Sailing Tips 1.0. Pacific side of Baja California/Mexico traveling South from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas APRIL 2016

Ensenada

Cruiseport Marina helped with the entry docs and most we already prepared in the marina office.
Make sure your papers all are made out to the exact same name, a couple of Americans had to have their coast guard docks changed to match their passport names and wait in Ensenada until the got them and only then could check in.
Have copies of your passports, coast guard document and first insurance page.
Enrique drove with us to the immigration building and within one hour we were checked in including the TIP permit valid for one year. Make sure also to enter your LAST port of exit from the country for the port captain. The girl in the office was new and asked us for the next port we will go to.
Spotty, but there is wifi. Haven’t checked out internet cafes. Saw a Starbucks on the street along the harbor, has in the US free wifi, but don’t know if also in Mexico.
Naturally phone reception everywhere. We have a cell phone plan with T Mobile, which includes Mexico without roaming charges for another $10 per phone. We paid one of the phones off and unlocked it to be able to put Sim cards from different countries in it.

Bahía San Quintin

Beautiful bay with volcanic hills and long beach with sand dunes.
Anchorage protected from North West swell and winds.
Large bay with a large shelf of 22 feet, sandy bottom.
Hail a pilot on Channel 16 if you want to go to the interior bay. I read that there is a hotel, market and that one can take showers at the hotel. Cruisers we met spend a whole winter there…
We anchored on the outer bay and staid on board, because we thought the breakers were too high. The wind died down later in the afternoon.
No wifi, but good cell phone reception on the boat in the bay.

Bahía del Rosario

Large bay with shelf of 30 feet, sandy bottom.
We had north to NW winds and a very rolly night here, so rolly that we had to take the stove off the gimbal.
No wifi, but good cell phone reception on the boat in the bay.
We didn’t go ashore, but saw a sand boat ramp the local fisher men use.

Bahía de Tortuga/ Turtle Bay

For the fuel dock hail Enrique or Jesus on Channel 16, if they don’t approach you first.
Their sister Maria’s Internet Cafe has good food, drinks and free wifi and is located on the left coming off the dock on top of a up on rocks with a large terrace overlooking the bay.
Showers are available for 60 pesos ($3.30) per person at Motel Rendon. Ok clean, but bring your own towels! It’s a 5 minute walk from Maria’s, ask her where to go.
No wifi, unless you go to Maria’s and probably there are more free wifi in other restaurants, but good cell phone reception on the boat in the bay.
Markets: one is straight up the street continuing from the pier, make a left at the 2nd street and the market is at the end of that street on the right hand side. Has fruits, vegetables, meat, cans, drinks etc. Another smaller market is left of the pier off the beach half way to Maria’s cafe. Make a right at a closed cafe with terrace and walk 50 meters/150 feet up the road. The market is to your right.

Bahía Ánuncion

It was hard for us to enter the bay in the early evening, because of the N winds facing us and current and waves hitting us port side.
There are rocks along the northern shore and one in front of the jetty marked by locals with an orange bouy. Check your Navionics carefully for this one..
The anchorage is calm on a large shelf of 20′. Sandy bottom,
We didn’t go ashore, but we heard that there is a pension called ‘La Buffadore Inn’ run by Sherry Bond and her musician husband Juan. They have 5 rooms for rent for $30 each. Possibly wifi and showers.
Good cell phone reception on the boat in the bay.

Bahía Santa Maria

We had heard great things about this pretty bay, but when we arrived the strong Northern winds, which were pushing us down Baja, blew over a low very long white beach right into the bay and made it for a very uncomfortable anchorage. We went on to Bahia Magdalena.

Bahía Magdalena

Check tide schedule, because the current can be 8 knots strong coming from the bay, you might have to wait outside to enter.
There are two anchorages at the entrance of the bay at Isla Magdalena, but we didn’t try those.

Behind Isla Magdalena near the tiny town of Puerto Magdalena 30-40 houses, in the ‘Man of War’ cove is a large 20-25′ shelf in the upper bay. Good spot. Shielded from the Pacific by a small mountain range. We had afternoon winds from the N blow over a low delta and a long white beach into the bay, but it was still pleasant.
The little village is busy, the fishing boats are coming and going all day long, anchor further out if that bothers you. The village runs a large generator during the night, which sounds like a mining truck and is quiet loud as well.

Call the harbor master Gregorio Vidal for fuel on Channel 16 or best call ahead (cell 613 13 77 811, home 613 136 00 42). The fuel is way cheaper here at $3.83 per gallon versus $5 at Turtle Bay. Marcos, his son-in-law 613 100 2901 works with him and speaks English well. Call ahead to make sure that they have fuel and how much you need, because sometimes they get it from 45 km away and call ahead while you have cell reception.

Very spotty to no cell phone reception on the boat in the bay. Marcos told us to go near the white big house on the hill and if we need better reception.
We went ashore, to find a fish market right on the beach with fresh scallops and red snapper. There is also a small grocery store, light blue building behind the church, we found good tomatoes, potatoes, limes, peppers etc and some cans, milk and other staples.

Please note that different weather conditions make big a difference for anchorages. Also there is personal preference. This is what worked for us. We travelled here in May 2016.