky Point is the most expensive service ($100 per person per trip) but picks up from the boatyard and brings you to Phoenix airport and is the only service we personally took. There are two other buses going to Phoenix and Tucson: TAP for $70 round trip from Peńasco De Sol Hotel to the Phoenix bus terminal link and Las Neñas Shuttle for around $96 round trip from their office on Benito Juarez near Burger King to their office in Phoenix near Phoenix airport link
Accommodations
Dreamweaver Inn (Calle Pescadores 3, link) next to the Malecon in the Old Port part of town with a very nice, large terrace with a palapa roof overlooking the Malecon and the Sea of Cortez.
La Palapa (link) rents rooms, apartments and casitas for $350-500 a month (negotiate!), located off Freemont Blvd.
Hotel Peñasco de Sol is a 5 minutes walk from Cabrales and a hotel resort with pool on Sandy Beach link
Heard of several cruisers renting apartments through AirB&B
Several cheap hotels on Calle 13, right behind Cabrales boat yard, very busy and noisy location on weekends.
Boat Parts
Little to no service on boat parts in town, we brought everything in from the US. Supplies can be ordered to/picked up at the first Gastrack Gas Station 200 feet beyond the US border in Lukeville, one hour drive from Peñasco. The gas station receives packages from UPS and Fedex and charges $12 per order, even if that order comes in several packages (we put multiple items in one Amazon orders or Defender order and paid $12 for the order comprised often of several packages). Note: send only by UPS, UPS Ground or Fedex with tracking number (DO NOT send with USPS/US postal service – the US Postal Service doesn’t deliver to a commercial address and our package was sent back undelivered!) to Gastrack +1 520-387-5344 Address: Your Name c/o Gastrack Gas Station, 175 N Highway 85, Lukeville AZ 85341, United States
Burrito Express is a local shipping service. They have a mailbox in Lukeville and pick up mail and packages from there and bring it to Puerto Peñasco several times a week. This service is $20 per item, more for large packages. Calle Sufragio Efectivo 117 on a side street off Benito Juarez near the stadium, 638 383 8460
Boat Maintenance
The local American diesel and generator mechanic: Doug, comprehensive knowledge, fair prices. First mechanic whose logical and clear explanations effectively lifted all questions about our Beta Marine diesel motor. He repaired our generator and checked boat batteries for another cruiser. He also helped SV Coastal Drifter (link to their blog) to gain 1.5 knots after working on their engine for 3 hours!! +52 638 105 5909
Todo Para el Carpintero (Wood Supply & Hardware) very well stocked, Mexican hardwood, many tools (León de la Barra off of Blvd. Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, directions here)
Hardware stores: Ace (Socoada Ace Hardware, Calle Simon Morúa 216), Ferretería Peñasco (close to Cabrales, Av. Constitución 31) carry some US products and there are several other hardware stores in town with the basics and equally skinny inventories. Closest one to the yard is the next block over from Oxxo on Calle 13.
Makita Tools (Blvd. Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez 320)
Autozone (Benito Juárez García 398) carries diesel conditioner and diesel motor oil.
Numeros (Blvd. Francisco Eusebio Kino 121) and Waldo’s (corner of Avenida Constitución & Benito Juarez) and Rocky Imports (Nicolás Bravo 10) are the local 99 Cent stores.
Provisioning
Fruteria Sinaloa is the best fruit market in town located on Calle Sinaloa behind Numeros
Cocalo’s Fruteria for fresh and cheap vegetables right off the main boulevard (Francisco I. Madero 125 near Waldo’s off Benito Juarez). Dipac Fruteria (bright orange building on the next corner) for fresh and cheap vegetables.
Moy for nuts, dehydrated fruit, grains and cereals in bulk (Nicolás Bravo behind a Pemex off Benito Juarez, around the corner from Cocalo’s), also stores in Guaymas, San Jose del Cabo, Ensenada and in several states on mainland MX, see here.
Sam’s Club and Bodega Aurera (both owned by Walmart, Blvd. Benito Juárez near Autozone at the entrance of town) are side by side and well stocked. Both have good pharmacies and bakeries.
Super Ley supermarket (Av. Constitución 236) is the closest to the marinas and boat yard.
Cafes
Best coffee and roasted coffee beans in town freshly roasted in-house three times a week at Old Port Coffee Roasters in Old Town (corner of Calle Ignacio Zaragoza and 1 de Junio across from a church, one street up from the Malecon). Tuesday evening is movie night.
