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David K
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Location: San Diego County
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Quote: Originally posted by WestyWanderer  | Pacard
Puertecitos has a few nice campgrounds, Octavios is on the north end as you enter town and is much less popular than the main campground on the bay.
The main campground (Clara’s) mid week it’s usually pretty empty, it fills up on the weekend. It’s pricy at $27 a night but that includes water
at your campsite, showers and toilets, a nice sandy beach, and unlimited access to the hot springs. |
Clara's (in Puertecitos on the cove):
Hot springs (when the tide is right) sulfur water mixes with sea water, on the left side of the point that makes the cove, before the boat launch
ramp:
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David K
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| Quote: Originally posted by WestyWanderer | South of Puertecitos at campo La Costilla (KM 84.5) camping is $10 a night and it will be very quiet, it’s also on a nice bay but services are
limited to a very old outhouse. Not sure when you’re headed south, but at Campo Christina (KM 84) there is a restaurant that should be open Saturday
and Sunday, she usually opens around mid October.
There are a few places you can pull off and camp for free, both close to the highway and further away, depending on how much off roading you want to
do. |
Bahía Cristina (Km. 83):
La Costilla (Km. 84.5):
Photo taken from view parking at Km. 84.
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Skipjack Joe
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I had a scary experience on a desolate beach near Huefernitos last year. It happened at night. I would recommend going to a campground. My Mexican
neighbors had all warned me against isolated camping in that area as well due to drug trafficking. Peace of mind is important during a Baja
experience.
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pacard17
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Thanks for the pics and insights! Getting pumped to head outa
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bajaric
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| Quote: Originally posted by Skipjack Joe | | I had a scary experience on a desolate beach near Huefernitos last year. It happened at night. I would recommend going to a campground. My Mexican
neighbors had all warned me against isolated camping in that area as well due to drug trafficking. Peace of mind is important during a Baja
experience. |
What happened? If you care to share.
I have been also been advised against remote beach camping in the general area between Huerfanito and Gonzaga, because of the chance of being spotted
by bad guys in boats who might target a solitary camper. It seems that some remote landings are known as places where smugglers load/unload boats
with contraband, though where the contraband is coming from and where it is going is a mystery to me. The goal is to bypass the checkpoints on the
highways when going north, I suppose. The same activity occurs at some of the remote landings on the Pacific side, so they say.
That brings up a point about safely camping in remote areas. Its best to avoid remote landings at that general latitude, as well as the roads that go
to them. Better to be up on a cliff where there is no place to land a boat, and get away from the main roads that lead to such landings.
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajaric | | Quote: Originally posted by Skipjack Joe | | I had a scary experience on a desolate beach near Huefernitos last year. It happened at night. I would recommend going to a campground. My Mexican
neighbors had all warned me against isolated camping in that area as well due to drug trafficking. Peace of mind is important during a Baja
experience. |
What happened? If you care to share.
I have been also been advised against remote beach camping in the general area between Huerfanito and Gonzaga, because of the chance of being spotted
by bad guys in boats who might target a solitary camper. It seems that some remote landings are known as places where smugglers load/unload boats
with contraband, though where the contraband is coming from and where it is going is a mystery to me. The goal is to bypass the checkpoints on the
highways when going north, I suppose. The same activity occurs at some of the remote landings on the Pacific side, so they say.
That brings up a point about safely camping in remote areas. Its best to avoid remote landings at that general latitude, as well as the roads that go
to them. Better to be up on a cliff where there is no place to land a boat, and get away from the main roads that lead to such landings.
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Just north of Huefernito there is a bridge with a dirt road leading under the bridge to what looked like an attractive little cove. I camped there
with the intention of catching the early light to photograph those red cliffs that drop down to the blue water. I drove around the corner along the
beach to where my truck could not be seen from the highway. I had put up the top and was cooking a late dinner around 11pm when I heard the sound of a
vehicle. I looked out the back door and saw a vehicle driving towards me without it's headlights on in pitch black darkness. I froze, expecting the
worst. It came right at me and passed my truck within 5 feet of it and drove on maybe another 50 feet. By then a panga had come in to where they were.
It was dead calm in there. The panga also came in with no lights on. There was an interchange going on between the panga and the 4wd but I couldn't
see what it was and I didn't want to look as though I was looking. I dropped my top and without turning on my headlights I drove backwards on the sand
until I found a spot to turn. Then I kept driving up to the highway without my headlights on. It was only on the highway that I started to feel some
measure of safety. I turned on my lights and headed with haste to Gonzaga where I spent the night in the parking lot by the market.
In years past this would not have been a big deal. But the fact that everything I witnessed was done in total darkness made me pretty sure these were
not people who welcomed my company. Having read some of the stories here I fully expected gunfire and robbery in my direction. But that was not their
intent. I also worried that they might do me violence for being a witness. The kitchen knife I held in my hand seemed pitiful at the time in light of
what they likely had. Anyway, it was unnerving. But it's over and now I wonder how close I had come to .... you know.
