mrfatboy
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Need current Nuevo Mazatlan & Gonzaga Bay info
Hola!
We are thinking about camping this week at NM or GB. We have never tried NM yet. Any current info? Weather? Never been this time of year also.
Are the rancho grande and beluga campsites still operational? We are also thinking about snorkeling at punta final. How's the mood over there? Are
they still collecting $$ at the gate?
Alphonsia's still open for food this time of year?
Any info appreciated.
Thanks
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David K
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Hope you hear some new data...
By using Nomad Search and remembering recent posts:
Nuevo Mazatlan: one Nomad posted it was open and fine a year ago $25/ night.
Weather is the same as San Felipe which you can get at http://www.sanfelipe.com.mx as it is only about 25 miles south of town (km. 32 on the highway... Km. 0 begins 6 miles south of downtown). Shade
trees, sandy beach... in an arroyo between private homes.
Campo Beluga is open and I suspect Rancho Grande is too, but can be dusty from the bulldozing of the desert behind the beach.
Alfonsina's had good reports by the last Nomads there.
Using Search (top of page) I found this on Punta Final:
3464james
posted on 8-18-2014 at 09:48 AM
ehall, I dive Gonzaga a lot and my two favorite places are the rocks by Punta Final and the eastern most inlet on the north side of the bay, straight
off from Alfonsinas. I have taken a very large halibut and missed a shot at a large golden grouper at that site. Pargo and triggers abound by the
Punta Final rocks. A few triggers off of the beach and an occasional small bass, but nothing consistent and I wouldn't waste my time. Freediverbrian
was correct about the wind, usually comes up about 1:00 will stay high until it starts to get evening. Just a caution.
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mrfatboy
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Thanks David. I can always count on you replying  I saw those posts also. I was
just looking for any thing newer
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willardguy
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this is the time of year folks start flocking in, as of last week the campsites were very busy, everything is open, weather and fishing were
excellent,road coming in is perfect, enjoy!
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twgracing
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Just got back from Gonzaga Bay...Alfonsinas got their liquor license back and now can serve beer again. Hotel was full and according to Antonio has
been for the last month and is booked most weekends through Christmas. Went to Papas Restaurant was open and good as always, campers on the beach
probably 4 different groups. Punta Final was $5 at the gate to check it out for 30 minutes. First time I have been charged there just to pop in and
out, so I obliged...Campers on the point. Baluga was open, and Sacraficio looked like it was housing most of the construction workers for the road.
So Yes everything is running on all cylinders, more people than usual but that is to be expected with nicest road in Baja now reaching it.
CoCo was building a big berm for the B1K to keep racers/spectators off his lot unless they pay. A grader was blading from his corner to mouth of
Calamujue, said EX president Fox is going to start marketing the bay for a hotel. Personally he was in good spirits, excited for the race, and told me
to bring him self adhesive LED lighting when we go back next month...
Went through Matomi again too probably the end of an era as rocks were even worse than when I went through in the spring.
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David K
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What a fantastic report twgracing!  Many thanks from us who love trip
reports!
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Marc
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The Palapas at R Grande have been upgraded and look downright cozy. The snorkel sites in the above post are good. there are some interesting inlets
and lagoons south of the point.
[Edited on 10-20-2014 by Marc]
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mrfatboy
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Great info. Thanks everybody.
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Alm
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$25 is quite impressive. I remember NM being a dry camp with no hookups, no?
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Ribbonslinger
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If you have kayaks or a boat, Punta final is the place to go. Great exploring in the "inlet" to get to beautiful private beaches. It was $12 last
year and all you get is a pit toilet but it is worth it. Very nice spot. They will give you water if you ask the host. Can't remember his name but
he was very friendly
NM is not worth the $25.
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Maron
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Good info,
thanks
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Alm
$25 is quite impressive. I remember NM being a dry camp with no hookups, no? |
You pay for the salt cedar tree forest shade (planted in the 1960's and 70's by Luis Castellanos Moreno, founder of Nuevo Mazatlan). There was water
piped throughout the camp area (hose bibs), unheated showers, and flush toilets... all installed by new owner Javier (since the 1980's).
