SteveU
Newbie
Posts: 13
Registered: 3-9-2004
Location: Palm Desert
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Punta China? What's it like?
I saw someone mentioned Punta China as a surf spot. I have almost taken the turnoff to Punta China when going to PST, but have never been there.
What is the setup like? I've camped/surfed a lot of spots just to the south like Pta. San Jose, Cabras, Erinderia, etc., but have never seen rideable
surf at La Bocana and north to PST, and I have only been out there to go kayak fishing. I'm assuming it's a reef, probably more open to West swells
than South(or does it face south like the "lighthouse"?
I greatly appreciate any info, and promise not to bring a bunch of people to it!
Thanks ahead of time!
Steve
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Margie
Banned
Posts: 270
Registered: 4-23-2004
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Punta China
SteveU, We were there after the 4th of July Holiday, so it had to have been a south-west swell. The wave is directly in front, the tide was low , and
the shortboarders and boogieboarders were rippin it up. If you take the road south, just around the bend there is another break.
The water is very, very cold, even during the summer, so the ccurrent must run pretty close in. .And there are sea urchins.
The drive in is crazy, there have been many car accidents and head on collisions, people just zoom on that road.
You can camp by the river, however, when we were there, it wasn't very clean, and there wasn't a shower or toilet facilities. I took a bath in the
river.
There are little casitas you can rent on the hill, the price may have gone up, but they were clean, with showers, and a little kitchen. At that time,
the power came from a generator. The price was $25.00 per night.
I don't know what it would be like on a North, maybe someone out there does.
[Edited on 5-13-2004 by Margie]
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gracias
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: 5-27-2004
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china?
Hey Margie,
I'm heading to the Punta Santo Tomas area with my girlfriend for the weekend. I was hoping to get some surf at Bocana or Punta China but I've never
surfed there before. I was wondering if you could tell me how to access Punta China and Bocana and what type of waves they are. That would be very
kind you
Thanks,
Jon snapiro@hotmail.com
As the crow flies, this picture is not too far from Punta Santo Tomas.
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gracias
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: 5-27-2004
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china?
Hey Margie,
I'm heading to the Punta Santo Tomas area with my girlfriend for the weekend. I was hoping to get some surf at Bocana or Punta China but I've never
surfed there before. I was wondering if you could tell me how to access Punta China and Bocana and what type of waves they are. That would be very
kind you
Thanks,
Jon snapiro@hotmail.com
As the crow flies, this picture is not too far from Punta Santo Tomas.
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Margie
Banned
Posts: 270
Registered: 4-23-2004
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Sorry I didn't see this, hope you get it before you leave.
Right now, it's Thurday about midnight, the surf has been flat in front here, and I haven't looked at the swell chart, so don't know what's coming in.
I just wouldn't recommend this spot over a Hoilday Weekend, already traffic is coming down and it will really get crowded.
But, you go Hwy 1 , toward San Quintin, when you hit the very bottom of the grade, you will see a quansit like building and dirt road going off to
your right. You are in the valley of Santo Tomas, we've always referred to this place as Punta China, there used to be a sign that said Punta China,
but I don't know if it's there still.Some people do call this La Bocana.
Anyways, take the right - the only way you can go, and follow road carefully for about 45 minute drive.
If you miss this turnoff, your first landmark will be the ruins of the Mission, then El Palomar where you can get gas and turn back around.
Just a few more clicks down Hwy. 1 is Camalu, maybe that would be less crowded.
Or Erendira? That's even before Camalu and really pretty.
Have fun, drive careful !
[Edited on 5-28-2004 by Margie]
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DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
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Punta China
The actual point at Punta China is inaccessible -- there is a quarry there and the road south is closed. I think the spot Margie is talking about is
the rivermouth break at the beach at La Bocana, where the road reaches the coast. This right break from the north end of the beach works best the
more northerly the swell is. There a couple of shifty breaks down the beach depending on the tide, and occasionally you'll see lefts on an extreme
south swell. Otherwise, the place can often be walled out.
I think the other spot she's referring to is a reef break about a quarter of a mile south of the beach, around a small point. You get there by taking
a left about a mile and half before you get to the coast, on a side road used by the gravel trucks that leads to Punta China. Best approach (unless
you like digging out of sand) is to go to the end of the old airstrip and do a U-turn around it, then come back north along the bluffs. There is an
OK right break there, with an occasional left. The water is really frickin cold, the longitudinal current is very strong, and there's usually a
pretty stiff northerly wind blowing. On the other hand, there's almost never anybody else out. Just watch out for the agaves hiking down the cliff.
Those bastards go right through booties. My brother nicknamed this spot Sketches, because it's, well, sketchy.
There is also a mushy left to the north, in the bay between La Bocana and Puerto Santo Tomas, off a gravel beach at the bottom of the bluffs. This
spot really only works on a south when the wind is blowing offshore. Access there is a bit of an issue, since the top of the bluff where you used to
be able to park has been fenced off.
If you go out to Lo Bocana, rent a cabin from my friends the Gomez brothers up the hill north of the beach. WTTW, there are hordes of campers and
ATVers down there on holiday weekends.
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jrbaja
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4863
Registered: 2-2-2003
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The Gomez brothers
are the same family in Jack Smiths book God and Mr. Gomez. There is/ was a lady that lives just above the campground at La Bocana, the actual name of
the place when you get to the beach and rivermouth, (Elsie) who will make you tortillas if you wish.
The location of Punta China is described accurately by DanO. La Bocana and P.China are two different places. Neither of which are very good surf spots comparatively speaking.
[Edited on 6/13/2004 by jrbaja]
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bajaandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 769
Registered: 2-7-2004
Location: North County
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Mood: Adventurous
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The reef break refered to by Dano is actually a spot called Punta Clara. His instructions are correct to get there. This place really only works
during a big north, but when it's on, it's really on. As he say's, it is a bit sketchy to access, and the water is cold. Once we were camped there
when a tanker truck dumped some foul looking stuff into the water right off the bluff. Needless to say, I haven't surfed there since.
subvert the dominant paradigm
"If you travel with a man, you must either fall out with him or make him your good friend."
JBL Noel
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bajarasta
Newbie
Posts: 15
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: nor-cal-humboldt
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Mood: irie
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ive surfed the reef!! no one else there but a few urchin farmers. wedging slab at 3-4 feet with a 25-30yd rt. bowl afterward. good right. the day we
were there san miguel was overhead and crowded. urchin reef.. booties a must. my bro got a one inch spine right through the neoprene"ouch"!!
there were fire rings on the cliffs so people had deffinately camped there!
one love
bajarasta
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Bajamatic
Senior Nomad
Posts: 571
Registered: 8-31-2006
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dude. You are digging up some stale posts mon.
Must have caught that place on a random mysto day....... should go to point joe to the south instead for a more consistant surfing experience.
yuletide
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