BajaNomad

Gonzaga

jadams - 5-24-2011 at 08:52 AM

Where is a good place to camp or stay in Gonzaga and are there any guides in the area?

bajaponderosa - 5-24-2011 at 10:50 AM

We always camp at Rancho Grande Gonzaga Bay
For the cost of the Palapa Rental they will bring you
a trash barrel and a drum of water for doing dishes and so forth.
There telephone Sat. # is 01-55-5151-4065 or 01-616-165-3017 email ranchogrande-baja@hotmail.com

But let me tell you if the wind is blowing out of the West you don't want to be there. Nasty!

Guide

yakyak2010 - 5-24-2011 at 11:46 AM

If your looking for a fishing guide, try Marcos, he usually is around Rancho Grande mini mart.

Ken Bondy - 5-24-2011 at 11:57 AM

I have a favor to ask of you jadams. If you happen to run into Rafael at Rancho Grande (he runs the place), please say hello to him for me. I will never forget the kindness he showed us when we were stranded there with two dead H1 batteries about 5 years ago. Thanks in advance, and this is Rafael:

Sublimity - 5-24-2011 at 08:17 PM

Rancho Grande for sure! We spent two days there in October and can not wait to go back. I would also recommend going over to Alfonsina's for an incredible shrimp plate...out of this world!

Have a fun and safe trip.

redhilltown - 5-24-2011 at 11:39 PM

Kudos to Ken for thanking someone so sincerely after five years!!

I am partial to Papa Fernandez for camping. Go thru the rope gate (well, stop and unlatch it first of course), say hi at the house to your left and go up and over the hill to camp. It was/is? $5.00 a day and you feel safe and secure. Nice little restaurant too but don't be in a hurry...which I guess is true for all of Baja.

And did you mean fishing guides?

bonanza bucko - 5-25-2011 at 07:09 AM

Agree about the west wind a BIG problem at Rancho Grande. They graded all the vegetation off the land to the west of the palapas camp on the beach. When the west wind blows....kinda standard every three days this time of year....you can't breath and you will fervently wish you were someplace else!...any place.

If the wind is anywhere but from the west the place is very nice.
BB

Campo Beluga, GPS: 29°46.47', 114°22.97' (NAD27)

David K - 5-25-2011 at 07:22 AM

Another option is just south of Rancho Grande's dust bowl...

We stayed there in 2007... palapas, flush toilets, showers...














bonanza bucko - 5-25-2011 at 08:13 AM

Maybe not too many people know about the super beach and camping on the other side of the hill behind Papa Fernandez...pay for it in the cantina. We used to call this The Whistler Beach because of the rock formation there. The beach is very good and North facing...it is out of both the West and East winds but you will get beat up by a North wind....common this time of year. But this place is not heavily used and it's a better beach than most around there. Not much for facilities though.

Papa's cantina is just superb.

BB

dizzyspots - 5-25-2011 at 08:47 AM

Dittoes for Campo Beluga...nice, CLEAN, flush toilets and showers
yet close enough to easily access Alfonsinas and the Rancho Grande market, another choice is Campo Sacrificio..palapas and cabins (trailers) and HOT water

we did stay at Rancho Grand last june wind and dust were incredible....worst idea in recent memory was to blade off that little bit of vegetation that was holding the dirt down...for current reports cj5orion (bert) is a good source Mike

paranewbi - 5-25-2011 at 03:42 PM

Just got back from Gonzaga on Monday (23rd) road was rough the last 24 miles but the new road is awesome! Crews are working hard even on sundays with lots of equipment. Stayed at Papa’s... Great protection from wind on other side of point when it was blowin’. Wife and I were alone most of the time and loved it all. $5 a night, outhouses short on knee room, built in shade (not palapas) and hard pack surface at sites. We stayed behind the sand dune area although there are some sites with ocean view up the north end, we just set our chairs and shade up on the top of the sand dune. All sites have rock fire pit arraigned. Casting off the beach at high tide was productive. You can launch from beach at high tide but we kept our kayak on the other side of the hill by the boat ramp…totally secure. Water was probably 72+ (surfer here in San Diego 40 years so I have a good sense). I paddled the wife around, changed her tackle, baited the line (shrimp aged in salt, some guy on this site with a Viking hat recommended it and it works!) while she fished off the double kayak. Then I cooked her meals, made her drinks, and cleaned camp. Hey! She’s a nurse and makes the big $$$. Should have never taught her to fish…won't put the rod down now.
Stay at Papa’s!

