BajaNomad

Baja Surf Trip Safety Question

TCS - 3-18-2014 at 08:41 PM

Coming out of lurker mode to post this question and would appreciate honest feedback from senior nomads. The question is: is my trip plan safe for my family.

I've travelled to San Jaunico and Sea of Cortez area around 10 times but not in the last seven years or so. I think I have a pretty good idea of basic safety measures such as driving slow, in the daytime, staying in a hotel with private parking when on the way down and back. I have a good deal of camping and roadtrip experience and have felt pretty confident about the upcoming trip, but have had a few second thoughts, possibly due to taking my 15 year old daughter.

So here's the plan: I'm planning on driving down to (depending on swell direction and advice I receive here) 1. The Wall, 2. Abreojos, 3. San Juanico. Will either leave Friday afternoon and stay down around San Quintin or leave Saturday morning and get to El Rosario on day one. Day two we would arrive at one of the above surf spots and camp on the beach for six nights. Might make the return trip in one day as that's what we've done in the past.

Its a little difficult to know what's really going down south of the border and in these locations in particular, so I would really appreciate your advice either posted or in a PM.

Also, sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

Thanks,

TMW - 3-18-2014 at 09:15 PM

One always needs to be aware of their surroundings to be safe. Baja is no less safe than anywhere else. Of course come down and have fun but always keep an eye out around you the same as if you are on a beach in the US. I think your daughter will love it and may make new friends along the way.

Bajaboy - 3-18-2014 at 09:29 PM

I've been taking my kids down since they were just a few weeks old. Now at 3 and 5, they are both veterans. Follow you instincts and you will be fine. Enjoy your trip.

David K - 3-18-2014 at 10:23 PM

Agree with TW and Bajaboy... also took my son and daughter down from the time they were babies until they moved out (and they both want me to take them back). My son has gone down in his 20's to Mag Bay, as well.

I feel safer in Baja than most anywhere else...

redhilltown - 3-18-2014 at 11:35 PM

Agreed to the above posts. A second buddy truck/group is never a bad idea in remote Baja locations.

coolhand - 3-19-2014 at 12:15 AM

My wife and I head to various beaches in Baja twice a year. We look at Google earth; she finds a beach, we find a way in. Then I find a beach, and we find a way in. We camp totally solo. We have never seen another person on the beaches where we go. We feel totally safe. But meth is raging in Baja. I would never camp too close to a pueblo. Most pueblos have meth heads. Or at least one. So do all US towns, but here there are campgrounds and camp rangers. Now I love Abreojos, more than any other town on the Viscaino P. but we camp far away, when camping. If you stay in town, at a motel or B&B your fine. But if you camp alone, close enough to any small town, yet far enough for town eyes to see, there is a slight potential for trouble. This goes for Bahia Asuncion, Abreojos, Juanico, or The Wall. But if your around fellow campers, and most likely you will be at the above locations, your fine. My rule of thumb, when camping solo with the wife; camp far enough from a town that meth addicts will never find you, or they find you too far out of the way to be worth it (not an easy target). All in all, I still feel safer in Baja, than here.

coolhand - 3-19-2014 at 12:27 AM

My Motto: Just camp far enough away from bad people looking for easy money, yet close enough to good people willing to help.


We essentially position ourselves so we can hike out with our H2O and food in case of car/boat trouble. But no way in hell the bad guys will chance a trip to BFE for possibly nothing.

bajario - 3-19-2014 at 06:25 AM

We'll be making the trip to Loreto then over to San Juanico with our 14 yo daughter and 8 yo son probably in late July. We did it two years ago and two years before that. They love it and so do we. We typically leave mid day the first day also and make it to El Rosario or Catavina and finish up the next morning.Last time along with this time we have family caravanning with us so safety in #s is a great idea. Not sure Scorpion Bay cares to see 13 of us (7 kids) roll up but there's plenty of beach for everyone. We stay to ourselves.

