timperkins - 7-25-2005 at 06:10 PM
Summary
I took my son camping for the weekend in the Punta Cabras area. This was our first ?weekend only? trip. We had fun, but it was a lot of driving for
just two nights and the crowd was much larger than we expected.
Route
We hit the TJ border around 1:30 PM on Friday and proceeded on Hwy 1 to Ensenada. After missing the turn-off to Hwy 1 on the south end of Ensenada,
we stopped for fuel and beer then continued on to the Erendira exit at KM 78. Passed through Erendira and made our way North on the dirt road to
Punta Cabras. Stopped at Castro?s briefly (office was closed), then pushed on and arrived at Punta Cabras at 5:30 PM. The turn off to Punta Cabras
is unmarked. The following day we moved our camp to Bahia Almejas. Took the reverse route on the way home.
Photos
You can view photos of our trip at the following URL: http://www.pbase.com/timperkins/puntacabras
Road Conditions
SD to Erendira Turn-off: Very Good
Turn-off to Erendira: Good, minor potholes
Erendira to Punta Cabras: Good, dirt road.
Punta Cabras to Bahia Almejas: Good, narrow dirt road. Slow going for heavy vehicles. Watch for cows!
Camping
Punta Cabras: Nice, fairly clean, on the beach cliffs. No facilities, but there are some trash cans. No fire wood to be found, of course, but
someone came around selling some. When we arrived on Friday, there was only one other camper. Around 4:00 AM, two other families arrived (headlights
shining through our camper). By noon the camp was full... One family of about 20 parked so close to us they could reach out and touch our truck!
Bahia Almejas: Fairly clean, no facilities at all. We had the largest ?footprint? with our Lance Light camper - everyone else was tent
camping. The beach was excellent ? long and sandy, good for walking and running. Fewer jellyfish than at Punta Cabras. More wood salesmen that
night. One guy even went on a beer-run for our camping neighbors!
Water Sports
Punta Cabras: Smaller waves made for excellent boogie boarding. We didn?t see anyone surfing. Lots of jellyfish in the water and washed up
on shore. The water was unusually cold for July.
Bahia Almejas: Plenty of surfers out at this beach. Waves looked as high as 6 feet. Good boogie boarding. We also saw many people fishing
from shore. Fewer jellyfish on the beach than at Punta Cabras and we didn?t see any in the water.
Provisions
We only stopped for beer, ice and gas in Ensenada on the way down and an ice cream cone (to treat a face-plant) on the way back. I saw a couple of
small markets in Erendira, but did NOT see a Pemex.
Weather
Overcast in the morning, partly cloudy during the day. It got down right COLD at night for July! Some rain on Saturday afternoon.
Checkpoints
Military: Only one, brief and friendly stop south of Ensenada? Just asked where we were coming from. All smiles.
Toll Booths: Do delays southbound. Delays between 10 and 30 minutes northbound (didn?t expect that).
TJ Border Crossing: About 90 minutes (Sunday, about 12:30).
[Edited on 7-26-2005 by timperkins]
[Edited on 8-4-2005 by timperkins]
[Edited on 8-4-2005 by timperkins]
Mike Supino - 7-25-2005 at 06:25 PM
Thanks for the report and pics.
Did you expect the Pemex in Erendira to be open?
timperkins - 7-25-2005 at 06:51 PM
No, I didn't need any gas... In fact I didn't even see the Pemex. Just wanted to let others know what to expect on their first visit.
surfer jim - 7-26-2005 at 10:35 PM
seems to be the same everywhere...too many people at these beaches....and the part where they park RIGHT next to you drives me crazy as I feel like a
magnet for other cars that I come to get AWAY from.....
....
baja is losing its remoteness and just becoming another so-cal extension....I now try to stay away weekends and long ago gave up holidays....
Well Jim...
bigzaggin - 7-28-2005 at 11:42 AM
if you know where and when to go, you can still be VERY alone...even north of El Rosario. But you already know that.
Cabras has been crowded for years, but even six months ago I camped alone on the point there for two days and never saw another surfer.
You just gotta steer clear of those super-hyped swells...and keep your secrets SECRET!
rpleger - 7-28-2005 at 11:51 AM
Great report on your trip.
Thank You Very Much.
4baja - 7-28-2005 at 06:35 PM
it most likely wasnt rain but a heavy due, i have never found good fishing at san jose because of the dirty water. punta cabres has great fishing on
the inside north side and at the end of punta almeha were you camp. this is a great area to camp but remember lots of people camp here so expect it.
allso watch out for theives!!!!
No, it was rain!
timperkins - 8-4-2005 at 11:10 AM
Unless dew falls from the sky like rain! 
I found out that we weren't at Punta
San Jose afterall, so I've revised my report accordingly.