BAJACAT - 5-25-2011 at 07:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by paranewbi
Just got back from Gonzaga on Monday (23rd) road was rough the last 24 miles but the new road is awesome! Crews are working hard even on sundays with lots of equipment. Stayed at Papa’s... Great protection from wind on other side of point when it was blowin’. Wife and I were alone most of the time and loved it all. $5 a night, outhouses short on knee room, built in shade (not palapas) and hard pack surface at sites. We stayed behind the sand dune area although there are some sites with ocean view up the north end, we just set our chairs and shade up on the top of the sand dune. All sites have rock fire pit arraigned. Casting off the beach at high tide was productive. You can launch from beach at high tide but we kept our kayak on the other side of the hill by the boat ramp…totally secure. Water was probably 72+ (surfer here in San Diego 40 years so I have a good sense). I paddled the wife around, changed her tackle, baited the line (shrimp aged in salt, some guy on this site with a Viking hat recommended it and it works!) while she fished off the double kayak. Then I cooked her meals, made her drinks, and cleaned camp. Hey! She’s a nurse and makes the big $$$. Should have never taught her to fish…won't put the rod down now.
Stay at Papa’s!
do you have a temperature , high 80's low 90's..I have stay in Beluga before ,I might try something new this time...
weolcome to BajaNomad..

Ken Cooke - 5-25-2011 at 07:40 PM

Campo Beluga for the flush toilets and showers.

Papa Fernandez for the private beach. The downside with Papa Fernandez is the lack of showers. Rancho Grande charges $4 per shower, plus, you have to go through the Military checkpoint in order to get to Rancho Grande multiplying the amount of time it takes to get cleaned up.

Papa Fernandez camping on a clean, protected beach. No wind problems to deal with.


BAJACAT - 5-25-2011 at 08:21 PM

Hey what about Campo Sacrificio south of Beluga..anybody

David K - 5-25-2011 at 10:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BAJACAT
Hey what about Campo Sacrificio south of Beluga..anybody


Read about and see photos of Sacrificio here:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=46146


posted on 6-14-2010 at 02:09 PM

sacrificio cabins

we stayed in the "cabins" on Friday night after being blown away at Rancho Beluga ($15 per palapa, NOT per truck) on Thurs night (40+ mph and sand EVERYWHERE...like sleeping on 80 grit)

the cabins are decent..($50 per night)2 bedrooms, 1 bath (with HOT shower,sink and toilet), clean linen and pillows were included..the area was well lit with overhead LED lighting... one bedroom has a bunk bed, the other is a queen that can be seperated into 2 fulls) large covered patio.

Eduardo was our host, older gentleman that was very helpful...after the night at Beluga...we split the $50 x 4 and LOVED the hot shower to wash away the grit fire pits, large covered ramada for groups..the palapas are built on rocky sand our patio had a large patio couch/swing


[Edited on 5-26-2011 by David K]

redhilltown - 5-25-2011 at 10:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by paranewbi
Just got back from Gonzaga on Monday (23rd) road was rough the last 24 miles but the new road is awesome! Crews are working hard even on sundays with lots of equipment. Stayed at Papa’s... Great protection from wind on other side of point when it was blowin’. Wife and I were alone most of the time and loved it all. $5 a night, outhouses short on knee room, built in shade (not palapas) and hard pack surface at sites. We stayed behind the sand dune area although there are some sites with ocean view up the north end, we just set our chairs and shade up on the top of the sand dune. All sites have rock fire pit arraigned. Casting off the beach at high tide was productive. You can launch from beach at high tide but we kept our kayak on the other side of the hill by the boat ramp…totally secure. Water was probably 72+ (surfer here in San Diego 40 years so I have a good sense). I
paddled the wife around, changed her tackle, baited the line (shrimp aged in salt, some guy on this site with a Viking hat recommended it and it works!) while she fished off the double kayak. Then I cooked her meals, made her drinks, and cleaned camp. Hey! She’s a nurse and makes the big $$$. Should have never taught her to fish…won't put the rod down now.
Stay at Papa’s!