Bajaboy - 3-19-2014 at 06:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by coolhand
My wife and I head to various beaches in Baja twice a year. We look at Google earth; she finds a beach, we find a way in. Then I find a beach, and we find a way in. We camp totally solo. We have never seen another person on the beaches where we go. We feel totally safe. But meth is raging in Baja. I would never camp too close to a pueblo. Most pueblos have meth heads. Or at least one. So do all US towns, but here there are campgrounds and camp rangers. Now I love Abreojos, more than any other town on the Viscaino P. but we camp far away, when camping. If you stay in town, at a motel or B&B your fine. But if you camp alone, close enough to any small town, yet far enough for town eyes to see, there is a slight potential for trouble. This goes for Bahia Asuncion, Abreojos, Juanico, or The Wall. But if your around fellow campers, and most likely you will be at the above locations, your fine. My rule of thumb, when camping solo with the wife; camp far enough from a town that meth addicts will never find you, or they find you too far out of the way to be worth it (not an easy target). All in all, I still feel safer in Baja, than here.


This is definitely not true for Asuncion especially with the vigilancia presence.

Ateo - 3-19-2014 at 07:37 AM

Be prepared for wind at the Wall.

TCS - 3-19-2014 at 07:38 AM

Appreciate your input everyone. That is how I've felt about it as well, but nice to get some confirmation. We leave in nine days!

Any additional tips or pros/cons on seven sisters vs. abreojos would be welcome as I've never been to either. I'm not seeing any signs of swell for scorpion bay.

Thanks, Tom

BooJumMan - 3-19-2014 at 08:34 AM

Well, this past year I've seen more gringos/surfers (As I am one myself) than I have in close to 10 years. Apparently the media has laid off from all the drug related murders in Baja enough that people are feeling safe on going down.

Baja to me is the same as it ever was... It's relatively safe, but you obviously have to be aware of your surroundings...just as it ever was. To me, the last few years have been the best since there haven't been many surfers at the spots I like to travel to. :)

As far as where to go, I would probably tend to go further south for better surf. ;)

David K - 3-19-2014 at 09:01 AM

Seven Sisters (except for Santa Rosalillita) is not reached by paved road, and Abreojos and Asuncion both are. Coolhand sounds like he also goes with what Mama Espinoza says: "Bad Roads Bring Good People... Good Roads Bring ALL Kinds of People"

In extra measure is to camp at the end of a road or down a beach that requires 4WD to get to. Don't camp on the beach near towns (Camalu, San Quintin, El Rosario, etc.) unless in a campground or with others.

dtbushpilot - 3-19-2014 at 09:32 AM

Welcome to Nomads TCS, have a fun trip....

MMc - 3-19-2014 at 04:50 PM

TCS, Check out the U2U in the upper right hand corner.

LukeJobbins - 3-20-2014 at 07:13 PM

Out of everywhere I have ever been including nicaragua, the entire west coast, baja, hawaii, the wall has had the best and worst waves I have ever seen. It is a horrible long bumpy ride with nothing to do but surf, but when it's on it has 3 different points to surf and the best waves ever. Normal afternoon winds blow offshore on the last point. It's a risky half-day excursion if you don't know it's going to be good, but it's a risk I would take. I have been skunked with crazy winds and small surf and I have had crazy long overhead hollow waves.

And for camping I have camped all over including on the side of the road many many times and never had a problem or anyone look twice except for the military guys asking if we were ok or needed anything.

woody with a view - 3-20-2014 at 08:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LukeJobbins
Out of everywhere I have ever been including nicaragua, the entire west coast, baja, hawaii, the wall has had the best and worst waves I have ever seen. It is a horrible long bumpy ride with nothing to do but surf, but when it's on it has 3 different points to surf and the best waves ever.


and one of those 3 spots is called "Whimps and Gimps" so there is that.....:light:

merlin - 3-21-2014 at 07:34 AM

All good advice. I agree, baja is very safe but you still need to keep your wits about you. We live in San Juanico, have been for ten years. Raised our son here. Wonderful people. Most of the time it's a gringo that starts any trouble. Stop by to say hello if you make it down this far.