BajaNomad - Camping and Surfing Suggestions

Camping and Surfing Suggestions

timperkins - 7-19-2005 at 10:14 AM

I'm looking for a camp site where I can take my 9 year old surfing for the weekend. I recall seeing many signs on Hwy 1 for surf/camp sites on my last trip down, but haven't checked any of them out myself and didn't mark the locations.

It's just a weekend trip and we'll be doing more camping than surfing. I'm looking for a clean sight not too far from the border, north of Colonet... Someplace I can reach easily before nightfall if we leave North County around 2:00 PM. We have an F250 with a Lance Lite camper, so nothing too off the road.

Thanks!

Punta Cabras

jrbaja - 7-19-2005 at 10:19 AM

Just north of Erendira. Great camping, sand dunes, waves and beachcombing. Supplies in Erendira.
Maria Inez Kel lives in the house to the east. Very nice lady.

timperkins - 7-19-2005 at 11:01 AM

Thanks... Is that about 150 miles south of TJ?

[Edited on 7-19-2005 by timperkins]

I think about 120 or 130 miles

jrbaja - 7-19-2005 at 11:26 AM

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours from the border. There are also many places between the border and Ensenada but for that real camping feel and waves a little more suited to his age, I think P.Cabras be the place.

timperkins - 7-19-2005 at 11:36 AM

Thanks! If we're running late and choose to do something closer to the boder, what would you recommend? Playa Alisitos?

Yep

jrbaja - 7-19-2005 at 11:44 AM

Surf San Felipe..best waves of the Sea..

yankeeirishman - 7-19-2005 at 12:08 PM

Here we are surfing the shore of San Felipe. That's the Guru out there you see.

Seriously....if you are taking your son..make sure you have a notorized letter from Mom that its okay for him to be with you. It's the law.

Anonymous - 7-19-2005 at 12:20 PM

Thanks, I forgot about that. I read that many people write their own letter... Does anyone have a sample that they could attach on this forum?

Sample Notorized letter from Mom

timperkins - 7-19-2005 at 01:13 PM

I found a sample letter here.

Here it is in text form:

Basically, it reads like this:

I (mother's name) provide my consent for my children (children's names)
to travel with (father's name) to MEXICO from (starting date) to (ending date).

Signed: (mother's signature)

Telephone/Contact:
Address:
Signature of Notary:
Notary's Printed Name:

yankeeirishman - 7-19-2005 at 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by timperkins
I found a sample letter here.

Here it is in text form:

Basically, it reads like this:

I (mother's name) provide my consent for my children (children's names)
to travel with (father's name) to MEXICO from (starting date) to (ending date).

Signed: (mother's signature)

Telephone/Contact:
Address:
Signature of Notary:
Notary's Printed Name:

It's close and good to what I get. Simple is all ya need. Hey...I carry my son's picture (current) with me, in case he is lost or worst. Being prepare is the best planning!

Cabras

bigzaggin - 7-20-2005 at 01:56 PM

is probably the right call. Can get RV'd out on the weekends but normally a cool crowd. A few suggestions:

Drive SLOWLY through Erindira. Some eager cops in that sleepy hamlet.
Be careful in the sand dunes. Stick to the obvious roads to the beach.
That wave in the cove around the corner from Cabras is KINDA surfable but rarely good. An option if you wanna be alone.
The guy who lives in that little dirt lot right there who accepts "donations" is harmless. Give him some canned food or whatever.
Directly in front of his house, skirting the beach to your left, is the best path out to the dunes on the south end of the beach. 4x4 rec.
My fave place to camp is all the way out on that headland. Drive up and past the point and wind down to a little site on the water. Wind a possible factor there.
The EASIEST place to camp is WAY down at the north end of the beach where the main road meets the beach.
Also some nice beaches south of Erindira (look for turnoff as you come into town).

suerte.

Road?

timperkins - 7-20-2005 at 04:22 PM

What is the road like off of Highway 1 into Punta Cabras? Is it dirt or paved surface?