Great report but what were you catching!!!!!!!!!

Marc - 5-26-2011 at 06:10 AM

This is the very last palapa. You can see Alfonsina's looking to the right of the center pole. Was August and hot. Saw whale sharks out by Snoopy.

paranewbi - 5-26-2011 at 04:53 PM

To Bajacat; The day temps were in the 80's but the sand on the dune was about 150! The drop off on the water side of the dune at high tide was quick so the rocks exposed at low tide were not a problem. When ever the breeze stopped we prayed for a breeze because it got warm real fast!

Redhilltown; Wife hooked up a Sculpin(spelling?) within minutes of hitting the campsite. Over the rocks right off the beach...we actually thought she hooked up a rock and I hand pulled the line until it would release than felt like it hooked another rock. This happened several times until we pulled in the fish. It looked so ugly we gave it to some locals and later found out that they are tasty to eat! On the kayak she snagged a ton of what I think were sheephead. Slimey things with buck teeth and made noise when trying to pry their mouth open with some needle nose pliers. She did catch two real nice Pompano's (spelling again? maybe pampano's?) and the biggest trigger I have ever seen which on the first time out she hooked up twice and once snapped a steel leader and then her line the second time. Second time out we went back to the same location and within minutes she had it on again. She worked that thing for 20 minutes and started to give up from fatigue! It took line and also pulled the kayak around. Finally she got it close enough for me to grab behind her but I had to poke a hole up by it's mouth because the gills were so far back (and huge) that I couldn't get my chain hook through them and close it.
We dropped the fish off for the restaurant to serve to us that evening. Returning that night they asked us how we wanted it fixed...I told them any way they wish, fried, mojo de ajo, filet...when they brought it out they had prepared all that fish each way I mentioned! With frijoles, tortillas, papas, salad and veggies. When I went to pay they said $10 TOTAL!!! $5 bucks each! It was so much fish and food we stuffed ourselves.
I'll go back to Papa Fernandez for camping again.

On the lack of showers...We bring those 5 gallon blue water containers you can get at walmart. Unscrew the spout thing (leave the cap on) and get yourself a white pipe nipple from home depot that screws right in. cut pipe to length and glue to nipple, add elbow, add length of pipe again, add on/off valve, short pipe and shower head to finish. Set on side on top of van, shade or what ever is high enough. What it looks like is a jug with a pipe coming out straight and then pipe pointed down with valve and shower head. stand under, turn water on and have at it.
When I get to be old enough, I'll post a picture of our rig with shower on top.

David K - 5-26-2011 at 05:21 PM

Find a liquid soap the lathers up suds in sea water... and bathe in the sea before ending your last swim for the day. That rinses you and you won't feel sticky from the salt water...

Dave - 5-26-2011 at 05:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Find a liquid soap the lathers up suds in sea water...


Regular JOY does the trick. Cruisers have been using it for years. That's regular not the scented or bio-friendly version.

David K - 5-26-2011 at 05:56 PM

There used to be a liquid dish soap called 'Vel', and it worked great in sea water... What we used in the 60's. In the 80's I found that Amway LOC and their body shampoo worked, as did a product from Melaleuca Inc. called 'Tough and Tender'.

Marc - 5-26-2011 at 08:25 PM

I have been using this solar shower for years now. It gets REALLY HOT and five gallons gives two nice showers.

