Bay near Guerrero Negro

[alansmith]

Yup, it is me again and again. When studying the Baja maps my curiosity is pricked by the large bay outside of Guerrero Negro. Only accessible by highway 1 on the west coast of Baja.

Is it a nature reserve? I see they do some sort of deep water shipping/exports. I see long man made quays. It looks like it might be pretty shallow in many areas.

Have any CF sailors explored this huge bay? What can you tell me? I'm all ears.

[senormechanico]

On Google Earth, for the most part it looks like a bird reserve.
Shallow? Yeah, look at the parts above water in the pics.
Got a multihull with centerboard and rudder kickups?
Le gusta moskas y jejenes? (Do you love mosquitos and flying teeth?)
Go for it if you don't already mind get kicked out of a preserve.

There are lots of great places in Mexico without becoming food for the tiny flying things.

[LLCoolDave]

I've been there in my RV. There are three bays in the area where grey whales come to give birth during their migration north. Over 1000 females. There are no natural predators in the area so the whales have been going there for 1000's of years. Didn't see any sailboats in the area when I was there last year. I have no idea if they are allowed.

Any shipping done there is because of open air salt mines. They pipe in salt water on to flood plains, let the water evaporate and scrape off the salt. It's one of the largest in the world.

[alansmith]

Mechanico, is that all year long or just certain seasons? That would be a drag.

I am seeing that it is a national reserve area. Largest in Latin America. Whale watching tours for three days can cost 3500+... wow, they are making some big king with very little costs. The "whales" are the show. Happy for them. Also can understand why they don't want throngs of boaters there.

I am wondering if they allow exploration after calving season is over and they head north? Any one know the answer to another one of my brilliant questions.

[zeehag]

sounds like scammons lagoon south end of mag bay. birthing basin for whales.
feb thru may is birthing season. once born, momma gets calves ready to swim north.
migration season is jan thru may.
keep your eyes open.
that 3500 is pesos, and at 19+ pesos to one usd, they not making a lot of dough.

ps mosquitos and jejenes aka noseeums are mexican and feed nicely on gringo blood. there is no solution short of racket shaped zappers. fun and satisfying popping sounds mean fewer sucking your blood.

i visited in via camper in 2003.

[neophytecruiser]

As posted, Guerrero Negro is on the northeastern shore of Ojo de Liebre (eye of the rabbit) or commonly referred to as Scammon's Lagoon, named after the California whaler, Captain Charles Melville Scammon, who hunted gray whales in the lagoon in the mid-1800's. Today much of the tidewater shallows of this bay have been converted to the largest evaporative salt works in the world, run by Exportada de Sal (jointly owned by the Mexican government and the Japanese company Mitsubishi). The salt produced there is shipped in barges to the off-shore Cedros Island, where it is loaded onto seagoing ships and shipped all over the world.

The bay, itself, is off-limits to recreational boaters. The lagoon serves as a calving area for the eastern Pacific herd of gray whales from about late January to the end of March. The entire land area surrounding Guerrero Negro and the lagoon is part of El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve (covering over 9,600 square miles of landmass, established in 1988 by the Mexican government). Whale watching tours are operated by licensed local operators, which take ecotourist visiting the town, out on the lagoon in small pangas to observe the whales during calving season. As with entry into the lagoon, itself, by private vessels, private small boats and kayaks are also not permitted in the bay during calving season.

Unlike San Ignacio lagoon (another calving lagoon for gray whales) located further south along the Pacific coast, there is no sheltered anchorage area immediately outside Scammon's Lagoon. There is acceptable shelter for anchoring to the north of San Ignacio Lagoon and it has been reported that arrangements may be made with the licensed guides to pick you up from your vessel and take you into Laguna San Ignacio to whale watch during the season. I have not done this, but perhaps someone on the forum has and can share their experience.

Whale watching in these two lagoons is worth the effort. The calves are as curious as puppies and it's not unusual to have close encounters with these sentient mammals.

[alansmith]

Thanks guys for posting up. So, can u get into the bays after calving season finished? On a trailer boat is it just. Roll it off trailer on the beach... or is there a launching ramp?

[neophytecruiser]

Both Laguna de Ojo de Liebre (Scammon's Lagoon) and Laguna San Ignacio are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It would be safe to assume, neither bay is open for recreational boating. As for launch sites, most of the land around Scammon's Lagoon is owned and controlled by the Exportada de Sal and access is regulated. To the west of the center of town is a graded dirt road that leads out to the old wharf. This area also serves as a bird sanctuary and is home to a large contingent of Ospreys and other shore birds. If you have an interest in launching your boat here, I'm guessing you would need to clear it with the corporate office for Exportada de Sal located in town. They would be the most reliable source of information on this subject.

On another note, as that wily pirate wench, Zeehag has already noted, the cost for whale watching that was rumored by alansmith, was in monidad national (MN) more commonly indicated as 'pesos'. Overnight costs in and around Guerrero Negro can range between 0$-$2 US per night (camping) all the way up to around $50 US per night in one of the more upscale hotel/motels. As of 2-years ago, a three-plus hour panga tour, whale watching in the lagoon ran around $45 US/person (~$860 MN or pesos).

Finally, I'd like to wish Zeehag un feliz y pacífico año nuevo y una navegación sin problemas hacia el futuro. Buena suerte, chula!

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by neophytecruiser

Both Laguna de Ojo de Liebre (Scammon's Lagoon) and Laguna San Ignacio are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It would be safe to assume, neither bay is open for recreational boating. As for launch sites, most of the land around Scammon's Lagoon is owned and controlled by the Exportada de Sal and access is regulated. To the west of the center of town is a graded dirt road that leads out to the old wharf. This area also serves as a bird sanctuary and is home to a large contingent of Ospreys and other shore birds. If you have an interest in launching your boat here, I'm guessing you would need to clear it with the corporate office for Exportada de Sal located in town. They would be the most reliable source of information on this subject.

On another note, as that wily pirate wench, Zeehag has already noted, the cost for whale watching that was rumored by alansmith, was in monidad national (MN) more commonly indicated as 'pesos'. Overnight costs in and around Guerrero Negro can range between 0$-$2 US per night (camping) all the way up to around $50 US per night in one of the more upscale hotel/motels. As of 2-years ago, a three-plus hour panga tour, whale watching in the lagoon ran around $45 US/person (~$860 MN or pesos).

Finally, I'd like to wish Zeehag un feliz y pacífico año nuevo y una navegación sin problemas hacia el futuro. Buena suerte, chula!

gracias. feliz ano nuevo a ti, y tranquilidad pa todo. vientos buenos y mares pacificos.
felicidades.
es tiempo para ud a regresar a mexico. jajajajajajaja

[donradcliffe]

Fortunately, the grey whales can't read where they are supposed to go, and a lot of them end up in Mag Bay, which is a protected anchorage.

I've had some great whale watching there, but I wouldn't be surprised if the eco-terrorists made that off limits too.