[Edited on 10-10-2021 by Skipjack Joe]
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AKgringo
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A similar, but les stressful encounter
Just before dusk, I was on hwy 1 just north of Puerto Escondido. As I sometimes do, I drove down an arroyo to a beach (Rattlesnake?) looking for a
place for my dog and I to spend the night.
After I got myself set up in a brushy area, I discovered that I wasn't alone! A young Mexican man, and a young Gringo lady had a small tent, kind of
hidden in the brush not too far from me.
They were pleasant, but not overly thrilled to have company, so I gave them as much space as I could, without packing up and leaving.
Shortly after dark, I heard an outboard heading our way. No lights on the panga, no lights or campfire on shore, but the panga cruised right up in
front of their camp, and they both jumped in.
Nothing was unloaded from the boat, then or when he brought them back many hours later! All that makes sense to me, is that they were out fishing in
the dark for some species that was illegal, or out of season!
What do you think?
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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geoffff
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I experienced an uncomfortable hour at about 11pm on Percebu (aka Shell Island) camping all alone on the beach listening to a panga putter around with
no lights. I hoped they were just doing some illegal fishing.
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David K
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Fishermen working the waters in the dark is normal but not common. They see by moonlight or starlight. It is easier to make out the coastline if the
glare of boat lights isn't blinding them. In all the times I have camped on Shell Island (since 1978), I never experienced fear or saw any obvious
illegal activity. Hope that puts you more at ease.
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pacard17
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Thanks David. Appreciate hearing that. The thread morphed a bit.
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David K
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Posts: 64490
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Please only travel to places you are comfortable with. I am more relaxed because Baja has been my special place since I was a kid in the 60s. We took
a short break from Mexico when the cartel in Tijuana killed a friend's relative in 2006 and of course in 2020+ for Covid.
I was freaked one evening in 2017, traveling alone, when I thought I was miles from another human on a beach (near Punta San Francisquito on Bahia San
Rafael). All of a sudden a truck drives by on the beach! Where did he come from, I wondered? A bit later, he drove back past me again... I was not on
the beach but in a little sand gully off the beach. I am sure he saw my campfire. The only thing I imagined was a drug runner... but on his return, I
saw several fishing poles. I had an inReach and was letting my Nomad friends know where I was in case that was my last day! LOL
I can't say enough good things about the inReach! Shows everyone you want where you are, let's you exchange short text messages and emails, and gives
you a moving map as you drive (mates with your smart phone for a bigger screen and keyboard for texting).
Nomad 'rob' at Playas Pacificas took a photo of me holding the two:
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pacard17
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I have a global beacon if necessary. Once youve backpacked the jungles of jamaica, you tend to feel comfortable...in uncomfortable situations 😉
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willardguy
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | Fishermen working the waters in the dark is normal but not common. They see by moonlight or starlight. It is easier to make out the coastline if the
glare of boat lights isn't blinding them. In all the times I have camped on Shell Island (since 1978), I never experienced fear or saw any obvious
illegal activity. Hope that puts you more at ease. |
thats ridiculous, the fish camp in gonzaga bay is dormant all day long until the sun goes down then the small city comes to life, panga's shuffle in
and out all night long until day break
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David K
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Posts: 64490
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Read again... I said it was normal.
'geoffff' was at Shell Island (not Gonzaga Bay) and there, it is not common to hear pangas in the dark, but I have heard them. Sometimes with a nav
light and sometimes not. Most of the times I have camped there, we see or hear no boats, except during the shrimp season.
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advrider
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I've been told that a lot of the guns that cross over to the mainland do so from Baja and the sea of Cortez coat line? True or not I don't know but it
is not a long run even in a Panga?
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Skipjack Joe
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I have come to the conclusion that you are safer camping a bit more inland in that area than right on the beach. Trouble is that camping on the beach
is really the whole point of camping in that area. Inland camping just isn't the same experience.
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bajaric
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To be honest, I really don't know if remote beach camping south of Huerfanito is unsafe, or safe. The context of the warning that I heard was from a
resident in a local campo, who said that he was more worried about thieves arriving from the sea than from land, and this was 5 years ago. I really
don't know if the beaches are used by smugglers, or not.
I will say this, many open (non paid campsite) beaches in the area where it is possible to launch a panga are occupied by seasonal fish camps, with
accompanying issues of flies, fish smells, etc. So maybe best to stay in a paid campo, or if remote camping pick a beach where you cannot launch a
panga due to access issues (soft sand) or lack of boat launching opportunities. Unless you like fish camps.
With the new highway, the area is getting more visitors from Mexicali and other parts of Baja. Was there last week and traffic on the highway has
increased a lot, meaning it went from almost no traffic to a little. Enjoy your trip!
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