Late Start for Coast of Baja

[Tayana42]

Okay, we are starting later than we planned. Took longer to get the boat and our shore life organized. No surprise there. Any wisdom (advice) will be appreciated on weather and anchorages on the Pacific coast of Baja leaving Long Beach, CA in late December on our way to Mazatlan. 42 ft. Sailboat with wife, dog and cat.

[rebel heart]

my advice:

- Stop into San Diego and provision. Especially Trader Joe's or otherwise last minute American supplies. Hit up Marine Exchange, West Marine, etc.

- Paperwork in Ensenada, use Marina Coral. It's out in the middle of BFE but they have a free shuttle and will walk you through the process as long as you have your paperwork. If you forgot any boat stuff they have a shuttle that will take you into Point Loma (near West Marine). Get some fresh stuff before you leave. Last chance for decent fruit / veggies. There's a supermarket right across the street now.

- Three day passage to Turtle Bay. Wait out weather, get fuel, bread, limited provisions.

- Three day passage to Bahia Santa Maria. Zero supplies unless you go up into Mag Bay but you'll eat a day doing that and it's a pain in the ass getting fuel.

- Three day passage to Cabo San Lucas. Your last week of barren no-man's lands and long passages will seem really weird as you knock into Crazy Cabo.

- Slowly work your way up the eastern Cape. Stop in Muertos at least, then round up into La Paz.

Turtle Bay from last year. And you're really not that late, I had Thanksgiving there last year. It's pretty hot on the mainland currently (by my standards).

Rebel Heart - Eric's Blog - hard to believe I’m sitting at anchor in turtle*bay

[Tayana42]

Thanks Eric. We plan on taking it a little slower and stopping in several spots between Ensenada and Turtle Bay and also between there and Bahia Santa Maria, then on to Cabo. Perhaps we will see you somewhere on the Mexican coast before you make your Pacific jump.
Michael

[SV THIRD DAY]

No worries Amigo, not too late of start at all. We came down the outside of Baja in August a few yrs back...which could either be called late or really early.

While it isn't any help on the outside of Baja, if you don't already have the Blue Latitude Cruising Guides Blue Latitude Press - Cruising Guides and More! I would definitely recommend adding them to your book list. They make the Sea of Cortez and Mainland Mexico cruising a piece of cake with their great information.

My one piece of advice about Cruising Mexico would be RELAX...it is EASY. People like to make it sound harder than it is for some reason. If you got to San Diego, the hard part is over!

We had a great non-stop Downwind run from Turtle Bay to Mazatlan a few yrs back and if you are not on a schedule (like the Ha-ha who bashed into 20Kts this year going South..ha ha ha ...WHY?) then it will be an easy run south.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

Thanks Eric. We plan on taking it a little slower and stopping in several spots between Ensenada and Turtle Bay and also between there and Bahia Santa Maria, then on to Cabo. Perhaps we will see you somewhere on the Mexican coast before you make your Pacific jump.
Michael

Plenty of folks do it that way and enjoy it for sure. Personally, and this is just me and my tastes, I find the offshore and longer passages easier. On the way up from the mainland to Baja we opted for hopping as much as we could. Punta Mita, San Blas, Mazatlan, Muertos, Balandra, to La Paz. On the way back we're doing a straight shot. Sometimes the stops are nice, sometimes just knocking out miles and being underway for a few days is nice.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

No worries Amigo, not too late of start at all. We came down the outside of Baja in August a few yrs back...which could either be called late or really early.

While it isn't any help on the outside of Baja, if you don't already have the Blue Latitude Cruising Guides Blue Latitude Press - Cruising Guides and More! I would definitely recommend adding them to your book list. They make the Sea of Cortez and Mainland Mexico cruising a piece of cake with their great information.

My one piece of advice about Cruising Mexico would be RELAX...it is EASY. People like to make it sound harder than it is for some reason. If you got to San Diego, the hard part is over!

We had a great non-stop Downwind run from Turtle Bay to Mazatlan a few yrs back and if you are not on a schedule (like the Ha-ha who bashed into 20Kts this year going South..ha ha ha ...WHY?) then it will be an easy run south.

That's some serious luck; did you have non stop northers that switched to southerlies when you rounded Cabo?

[chouliha]

We love the outside of Baja. Take you time coming down. Many places to check out. We really like the San Benito's islands, southern anchorage of cedros and Bahia Acension where the provisioning was much better than turtle bay and they had diesel.

There is no hurry why haul ass and feel rushed. That's why your cruising. Hecht you can almost day sail the entire coast with the exception of two sections that require an overnight.

Safe sailing

[Dos Gatos]

What rebel says except I checked in at Cruiseport Marina. Service is free with one nights slip fee. Jonathan will drive you over and back. You can email the day before you expect to arrive. An easy overnight from San Diego.

I went once at Christmas-New Years and once in late January. Know how to get weather updates along the way. (daily)

The only anchorages I used were Turtle Bay, Bahia Santa Maria, Mag Bay and Cabo San Lucas. The second time down, I only used BSM and left Cabo San Lucas to port on my way to La Paz. Sailed 75-100nm off the coast to keep good wind and away from the land effect.

Multiple anchorages along the way will mean you're hugging the coast and caught in the slop.

Need a crew?

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

That's some serious luck; did you have non stop northers that switched to southerlies when you rounded Cabo?

I would say it was all my "clean living" that paid off but for those that know me....well that can't be true.

9 Days non-stop from Turtle Bay to Mazatlan in August was somewhat of a miracle for our crew and boat but we had already done a few trips up/down the outside of Baja and our main goal was getting to Mazatlan and then north into the sea of Cortez for the summer without a storm event chasing up back to San Diego..ha ha ha. Unless there is a tropical stom event, the winds on the outside are almost always pushing you down hill. We would have just turned around and rode the southerly north to Turtle Bay if a storm popped up.

We kept on eye on Hurricane storm and weather info for La Paz Cabo San Lucas Baja California Mexico Storm, and Hurricane tracking and the other on our meat hook land lines which were so full of Dorado...well we ate like kings.

So that brings up another piece of "Advice" get some cedar plugs and drag those 150ft or so behind your boat if you like Fish!

[Tayana42]

Choulia and Dos Gatos,
Thanks for your input and Gatos thanks for the crew offer but I think this time it will be just us. Maybe on the bash back.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by chouliha

There is no hurry why haul ass and feel rushed.

The COLD always pushed us South....

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Dos Gatos

What rebel says except I checked in at Cruiseport Marina. Service is free with one nights slip fee. Jonathan will drive you over and back. You can email the day before you expect to arrive. An easy overnight from San Diego.

I wish there were more guys like him around.