BajaNomad

PUERTO SANTO TOMAS DAY TRIP REPORT 7/15/07

bajadock - 7-15-2007 at 09:28 PM

If you are in the Ensenada area and looking for something away from the crowds, try Puerto Santo Tomas. This was a 5 hour trip with 2 hours on the gravel road from Hwy 1 to & fro the ocean. 2 wheel drive works, but hope you have decent suspension or a beater. My '89 Cherokee "Classic" is both.

Just after the military checkpoint about 20 minutes south of Maneadero, you will descend a hill with a 180 degree elbow in it and see the sign for Puerto Santo Tomas. KM47 on hwy 1



Hang right and enjoy a surprising valley of agriculture. Some interesting hills, color changes and some livestock keep you company(insert Irish shepherd joke here). Beach was 1 hour at 20mph due to the washboard and keeping my 2 guests happy.

Road forks at a gate and the high road offers some Colorado-like old mine trail adventure. Low road is easier and slightly quicker. Both merge near the ocean.

La Bocana offers a very clean beach, hills, birds, campground, rental casitas and small grocery store. My guests were wanting a bladder break and the store proprietor suggested either the campground portapotties or "just throw 50 pesos or so at the cleaners in the casitas".

My female guest liked the second option and it was Sunday afternoon, renters all gone and casitas wide open. We left some change on the counter in the casita. Ahhhhhhhh!

Here is the scene of the pristine beach:



Another beach view including the campground on eastern boundary:



Right turn at ocean from La Bocana heading north to Puerto Santo Tomas:



And now I have to find a copy of the book "God and Mr. Gomez" to add some context for this trip and some help for my current home building adventure.

Only 2 miles from La Bocana, you reach the end of road and the Real Baja Santo Tomas Resort.


We were greated by a local, who explained that he prepared food for his overnight guests. But, he said that if we were interested in dinner he could entertain us. We graciously declined. He insisted we wait until he could bring us his business card. He is Sam Saenz, the proprietor of the resort.
www.puertosantotomas.com

We soaked up some more of the surf on this craggy, Monterey-esque ocean front and began the trek back on the washboard road.

We decided that beverage and food, in that order, were in order. Stopped at a new place in Maneadero that just opened and is getting solid early reviews.

Los Molcajetes is 1/4 mile west on La Buf road, north side. Mostly seafood, but, offers beef and other dishes. Clean, mostly $10 plates and solid service.

My two guests enjoyed their shrimp and scallop dishes, but, indicated they were average. My ceviche was $5.95 and a complete meal, if we count the two beer accompaniement. I have not had better ceviche. THANKS, David.

One regret is that I still haven't chosen new camera, so I'll get that done soon. This was a last minute trip, so next time it's bring my BIG PICK-A-NICK BASKET, Boo Boo, and laze on the gorgeous beach.

[Edited on 7-16-2007 by bajadock]

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[Edited on 7-16-2007 by bajadock]

BajaWarrior - 7-15-2007 at 10:05 PM

Nice report bajadock,

I built a home out there 10 years ago, it is a beautiful area. Just as you climbed the steep road from the store at the river, my home was just below the first split in the road, a home with the front patio serving as a deck with a handrail and an attached garage in the rear, middle of three homes in a row.

Sold the home to a friend, but still a great place.

My wife bought me a new book this year, which we read together, as I gave my original to the new owner as an "owner's manual".

My wife bought the book on barnesandnoble.com.

We're keeping this copy....

bajadock - 7-16-2007 at 09:48 AM

BW, Thanks for your story.
Read more this morning on Jack Smith and the "God and Mr. Gomez" book. Also found out that a friend of friend owns the Smith house now. So much Baja and all that I have is time!

oldhippie - 7-16-2007 at 10:03 AM

I was there Thursday and Friday night July 5 and 6. Camped in the grassy area at La Bocana. Beautiful place. I loved the millions of frogs croaking at night. Seeing a fresh water river delta in Baja is a rare sight.

Last time I was there was 25 years ago and it hasn't changed much, except for the increase in agriculture in the river valley.

There are some real nice homes between La Bocana de Santo Tomas and Puerto Santo Tomas. Is all that land owned by the Gomez brothers? I was told that the houses are built on land they lease.

DanO - 7-16-2007 at 10:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by oldhippie
There are some real nice homes between La Bocana de Santo Tomas and Puerto Santo Tomas. Is all that land owned by the Gomez brothers? I was told that the houses are built on land they lease.


