wsdunc - 1-31-2007 at 05:00 PM
I have kept my Baja thoughts going by lurking on this site for a long time, but recent posts about whale watching have caught my curiosity, and I am
talking my wife into a quick trip hopefully starting next week. I hope to go to El Rosario and camp/fish from a beach there for a couple of days,
spend a night in the Baja Cactus Motel (highly regarded by Nomads) to clean up then on to Laguna Ojo de Liebres for more camping and whale watching,
sharing a panga with others?
I could use some advice on beach camping and fishing locations near El Rosario. I have a 4x4 but will be traveling alone, so no extreme roads.
I have also never done the Ojo de Liebre thing, so would like advice on this also, camping locations, any Pangero info etc. Can one beach fish in the
lagoon? Any close fishing hot spot would also be apreciated. Will not be taking my boat, so we are tallking shore fishing everywhere.
Any and all advice is appreciated.
Playa La Bocana: 30°02.60', 115°47.30' (NAD27)
David K - 1-31-2007 at 09:41 PM
Oh boy.... will you have fun!
The beach west of El Rosario is called La Bocana... The El Rosario river meets the Pacific there. The river is not flowing, so a lagoon/ estero is
seperated from the ocean by a sand berm.
Fishing in the surf from La Bocana beach yields plenty of perch, from my observations... You can hope for corbina or croaker, too.
See this web page I made for directions/ road logs to La Bocana on either of the two ways in: http://community-2.webtv.net/vivabaja/206/
The 'high road' to La Bocana from El Rosario:
In May (view south):
In November (view north):
Road Log
David K - 1-31-2007 at 09:43 PM
EL ROSARIO to LA BOCANA (High Road)
0.0 mi. Turn Right off highway at the sharp bend in town.
Continue west passing by the road left to El Rosario de Abajo and Punta Baja.
0.8 mi. Fork, go right.
1.2 mi. Fork, go right... road heads uphill.
1.5 mi. Pass palapas and banana trees, climb hill.
2.2 mi. View point, see La Bocana beach.
2.6 mi. Go straight, left is a poor road.
2.9 mi. Fork, go left... Ahead is a locked gate.
3.0 mi. Fork, go left... Right is the entrance gate to Diamante Del Mar.
3.6 mi. Fork, go ahead/ left. Right is a poor road.
3.9 mi. Fork, go right, to the beach.
5.3 mi. La Bocana Beach
EL ROSARIO to LA BOCANA (Valley Road, 4WD)
0.0 mi. Turn Right (west) off Highway 1 at the sharp curve in El Rosario.
In about 100 yards, turn left on road for El Rosario de Abajo and Punta Baja.
Cross over El Rosario river culvert pipe and soon turn right in the river valley, some water crossings before reaching the south bank of the river and
entering the town of El Rosario de Abajo.
1.5 mi. El Rosario Museum, on left. Photos taken inside at http://vivabaja.com/505/page6.html
1.6 mi. Rosario de Abajo mission ruins, on right.
2.5 mi. Road left for Punta San Antonio and the coast south of Punta Baja.
2.9 mi. Road left for Punta Baja, continue ahead (west).
3.1 mi. Turn right for La Bocana, deep water crossing soon.
4.2 mi. Come to a fence, turn left to opening then continue west, Deep sand ahead.
5.1 mi. La Bocana Beach
Town map
David K - 1-31-2007 at 10:33 PM
landrover65 - 1-31-2007 at 11:15 PM
All the following is based on reading others reports: I believe they will charge you $10-12 day to camp at the whale watching camp. I understand you
can often see whales from the camp, and you can hear them at night. But it's pretty bleak and if the weather is bad it'll be miserable. So you might
spring for a couple of nights in Guerrero Negro. The classic stay is at Hotel Malarrimo (At least eat there. US prices but great food). There's a
new motel on the way into town being developed by Raul that's touted by "Shari."
http://www.hotelloscaracoles.com.mx/
Plus Shari's daughter lives in G.N. and can give you local tours that you wouldn't otherwise know about. Contact Shari on forum u2u for more details.