Newest cafés in town: Labelle Coffee Point on Calle 13 (1 block towards the beach from the boatyard) and another location is on Blvd. Benito Juárez García 319 across from the stadium at the entrance of town, open 7am – 9pm
Right across from Labelle is Sea Coffee for coffee and crepes, open Thurday-Tuesday from 7am – 2pm
Restaurants
breakfast
Kaffeehaus, a German restaurant close to Fonatur, serves great breakfast and lunch and makes a yummy authentic strudel. Very popular on weekends, long lines. (Benito Juárez García 216B)
Candy Cake for great breakfast, sandwiches and sweets in a nicely appointed, new restaurant (Calle Lázaro Cárdenas del Río off Benito Juárez behind ‘Waldo’s)
Los Magueyales for a just ok breakfast (used to be better) and good value hamburgers just behind Cabrales Boatyard (Calle 13 across from Motel Senorial)
empenadas
La Argentina for excellent empanadas made by an Argentinian and his Mexican wife. Take Avenida Campeche at the mayor’s office (corner of Benito Juarez & Freemont) 4 blocks towards the beach, 622 157 1914.
exotic
Moonshadow Cafe is the new Armenian cafe and restaurant in town featuring exotic fare with Armenian pizzas and Vietnamese coffee. 166 Freemont Blvd about 2 blocks from Benito Juarez
bbq
Satisfied Frog at the far end of the Malecon in Old Town, great sunset views, fabulous Margaritas, yummy brick-oven pizzas big enough for two, juicy piles of ribs and crispiest chicken with mashed garlic potatos.
Rocky Point BBQ House for all things barbecued texan style (Calle Guillermo Prieto 38 at Calle Melchor Ocampo (638) 100 6886)
a little more upscale
Blue Marlin excellent food, great steaks ($12) and fish specialties, cosy and quiet just off the Malecón (Calle Zaragoza next to Old Town Coffee Roasters)
Pane si Vino and Fish (Fraccionamiento El Cerro) are up a hill next to Old Town (take a steep road up off Benito Juárez just past Kaffeehaus) and the Friendly Dolphin (Calle Jose Alcantar 44, on a hill just before Old Town). All three serve very good food and have great views over the whole town, harbor and the bay.
grilled chicken
Pollo Luca serves marinated grilled chicken with beans and freshly made tortillas at reasonable prices under an enourmous palapa roof (Benito Juares near Calle 13)
tacos
We sampled many taco stands on Calle 13 and liked these two the best: Marco’s Taco just off the one-and-only traffic light on Calle 13 and another good family restaurant with lovely plants in pots outside on the sidewalk near the train tracks.
1 de Junio, the parallel street of the Malecon in Puerto Viejo, is full with food stands Thursday though Sunday especially in the summer and during festivities on the Malecon.
ceviche
Best ceviche street vendor is El Güero (pix below), Blvd Benito Juarez besides the Fonatur Marina office (Calle 3) on the way to Puerto Viejo and the Malecon 638 384 6599.
american/mexican
La Curva serves good mexican food, very big portions, very lively with mariachi bands coming by most evenings. (Blvd Francisco Eusebio Kino)
Pink Cadillac Diner for American food and American feel (Mariano Matamoros near Old Harbor).
Wrecked at the Reef Beach & Sports Bar on Sandy Beach (past the resorts next to the RV Park, location here), great spot to have sundowners, live music on weekends, US prices, and you need a car to get there.
oysters
My absolute favorite restaurant as an oyster lover is Ostionera El Barco (12 km outside of town and down a dirt road) run by a women’s collective oyster farm (Esteros Ostionera Coperativa Mujeres). Their oysters are super fresh, divine and cheap and they serve them either raw or fried. Bring your own wine or beer. Their lagoon beach setting is wonderfully remote. Facebook link, location link. Make sure to negotiate the price with the cab driver before getting in the taxi to drive all the way out there!
Emergencies & Doctors
There are two hospitals in town and the Red Cross for small emergencies on Freemont Blvd just after the park.
General physician Dr. Castro on Freemont Blvd. (638) 388 0707
Shelly Chong dentist and Paul Chong dental hygenist, very fair prices for all dental services, 232 Freemont Blvd at Plaza Del Sol, amadordental@gmail.com, (638) 388-7308
Campu Lab for blood tests, will send the results per email, near Sam’s Club and the Hospital Integral at the corner of Rio Panuco & Ave 40, Ote 369, campulabpenasco@hotmail.com, (638) 102 0777
Pampering
Vitality Spa for sublime massages and manicures & pedicures for very reasonable prices (next to Thrifty ice cream on the road to Sandy Beach located just off Calle 13 and 3 minutes walk from Cabrales boatyard (link) Veronica direct 638-384-7099
Haircuts at Gloria’s (101 Avenida Constitucion, near Super Ley) 638 383-5075. Not a first hand experience, I cut Radu’s and my hair, but other cruisers went there link
Sightseeing
Puerto Peñasco’s families walk the Malecon on Sunday early evening.
Check also for music festivals on the Malecon all year around. It can get very busy in Peñasco: A motorcycle rally with hundres of bikes comes in November and Spring Break in early March brings hordes of partying teenage Arizonians down to Peñasco for an entire week. Ear plugs are advised during both events if you are staying in your boat at Cabrales’. ‘Dias de los Muertos’ festivities are yearly on November 1-3 (shrine and costume competitions on Rodeo Drive, panga parade in the harbor, link to At Peace’, a blog I wrote about the festivities)
El Pinacate is a wonderful Mexican National Park and a UNESCO Heritage Site 30km outside of town, featuring several volcano pits and incredible landscapes. Nasa trained astronauts here for missions to the moon. Stop first at the informative visitor center for an overview of the geology and history of the region, the park entrance is further up the road a few miles north from the visitor center. Website in Spanish here. English info here. Directions to the visitor center here.
Cholla Bay at low tide when water recedes fora mile and exposes tide pools.
Written in fall of 2016. Latest update: June 2019