Yes and yes. The Gomez property runs from about halfway between the port and La Bocana to the top of the dunes at the southern end of the beach. We may have seen you down there July 5 and 6 -- we were the folks with the black F150 Supercrew ferrying kids, boogie boards and surfboards to and from the beach.

BTW dock, your new avatar didn't help much. Still having trouble getting through your posts.

[Edited on 7-16-2007 by DanO]

Al G - 7-16-2007 at 11:34 AM

Super report BajaDock...makes me feel like I have almost been there.
Now it is on my list.

Al G - 7-16-2007 at 11:38 AM

On my Baja Expeditioner... it looks like I could park my MoHo in Santo Tomas and use my Quad to explore that area. Maybe?

[Edited on 7-16-2007 by Al G]

DanO - 7-16-2007 at 12:14 PM

You can park the moho at the campground at La Bocana for sure. Not sure what the deal is with parking at the port or at Sam's place.

Plenty of places to explore on the quad. To the north from La Bocana there's the port and the road over the ridge above it to Los Muertitos. A donation will be required -- the owner of the property installed a gate and guard at the bottom of that road there in connection with a dispute he's having with Sam and/or the fishing co-op. Pretty spectacular view from the ridge, and its the only place to get cell service without going all the way back out to Santo Tomas.

To the south on the coast, there's the dunes and the coastal mesa, but access ends a couple of miles down at the gated and secure limestone quarry owned, I believe, by Cemex. I'm told one can bribe one's way through, but have never been interested enough to try it.

If the lagoon is too deep to cross at the beach to go south, you need to go inland a few miles on the road back to Santo Tomas, to the Punta China turnoff. A few miles farther back on the road to Santo Tomas, another road branches off to the south, crosses the riverbed and climbs up into the coastal mesas and canyons, and will eventually lead to a couple of different routes to the lighthouse at Punta San Jose. I dirtbiked the lesser used route last week that dumps you off a couple of miles north of the lighthouse. That route had a few uh, interesting, stretches, including one spot with about a 45 degree incline, canted left, deep ruts filled with round boulders and thick silt, and no bail out possible due to a 20 foot deep sinkhole taking up the left two-thirds of the road. One of my riding partners told me that a friend of his negotiated that route in a (specially outfitted) Range Rover -- in the pouring rain. (As it turns out, the friend is a guy who teaches courses in offroad driving and emergency extractions.)

There is another more travelled route that hits the coast a few miles south of the lighthouse. From there you can take the same road back, or head south on the road from the lighthouse which will take you back into Santo Tomas (and a well-deserved cold one at El Palomar), or you can branch off to the right and explore the coast down to Erendira.

Al G - 7-16-2007 at 12:56 PM

Wow DanO...now you have really got me going. Thank you very much.
My reason for anchoring in Santo Tomas is, I avoid dirt roads when I can with my 32' very shaky MoHo. There is a great secure RV park there and being that close to Meneadero/Ensenada Safety is an issue.
My Quad is a 2005 Polaris with all the toys...but it is 5' wide, so can it handle that sink hole area? It will climb 1'-2' rocks...not sure I have the needed experience though...:(:biggrin: Sounds like a great trip to Erendira...Nice to dream.

DanO - 7-16-2007 at 02:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Al G
Wow DanO...now you have really got me going. Thank you very much.
My reason for anchoring in Santo Tomas is, I avoid dirt roads when I can with my 32' very shaky MoHo. There is a great secure RV park there and being that close to Meneadero/Ensenada Safety is an issue.


Anchoring in Santo Tomas actually gives you the option of shooting out to La Bocana or out to Punta San Jose on fairly decent roads (sounds like you moho wouldn't like the washboards too much).

Quote:
My Quad is a 2005 Polaris with all the toys...but it is 5' wide, so can it handle that sink hole area? It will climb 1'-2' rocks...not sure I have the needed experience though...:(:biggrin: Sounds like a great trip to Erendira...Nice to dream.


I'm pretty sure your quad could handle it, but I'd travel with a buddy. Those puppies can be real hard to get out of a hole by yourself.

:tumble:

edm1 - 7-20-2007 at 06:52 AM

Great trip report and photos Bajadock!!!

DanO, great info.

Now, I will have to add Puerto Sto Tomas / La Bocana to my list.