I'm planning to load the family in the van (if I haven't sold it yet) and head South for about 5-7 days sometime between Christmas & New Years. I
was thinking of Gonzaga or BOLA, but how far South do I have to go to find warm water to swim in in Dec.???
Any recommendations? I prefer to find one place and stay there for a while rather than move around a bunch, so a store and restaurant nearby would be
nice.
Thanks for your help!
ChrisBob and Susan - 11-18-2008 at 03:14 PM
Gonzaga or BOLA will be cold
i think all the way down the coast it'l be coldMartyman - 11-18-2008 at 03:43 PM
It depends on your meaning of cold. Year around swimming is happening in BOLA (and south) if you are used to Norcal water temps.Skipjack Joe - 11-18-2008 at 04:03 PM
Water temps in the loreto area was in the high50's/low60's in december. Fifteen minutes was all I could handle. You may need to go further south.
P.S.
Some of the shallow baylets can be considerably warmer, though, as the sun's radiation can heat them up pretty nicely. However, these are also the
same places that stingrays enjoy so I really can't recommend them as play areas for kids. Places like San Lucas Cove can be considerably warmer than
the water outside until the flood tide brings new water back in.
The BOLA area would not be a good choice in general due to the lower temperaturs caused by upwhelling current as the tides punch through that gap.
Although kids are a different animal entirely. Their jaws may be quivering and their lips may be blue and they'll plead with you to let them stay in
cause the water is perfect. I saw a bunch of them in alaska this summer swimming with the salmon as though it was the most natural thing.
[Edited on 11-18-2008 by Skipjack Joe]Hook - 11-18-2008 at 04:17 PM
Cabo, dude!BajaWarrior - 11-18-2008 at 04:51 PM
High 50's low 60's in December for San Felipe water temperture.
Won't break 70 again until early April.
70 degrees right now but not for long.
loreto water temps...
msawin - 11-18-2008 at 07:48 PM
Any one with some current water temps. around Loreto?
11/18/08
thanksCG - 11-18-2008 at 07:51 PM
Thanks all!
I guess we'll head to La Paz or Cabo. How many days is the drive? What are the preferred legs/overnights to get there from TJ?rogbag - 11-18-2008 at 10:01 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by CG
Thanks all!
I guess we'll head to La Paz or Cabo. How many days is the drive? What are the preferred legs/overnights to get there from TJ?
CG
Not an expert on Baja travel by any means, but rode solo southbound in May - San Diego to Guerrero Negro day 1. GN to Buena Vista (south of Los
Barriles) day 2. Both were 12 hour days, but of course that depends on how fast you drive and how often you stop.
I don't think I had to put a foot down at any of the military checkpoints going south, but had to stop at least every hundred miles for gas.
We will be in Buena Vista late this week and will check the water temp. Don't normally carry a thermometer, but if I can get Nansi in for a swim, it
is at least 80 degrees. Will report back.Skipjack Joe - 11-19-2008 at 12:20 AM
CG,
A 7 day trip driving that far south isn't worth it. The kids will spend most of their vacation being carbound. If you can fly that would be a
different matter.
Personally, I wouldn't worry about the kids not enjoying themselves unless the water is in the 80's. Your initial idea of Gonzaga or BOLA for 5-7 days
is about right. The water temps won't be ideal but the kids should have a great time anyway and will talk about it for months to come. Air temperature
should be in the low 80's. It's my understanding that Gonzaga is at it's best in that timeframe as it gets too hot in the summer months.
Go with your original plan! It's a good one.
[Edited on 11-19-2008 by Skipjack Joe]
Water Temp's in December
tripledigitken - 11-19-2008 at 02:49 AM
I looked up the 12/31/2007 issue of Mexfish, and here are water temps for various locations:
Santa Rosalia 60-63 degrees
Loreto mid 60's to 73 degrees
Cabo 69-76 degrees
Yeah, Cabo looks like it will be too much car time, so I'm thinking it will be Gonzaga or maybe the campgrounds at Guadalupe Canyon for the warm
water.
I'm from the frozen Northland of Minnesota so swimming in cold water is fine by me and the kids will be fine anywhere like it was said. My wife is the
one that needs the warn water, being from Guadalajara anything less than tropical is freezingk-rico - 11-19-2008 at 10:26 AM
This is more necessary some places than others, but find some good water shoes to wear swimming. Sting rays are around and man it hurts when you get
knicked or stabbed by those guys. It would be a horror for a kid to endure. Any kind of protection is better than nothing. I like surfing booties.shari - 11-19-2008 at 02:09 PM
this might sound crazy but we've been swimming nearly every day lately as the water is scrumtious...somewhere in the high 70's....sometime warmer than
the air at sunset. Our Pacific side water stays swimmable till january and even february....I swim in the lagoons in march too...it's bracing but not
that numbing cold.Bob and Susan - 11-19-2008 at 03:05 PM
you're from canada...it's 15 below there
should i say more
edit...i have to wear a jacket in the morning right NOW!!!
[Edited on 11-19-2008 by Bob and Susan]capt. mike - 11-19-2008 at 03:40 PM
warm water this time of year???.............get below the tropic line man!!
Mazatlan is a good start. PV even better.
although we did have good shorty WX once at Pescadero and colorada Puntas in Jan.Barry A. - 11-19-2008 at 04:02 PM
Whiners------anything above 65 is "good" to me. I swim until my feet hurt, and that is around 64. I lived in Coronado for 30 years and the water was
always in the ' 60's back then, and we swam almost every day (body surfed, and mat-surfed, and board surfed) and NEVER wore wet-suits (don't think we
had them).
Lots of wimpy comments here, I am thinking.
BarryMaria - 11-19-2008 at 05:55 PM
I cannot put even put my big toe in the water unless it is 80+.805gregg - 11-19-2008 at 06:17 PM
Z-land on the main land is warm all year around, but that takes a plane flight. I spent X-mas in Bahia Conception in '76 wearing down jackets. Baja
can be cold in winter. Try Flordia.David K - 11-19-2008 at 07:47 PM
Chris, Bay of L.A. is very cold in the winter (close to deep water)...
We took a quick dip at Shell Island Monday... and it was a weee bit tooo chilly for our taste. This is 20 miles south of San Felipe.
I have swam at Gonzaga Bay in November in the past... not as cold.
The Sea of Cortez/ Gulf of California is a great big bathtub in the summer, but sure goes to the opposite end of the thermometer in the winter! The
area from La Paz and south may be an exception.
In my opinion: May, June and October is fine... with July, August and September being 'awesome' for warm water (day & night) swimming. April
& Nov. may be too chilly for anything but a quick dip and Dec. - Mar. is ice cold!
Tepid water
beercan - 11-19-2008 at 07:56 PM
The current water temp here in Puertecitos and south to Gonzaga, is about 75 . Last year the coldest water temp. I measured was 62 .