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Ribbonslinger
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The water is salty, the shower did not work and had rotten plywood with rusty nails sticking out on the floor. NM has no facilities but they charge
like it does. Beer and tacos at Alfonsinos then off to Punta final.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ribbonslinger
The water is salty, the shower did not work and had rotten plywood with rusty nails sticking out on the floor. NM has no facilities but they charge
like it does. Beer and tacos at Alfonsinos then off to Punta final. |
Thanks for the update... sad that there is no tourism hardly to inspire Javier to fix the place up a little? It was such a nice place to camp and fish
from, before the pavement arrived and leasing lots for vacation homes became the primary income activity, south of San Felipe.
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mrfatboy
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It sounds like it's not even worth the stop.
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David K
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What do you want or need? It is one of the rare campgrounds... as most 'campos' south of San Felipe are actually private home villages. I think
Percebu and Playa Destiny are the only other places that are serving campers, north of Puertecitos?
Several photos at Nuevo Mazatlan in these two links...
I last camped there in 2006 when the tide was too high to get on Shell Island: http://vivabaja.com/806/
Before that, we had the Matomi Gang Nomad group camp there in 2004: http://www.vivabaja.com/204/
More recently, ArvadaGeorge posted this in 2008:
"Campo Nuevo Mazatlan
erratically clean toilets and showers (cold) if you b-tch right off the bat before you pay they will be clean
More like a regular camp ground water, trees, tables at most sites. It’s in a long arroyo so you can get out of the wind there are 2 sites up front
with views of the beach. My wife calls them windy point. Good clamming shelling just north
Restaurant 2/3 miles away, good riding close,no dump, few vendors
Will deal on price"
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mrfatboy
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We are travelling with friends with kids. Cold showers and pit toilets at a minimum. We have camped at Percebu and Beluga over the years which works
out fine.
Maybe we will swing into NM just to see for ourselves.
I have not heard of Playa Destiny. Where is that and what type of facilities does it have?
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David K
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Playa Destiny KM. 72
| Quote: | Originally posted by mrfatboy
We are travelling with friends with kids. Cold showers and pit toilets at a minimum. We have camped at Percebu and Beluga over the years which works
out fine.
Maybe we will swing into NM just to see for ourselves.
I have not heard of Playa Destiny. Where is that and what type of facilities does it have? |
Just search Nomad... (READ TO BOTTOM... NOT GOOD NEWS)
2004:
Playa Destiny - Perfect!
Hey, thanks again for all of the suggestions. Here's a quick trip report:
Spent the first 2 nites at Pete's near San Felipe. Ate great fish tacos, pan dulce and tortillas - yum! Last nite there a group of young adults
(that's putting in nicely) set up camp right next door, even thought the place was pretty empty, and dropped F-bombs all night.
Next day, we drove south to Puertocitos but couldn't find Neuvo Mazitlan - don't know if we went too far or not far enough. I left all of my Internet
printouts on the desk so I was going by memory...
Anyway, we found Playa Destiny. Awsome! hot showers, a palapa for both the car and the tent, and picnic table and a grill. AND, we had the whole place
to ourselves! The proprietor (nice guy, don't remember his name) said it is pretty much always like that. The icing was when we got to "rent" his
little row boat for the price of one of my Dad's fishing poles. (He said some college guys stole his a few months ago). Next 2 days we fished,
snorkled, beach combed, and generally had a blast! I recommend this little gem to anyone!!!
2009:
Stopped for camping at Playa Destiny. Price was expensive ($15 per night) but it did include all the firewood I could handle which was good because it
cooled down into the high 40’s that night. This spot is about 5 miles north of Puerticitos. The man who keeps the place keeps it very clean. Bathrooms
but no showers. I was the only guest this night.
2012:
We have stayed for years at Playa Destiny, but it was a fish camp, and was pretty much a ruin.
 
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Alm
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
What do you want or need? It {NM} is one of the rare campgrounds... as most 'campos' south of San Felipe are actually private home villages.
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Yes. This stretch from the border to Gonzaga has been colonized and developed up to the limit and beyond. Simple quiet camps become rare. It's just
that $25 is a US price. You can find camps with no electricity in San Diego area for less, though not on the coast. Gonzaga bay is slowly "getting
there", in terms of US prices and US density of development, now that they've paved the road. What puzzles me, is that gringos are welcoming these
changes. It almost looks like they "want" these camps to be same crowded and expensive as NOB 
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David K
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That's why I prefer no facilities, nobody else around, and 4WD to get to (Shell Island) when at all possible. However, I think Laguna (Rancho) Percebu
is a popular camp ground for those who want to be close to the island, but don't have 4WD or need the facilities or amenities they offer.
I don't have any idea what they charge to camp there... it was 1965 or '66 when we last camped there!
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