SANTISPAC 2007

redhilltown - 5-27-2011 at 12:01 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by paranewbi
To Bajacat; The day temps were in the 80's but the sand on the dune was about 150! The drop off on the water side of the dune at high tide was quick so the rocks exposed at low tide were not a problem. When ever the breeze stopped we prayed for a breeze because it got warm real fast!

Redhilltown; Wife hooked up a Sculpin(spelling?) within minutes of hitting the campsite. Over the rocks right off the beach...we actually thought she hooked up a rock and I hand pulled the line until it would release than felt like it hooked another rock. This happened several times until we pulled in the fish. It looked so ugly we gave it to some locals and later found out that they are tasty to eat! On the kayak she snagged a ton of what I think were sheephead. Slimey things with buck teeth and made noise when trying to pry their mouth open with some needle nose pliers. She did catch two real nice Pompano's (spelling again? maybe pampano's?) and the biggest trigger I have ever seen which on the first time out she hooked up twice and once snapped a steel leader and then her line the second time. Second time out we went back to the same location and within minutes she had it on again. She worked that thing for 20 minutes and started to give up from fatigue! It took line and also pulled the kayak around. Finally she got it close enough for me to grab behind her but I had to poke a hole up by it's mouth because the gills were so far back (and huge) that I couldn't get my chain hook through them and close it.
We dropped the fish off for the restaurant to serve to us that evening. Returning that night they asked us how we wanted it fixed...I told them any way they wish, fried, mojo de ajo, filet...when they brought it out they had prepared all that fish each way I mentioned! With frijoles, tortillas, papas, salad and veggies. When I went to pay they said $10 TOTAL!!! $5 bucks each! It was so much fish and food we stuffed ourselves.
I'll go back to Papa Fernandez for camping again.

On the lack of showers...We bring those 5 gallon blue water containers you can get at walmart. Unscrew the spout thing (leave the cap on) and get yourself a white pipe nipple from home depot that screws right in. cut pipe to length and glue to nipple, add elbow, add length of pipe again, add on/off valve, short pipe and shower head to finish. Set on side on top of van, shade or what ever is high enough. What it looks like is a jug with a pipe coming out straight and then pipe pointed down with valve and shower head. stand under, turn water on and have at it.
When I get to be old enough, I'll post a picture of our rig with shower on top.



Sounds like a blast. With sculpin and triggers you certainly had two of the tastiest fish around!

David K - 5-27-2011 at 12:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Quote:
Originally posted by BAJACAT
Hey what about Campo Sacrificio south of Beluga..anybody


Read about and see photos of Sacrificio here:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=46146


posted on 6-14-2010 at 02:09 PM

sacrificio cabins

we stayed in the "cabins" on Friday night after being blown away at Rancho Beluga ($15 per palapa, NOT per truck) on Thurs night (40+ mph and sand EVERYWHERE...like sleeping on 80 grit)

the cabins are decent..($50 per night)2 bedrooms, 1 bath (with HOT shower,sink and toilet), clean linen and pillows were included..the area was well lit with overhead LED lighting... one bedroom has a bunk bed, the other is a queen that can be seperated into 2 fulls) large covered patio.

Eduardo was our host, older gentleman that was very helpful...after the night at Beluga...we split the $50 x 4 and LOVED the hot shower to wash away the grit fire pits, large covered ramada for groups..the palapas are built on rocky sand our patio had a large patio couch/swing


[Edited on 5-26-2011 by David K]



I took this photo last July, just south of the Pemex (Alfonsina's) and Rancho Grande:


Pangas at Papa Fernandez's?

preston - 5-31-2011 at 10:41 AM

I'm planning my regular "loop trip" (San Diego, San Felipe, Gonzaga, BOLA and return) in mid-June. I usually hire a Panga in Gonzaga for fishing and exploring. I either get one of the guys at Alfonsinas (Raymundo). However, if the wind is howling, I may try Papa Fernandez's. Is it possible to hire a Panga from there (without making the trip to Rancho Grande)? Who to contact?

Thanks