BajaNomad

Guaymas - Santa Rosalía Ferry

bike4mee - 10-26-2018 at 01:10 PM

Hey
Has anybody used this Ferry for a pickup size vehicle recently? I want to take it in the middle of Nov. It seems like a great way to get across. I have heard that it's unreliable and one may wait for days to get on.
If that the normal instead of the exception then I may as well drive on to Topolobampo and take Baja Ferry to laPaz. This will require a TIP which is a hassle
Any thoughts you veterans

basautter - 10-26-2018 at 02:15 PM

I heard the ferry was no longer running, but they still have a website, so who knows? Either way, the ferry schedule often has significant delays (sometimes for days) due to weather and mechanical issues. It is still a cool experience though, and I would recommend it if you have a flexible schedule.

http://www.ferrysantarosalia.com/tarifas.php

JZ - 10-26-2018 at 02:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bike4mee  
Hey
Has anybody used this Ferry for a pickup size vehicle recently? I want to take it in the middle of Nov. It seems like a great way to get across. I have heard that it's unreliable and one may wait for days to get on.
If that the normal instead of the exception then I may as well drive on to Topolobampo and take Baja Ferry to laPaz. This will require a TIP which is a hassle
Any thoughts you veterans


We used it in November a couple years back. Had my 3/4 ton truck and 3 bikes on the truck. They were out of space the day we wanted to cross, so we connected with a guy who had a dump truck scheduled to go over. We loaded my truck into the bed of his. Here is a pic from the ferry in the middle of the SOC.

Note, pay for a cabin. Makes a huge difference. It also gives you access to eat with the crew. Otherwise no food.




tobias - 10-26-2018 at 03:25 PM

Looks like its 309 dollars for a full size van. I wonder if they would let me stay inside while underway.
Knocks off 450 miles for me and looks like fun.
I will be monitoring this thead

JZ - 10-26-2018 at 05:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by tobias  
Looks like its 309 dollars for a full size van. I wonder if they would let me stay inside while underway.
Knocks off 450 miles for me and looks like fun.
I will be monitoring this thead


You get access to your vehicle. Truckers slept in their rigs.

We sat on the back of our truck (in the bed of another truck), played music and drank beers all the way across.

Very lax "security.'



[Edited on 10-27-2018 by JZ]

John Harper - 10-26-2018 at 05:50 PM

Got a picture of your truck and bikes inside the dump truck, and onboard the ferry? That's gotta be a classic photo.

John

JZ - 10-26-2018 at 06:16 PM

Guess it wasn't exactly a dump truck. I was really going back and forth on whether to launch the drone from the ferry, but didn't quite have the balls to do it.


https://youtu.be/3OuiWUXjMOU















[Edited on 10-27-2018 by JZ]

basautter - 10-27-2018 at 04:13 AM

JZ, that's Baja ingenuity at it 's best! Did you still have to pay for the truck?

John Harper - 10-27-2018 at 06:30 AM

That outdoes McGyver for ingenuity!

John

advrider - 10-27-2018 at 06:53 AM

That's a cool story, how did you even connect with tje guy in the truck?

pacificobob - 10-27-2018 at 07:07 AM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by tobias  
Looks like its 309 dollars for a full size van. I wonder if they would let me stay inside while underway.
Knocks off 450 miles for me and looks like fun.
I will be monitoring this thead


You get access to your vehicle. Truckers slept in their rigs.

We sat on the back of our truck (in the bed of another truck), played music and drank beers all the way across.

Very lax "security.'



[Edited on 10-27-2018 by JZ]
yup very lax. on the way to the copper canyon, we took two motorbikes across about 2 years ago. we were left alone on the bridge while the helmsman left for 15 minutes.we toured the engine room and watched porn below decks with the crew! if you take it, check out the electronics on the bridge. or lack of it. no nav equipment, no radar, no compass, i have seen better equipped 15' skiffs! our bikes were searched by 3 different groups. marines, federal cops, and another i can't recall. its an old, poorly maintained tub. we had a great trip.

bike4mee - 10-28-2018 at 03:46 PM

The Ferry company (If you can call them that) won't return my emails asking about availability. Guess I'll buy a TIP for my vehicle in case I have to go to Topolobampo.

David K - 10-28-2018 at 05:29 PM

Aren't TIPs sold at the ferry location if you decide to go to the mainland after you are down the peninsula?

JZ - 10-28-2018 at 05:50 PM

Call them. More likely to get an answer vs email.

pacificobob - 10-29-2018 at 06:20 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Aren't TIPs sold at the ferry location if you decide to go to the mainland after you are down the peninsula?

no tips available in santa rosalia...the first year we tried to do that we had to go to la paz after learning that .

David K - 10-29-2018 at 07:08 AM

Maybe that is because you don't need a TIP until you go south of Guaymas, which is in the Sonora Free Zone?

watizname - 10-29-2018 at 08:25 AM

That truck in a truck, on a boat thing looked like a really good trip. :cool:

AKgringo - 10-29-2018 at 09:01 AM

Quote: Originally posted by watizname  
That truck in a truck, on a boat thing looked like a really good trip. :cool:



And the best view would be from on a bike in the bed of the truck on a truck!

JZ - 10-29-2018 at 09:58 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
Quote: Originally posted by watizname  
That truck in a truck, on a boat thing looked like a really good trip. :cool:



And the best view would be from on a bike in the bed of the truck on a truck!



Told my kid at the time that he set a world record by being the first to ride on a dirt bike, on a truck, in a truck, on a boat. Fired up the bike and everything.


[Edited on 10-29-2018 by JZ]

blackwolfmt - 10-29-2018 at 10:08 AM

Thats one lucky kid

bike4mee - 10-29-2018 at 04:26 PM

ya, the TIP would be for the topolobampo ferry. They check to make sure you have one. I heard on that mainland route the only place to get a TIP is at the km 21 entry office south of Nogales. Then coming back to try and get your $200 back??? in mexicali (good luck there)

JZ - 10-29-2018 at 05:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bike4mee  
ya, the TIP would be for the topolobampo ferry. They check to make sure you have one. I heard on that mainland route the only place to get a TIP is at the km 21 entry office south of Nogales. Then coming back to try and get your $200 back??? in mexicali (good luck there)


I've gotten a tip at K21 many times, as you have to have one if bring bikes into Sornora. Have returned it in Baja several times. No issues.