Paved with potholes

jrbaja - 7-20-2005 at 04:27 PM

through Erendira, graded dirt to Cabras. No problem, even for a motorhome or trailer.

Potholes?

timperkins - 7-20-2005 at 04:42 PM

Are they like the ones between San Felipe and Puertocitos or the softer variety? How fast can I drive the potholed leg of the trip?

Just trying to set expectations in case Mom decides to go with us

The road...

bigzaggin - 7-20-2005 at 05:03 PM

is easy. Don't speed I guess, but really, it's an A+ by Baja standards.

CAREFUL at the stop sign by the police station.

An easy drive...and a fun place.

Oh yeah...

bigzaggin - 7-20-2005 at 05:05 PM

NOTHING LIKE the road below Puertocitos. Totally mom safe.

Yep, like Zag says.

jrbaja - 7-20-2005 at 05:10 PM

But, if you are taking your Mom, the restaurant on the left as you are leaving Erendira going to Cabras has some great authentic food. The stores there are pretty "Mexican" like as well so she will probably enjoy checking out Erendira.

Pull into Castros and see what kind of fish they are bringing in. Good coffee and donuts at the Castros store :light:

Are you donutz jr?

yankeeirishman - 7-20-2005 at 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrbaja
But, if you are taking your Mom, the restaurant on the left as you are leaving Erendira going to Cabras has some great authentic food. The stores there are pretty "Mexican" like as well so she will probably enjoy checking out Erendira.

Pull into Castros and see what kind of fish they are bringing in. Good coffee and donuts at the Castros store :light:

My first big disappointing read of one of your post replies, Mr jr! :lol:

I have never much less seen donuts in Mexico! You're telling me that there are Dunkin donut type donuts in Baja? AMAZING. Times are changing.

[Edited on 7-21-2005 by yankeeirishman]

Seems like with all that vast Baja knowedge

jrbaja - 7-20-2005 at 05:26 PM

you would have stopped in a bakery once or twice.

Nevertheless, I recommend doing so toot sweet :lol:

By the way, they are called "panaderias" to help with locating one.

[Edited on 7/21/2005 by jrbaja]

yankeeirishman - 7-20-2005 at 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrbaja
you would have stopped in a bakery once or twice.

Nevertheless, I recommend doing so toot sweet :lol:

By the way, they are called "panaderias" to help with locating one.

[Edited on 7/21/2005 by jrbaja]

panaderias..got it. txs.

I do hit the bake shops....yet have never seen donuts. Perhaps the cops get there before me.........

if you dont care about crowds...

eetdrt88 - 7-21-2005 at 10:16 AM

hit up la fonda which is a little ways north of ensenada,i believe k-58...theres a campground and a few hotels,really good food and drinks at the la fonda hotel restaraunt....theres usually some decent waves depending on what time of day you go out,plus its a huge beach so theres plenty of room for everyone...i took my kids there and they had a blast....

Also known as

jrbaja - 7-21-2005 at 10:27 AM

Alisitos :light:

And I heard that there is now a restaurant called La Fonda Rio in the same area.
As well as Palapa de Jose which has great live guitar music and really good food.

Tomas Tierra - 7-21-2005 at 10:31 AM

Playa Salamando has no surf.. Sign on Hwy 1 says Camping/surfing.
5 minutes before Ensenada toll booth..
Nice campsites but visible from road... But again no surf..

alisitos is the name of the campground...

eetdrt88 - 7-21-2005 at 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrbaja
Alisitos :light:

And I heard that there is now a restaurant called La Fonda Rio in the same area.
As well as Palapa de Jose which has great live guitar music and really good food.

and also a great fish taco joint right up the street...as far as restarauants go those places might be a little cheaper but definitely not as good,the owner of la fonda brings alot of the meats and other food in from his own farm and it is superb

Tomas Tierra - 7-21-2005 at 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrbaja

As well as Palapa de Jose which has great live guitar music and really good food.

