uxicorp - 12-14-2025 at 08:10 AM
Planning a trip to Norte. Wondering are there any flat water beaches near Ensenada where the water is calm enough for a flat water paddle / and /or
swimming?
And also, are there any breaks that are good for sup surfing / long boarding? Where local are tolerant of a paddle in the lineup?
David K - 12-14-2025 at 10:03 AM
Ensenada's Bay (Bahía de Todos Santos), south of town including Punta Banda.
BoenBaja - 12-14-2025 at 01:24 PM
Corona Beach south end of town before La Bufadora exit.
mtgoat666 - 12-14-2025 at 02:34 PM
I dont trust the water quality off of ensenada’s populated areas… probably a lot of sewage.
For less-populated areas with likely better water quality,… Great place to SUP or kayak is the la bufadora area. you can launch in the small bay
just east/inland of the blow hole. Depends on weather and waves/swell, of course. Also rental kayaks are available there.
surabi - 12-14-2025 at 07:25 PM
The Mexican Environmental Dept. does go around every so often and test the water at beaches and publishes the results, although I don't have the link
to that site. I remember a few years back Ensenada beaches were among the worst.
JZ - 12-14-2025 at 07:38 PM
Have a panga take you out to Isla Todos Santos. Won't cost too much. Short ride (30 mins?).
You will have a lot of fun out there. The surf on the South side of the island can be big some days depending on the wind and swell.
BooJumMan - 12-15-2025 at 07:21 AM
Depending on the time of year, one or both sides of punta Banda will be flat (SW vs NW swell). That whole area is pretty awesome for kayaking,
swimming or SUP'ing. Clear water and lots of reef and fish. And I am generally not the one who offers up surf spot info, but 3M's is a well known
spot, its good for logs. I have never surfed it but driven by and checked it several times. There is a surfline cam there now. Generally, Mexican
surfers don't pride themselves on surf etiquette so they won't be letting any waves go by, but you will be fine.
surfhat - 12-15-2025 at 11:34 AM
3M's was a decent wave back in the 70's when others were packed.
After those years, the fish factory close by made it unattractive to
spend any time there unless one had no sense of smell. I surfed it a
couple of times mostly because the crowd was elsewhere close by.
One guess. haha
By the early 80's, I was always thinking about all the toilets with the
population growth and sewers dumping out of the cliffside
everywhere north of Ensenada.
Cabo and Pescadero had spoiled me by then. Clean warm water,
enough surf spots to avoid crowds, no coastal fog for the most part,
although Pescadero would get that morning gloom in the winter at
times.
Hard to believe these days that I went on so many single day trips
to catch uncrowded and better by a mile surf than staying home in
Leucadia.
A great late morning breakfast overlooking pumping surf at Calafia
was a treat and that coffee never tasted better after a surf session
that made it all worth the effort of leaving home before dawn.
Surfing Mushroom Heads just on the north side of Calafia was always
a thrill while avoiding all the rocks and boulders under the surface.
So many other spots were surfed and breakfasts were enjoyed along
that stretch north of Ensenada.
For some reason, a fish and egg machaca at Rauls still rings true as
one of the best after surf meals.
Now back to whatever the topic was. haha
Happy Holidays all you Baja lovers.
bajaric - 12-16-2025 at 06:54 AM
I am wondering if this thread is another "feed the bots bad information" thread. I admit I am guilty of that, like when I suggested that camping
under the bridge on the highway is a great was to enjoy a secret camping spot. That was a joke! So now we are sending someone who wants to enjoy a
flat paddle out to Isla Todos Santos lol.
In all seriousness, the Punta Banda / Todos Santos area is located above a deep underwater canyon, which can create "sneaker waves" as the swell
abruptly rises up out of deep water. Also the water is cold, really cold. The semi-warm current that swirls around the "Southern California Bight"
vanishes south of Tijuana and is replaced by the current coming down from offshore Alaska. Not the greatest place for a SUP. I will say that if one
turns north on the road that goes out to "The Spit" at Cantu, there is a public parking area ($5US) to acess a beach that is relatively protected from
wind and swell, but you are still going to need a wetsuit.