"I highly recommend camping at the whale lagoon south of guerrero negro, it is gorgeous and safe and you can see whales from your camper. There are a
few sandy spots on the dirt road so don't slow down for them! There is a nice restaurant there too and the people are all very nice. - Shari"
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=19197#pid1993...
BajaDanD - 2-1-2007 at 01:03 AM
Just south of Guererro Negro after Mex 1 turns east look for a big sight with a Whale on it It will say Ejido Bonito Juarez(sp) turn right and follw
the road there will be signs and it will be obvious by the tire tracks too this road will take you over and past salt flats and salt ponds and
eventually to the Lagoon there will be a booth where you pay a guy to park or camp there is a resturant and tickit office there a small pier and
Pangas there are camp sites along the shore some of them flood a little at high tide but you can tell witch ones do and dont
This is one of my favorite place to camp but it can get windy I use my truck as a wind block and there are plenty of rocks ( painted white) laying
around to hold my tent down.
No fishing in the lagoon at this time of year the water at the camground is too shallow and mud falts at low tide. Good shore fishing just north of
Guererro Negro. I think Jesus Maria turn off and drive out to the beach
DAND
[Edited on 2-1-2007 by BajaDanD]
shari - 2-1-2007 at 07:30 AM
You will love Ojo de Liebre Lagoon...very safe and you will make some amigos there too...give Sirena a call for sure and she'll give ya all the lo
down and if it's a weekend she'll even go out with ya. It's only #3 to camp there. If you make friends with the lancheros they might take ya out
fishing after work, which is really fun as the whales come by wondering what the heck you are doing NOT watching them! Talk to Pelo Bello or
Chepe...tell them you are my amigo and they'll treat you right. It's best to wait for the second boat in the morning as the first boat scopes out the
whale scene and finds the cooperative animals, also it's a little warmer but don't wait till the afternoon as it can get windy there. See my next post
about joining us on a Nomad whale trip on Feb.23. Also you can fish in Laguna Manuela which is north of GN, enter from Jesus Maria and also fish off
the old pier in Guerrero Negro...Sirena will fill you in.
TMW - 2-1-2007 at 08:43 AM
Surf fishing is usually pretty good at the Laguna Manuela area. Turn west on the paved road in Villa Jesus Maria. Turn left at the sign after you
leave town. At the fish camp area right after the buildings is a sand road to the right that loops up and around by the light house and on to a long
beach and round back to the road you came in on. 4x4 no problems but be careful in the long beach area and stay off the beach if your alone, can be
very soft sand. The coves are good fishing as is the long beach, it's 13 miles long FYI. Take bait as the sand crabs are not always there. Get the
book Baja Catch for more details.
wsdunc - 2-1-2007 at 09:09 AM
As expected I have had lots of good info offered to me, including tremendously detailed directions from David K. Thanx to everyone. As I put
together my thougts I have also begun considering stopping at Laguna Manuela and maybe the beach near Punta Mallaramilo(?). Would welcome advice on
these possibilities. I will open a new thread to get more visibility to these questions
bajaandy - 2-1-2007 at 11:58 AM
wsdunc,
If you're up for just a bit more rugged off roading, there is a really nice, really private beach south of La Bocana Beach that David K mentions.
This particular beach is just a tad south of the south end of La Bocana Beach, but you can't get to it from there... you have to take the graded road
towards Punta Baja, then take a right on a rugged road leading down a twisty aroyo to the beach. I don't have way points, but it's not too hard to
find. If you want better info, drop me a U2U.
Last time I was there (for the El Rosario festival) I drove my F-250 4x4 out there with a full size GMC 4x4 and a Toyota 4x4. The beach was not all
that long, but very nice and only one other vehicle (some locals) were there.
We fished it and caught many large perch using the sand crabs from the beach.
I liked it because it was a bit harder to get to, and therefore fewer people were there.
Also, there are some places to camp south of Punta Baja. Again, the roads are a bit rougher, but fairly easy to negotiate. There are fewer beaches,
as the coast there tends to be more rock and cobble, but it's nice none-the-less. I fished from my surfboard and caught perch, sardine, anchovie,
etc. Didn't have enough time to see if there was anything more than bait fish out there, but I'm sure there is.
Anyway, enjoy your trip!