Hook - 11-25-2009 at 03:54 PM
I went by the airport in Guaymas today as I was exploring options to taking the ferry over to Santa Rosalia. The word there is that Aeroservicio
Guerrero is still not able to land in Santa Rosalia due to damage from Jimena. Rates there from Guaymas USED to be a little over 800 pesos; very
reasonable.
So, I am back to the ferry as my option. I am planning to head over to Bahia Asuncion to visit a friend who is staying there right now. Should be
there about a week.
One thing about the ferry website (ferrysantarosalia.com BUT YOU MUST USE A BROWSER OTHER THAN FIREFOX) is that the rates are much different than
those posted at the oficina in Guaymas. For instance, there IS a substantial discount for booking a roundtrip passage with a vehicle under 5.4 meters
(which my Jeep is). One way is 2730 pesos, round trip is 4900. Standard adult passage in the salon is listed on the website as 55.00 US but it is
actually 603 pesos or about 46.00 @ 13/1. A roundtrip that was pencilling out at about 606.00US from the website will actually cost me about 478.00.
Still very expensive but much less than originally thought.
Driving all the way around (via SF-Gonzaga-HWY1) would cost me about 130.00US in fuel, one way. But it would probably take 2-2.5 days to do it, one
way. I guess I would have to throw in some camping costs, too.
I think I am going to bite the bullet and try the ferry. At least I will have the Jeep for exploring the coast north and south from BA AND I will have
the ability to bring back lots of tuna fillets, if I'm lucky.
[Edited on 11-25-2009 by Hook]
TheColoradoDude - 11-25-2009 at 05:16 PM
Buena Suerta!!
Let me know how that goes. I will be doing the same thing with my Toyota in about 10 days.
woody with a view - 11-25-2009 at 06:03 PM
i predict luck!
Skeet/Loreto - 11-26-2009 at 07:35 AM
Have a Great Trip Hook. I have taken it many times in the pat years starting in 1969.
That is where I met a good looking Women who showed me how to Hide Grass in a Jar full of Peanut Butter so that the Sniffing Dogs could not detect
it!!
Skeet
capt. mike - 11-26-2009 at 08:14 AM
Hook - next time give me a shout. i could drop into Guaymas pick you up and run to BA in about an hour or maybe 75 minutes max.
what you're paying for ferry would buy a lot of avgas.
but then we'd have to scrounge for a car or get Shari to schlepp us all over...
shari - 11-26-2009 at 08:26 AM
We could hook you up with a loaner vehicle no sweat captain...although schlepping around with you guys sounds kinda fun too...with a supply of roadies
of course....see ya soon Hook.
Hook - 11-27-2009 at 04:11 PM
Update: the cost of the ferry was even LESS than my original post. There is a discount on the passenger portion for a round trip ticket. 605? x 2 is
1210 but the discount brings it down to 1090.
I am not concluding that this is a bargain, mind you..........
More later. I am here. Just tired. Cant sleep on boats.
Hook - 12-7-2009 at 09:13 AM
Final addendum to this. The price for a cabin (which accommodates four, not your own cabin) is 220 pesos each way. There appears to be no round trip
discount for the cabins. I booked one for the night passage across but chose to go salon class for the daytime return trip.
Couple other notes..............you actually DO have access to your vehicle IF it isnt shoehorned in in such a fashion that you cant get into it. I
had a few beers left and, well.................
The ferry travels at around 8-10 knots. And you have access to the very back of the rig. Hmmmmmmm.................this is a decent trolling speed.
Unfortunately, I only brought bass casting rigs as I relied on a friend to supply my trolling rigs in BA. And, of course, the pelagic season is about
done. But if anyone is going over in the hot months, it would be a great photo to land a dorado from over the loading ramp at the back. 
The crew is really loose; I'm sure they would get a kick out of it. And the
boat captain was a purse seiner for tuna the last three years (until the market collapsed for that) and I doubt he would mind. I spent a couple hours
up in the bridge with him; turns out his uncle owns one of the best restaurants in San Carlos and he claims it's the only one in the whole area
serving Pacific Spiny lobster, instead of those little slipper lobster. He says this is so because he personally brings them across on the ferry from
BA for his uncle.
BTW, wind did postpone my return trip on Friday night from SR to Guay. We departed the following morning at about 8am. REALLY nice trip back; I was on
deck in the sun almost the whole way. Well, after watching 2012: The Movie in the morning.
That's about it. Hay preguntas?
David K - 12-7-2009 at 09:24 AM
Thanks Hook... Interesting! Any photos?
Vince - 12-7-2009 at 10:53 AM
My first time on that ferry it cost $35.00 in the late '60's or early '70's for a van. Can't remember what the cabin cost, but it was worth it with 3
kids along. Couldn't make any reservations, so one never knew if he was going to get on. Also took the La Paz- Guymas ferry in the early '70's
which was a beautiful night cruise up the gulf. I'm sure I could have caught some dorado if I tried.
David K - 12-7-2009 at 11:03 AM
To the best of my memory:
The Mazatlan-La Paz ferry started service in 1965. The Guaymas-Santa Rosalia ferry began in 1972, the same year pavement from La Paz had reached
north to Santa Rosalia.