ever see Miguel De Joya there?? I've never seen anything like that..Magic fingers. :wow:

That's the guitar player

jrbaja - 7-21-2005 at 07:18 PM

mike odell - 7-21-2005 at 08:01 PM

Yank!
Cops in Baja. are found at TACO STANDS!!!!!
Evolution into DONUTS is coming though!!
Good donuts are found at most panderias in LaPaz, and one store owned by the daughter of Famza paint in La Paz, His name is Carlos, but can't recall hers. Donuts, and nothing else but donuts! Cabo airport also has a nothing but donut outlet!! Very popular with the younger no mucho dinero tourist crowd!! Most don't drink coffee, just a couple of donuts, and wash it down with a couple Red Bulls!!!and maybe a couple shots of CHEEP tekillya!!

Tomas Tierra - 7-21-2005 at 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrbaja

is he always the guitar player??

i just happened to be there one night and caught his act..
Incredible to say the least!

no he's not always the guitar player

eetdrt88 - 7-21-2005 at 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tomas Tierra

Quote:

Originally posted by jrbaja

is he always the guitar player??

i just happened to be there one night and caught his act..
Incredible to say the least!

sometimes he is also the cook,the waiter,or the bartender :lol:

BajaNomad - 7-21-2005 at 10:57 PM

Tim,

If you need a notary in Carmel Valley, I've been working recently with Judy Huss, who is a local mobile notary:
http://www.carmelvalleybusiness.com/cgi-bin/BNI.pl?BizID=75&...

The about.com site actually links here:
http://www.singleparenttravel.net/Writing/Documentation/

Have a good trip.

--
Doug

Just Got Back

timperkins - 7-25-2005 at 03:38 PM

We spent 1 night at Punta Cabras and another at the camp just north of it, about 30 minutes up the road through the cow ranch.

Does anyone know the name of that camp? Is it Punta San Jose?

[Edited on 7-25-2005 by timperkins]

[Edited on 7-26-2005 by timperkins]

Was there...

bigzaggin - 7-26-2005 at 05:16 PM

a lighthouse in the middle of a fishcamp on the headland? Did Victor roll up in a Trooper and ask you for $5? Was there a cross on the cliff for a girl who walked off it in '87?

If so, you have discovered Punta San Jose, sometimes called Point Joe.

1/2 hour seems a little fast

jrbaja - 7-26-2005 at 06:29 PM

for punta San Jose but?? The reason I didn't mention going there is the hour drive in from the north, the long walk to the beach and the cliff with kids around them. You don't want to here the stories!
Sounds like you had fun, hope your sidekick/kicks did too.

No Lighthouse

timperkins - 7-27-2005 at 06:35 AM

It was the next camp north of Cabras... From Cabras, we drove up the access road then north on the "main" dirt road. We drove through what appeared to be a cattle ranch - over cattle guards, through a field gated by barbed wire and down a hill to the beach.

Here's a link to some photos:

http://www.pbase.com/timperkins/puntacabras

Any idea where I might have been?

bajaandy - 7-27-2005 at 04:08 PM

Others will most likely correct me, but from the looks of the photos, you were first camped at the small bay just south of Punta Cabras, actually very near Punta Cabras itself. Not really ever much surf there. It's kind of a dumpy litlle beach break.

However, looking northward from your first camp you would have been looking over Bahia Almejas, also incorrectly known as Punta Cabras.

Your second camp looks like it was at the north end of Bahia Almejas, and given your time frame of about a half hour from your first camp, that would be about right. So basically, you spent the entire time in what is known as the Punta Cabras area.

That large stretch of beach that makes up Bahia Almejas has lots of good places to surf, depending on the swell direction and size. Sometimes the north point works, sometimes the south, and sometimes near the river mouth. In any case, looks like you had a good time.

And by the way, don't feel too bad about the neighbors. Happens there ALL the time. We were the only souls there in the dead of winter on a weekday and woke up to find someone camped spitting distance away. Go figure.

Cheers to a great trip!