BajaNomad

Dogs and La Paz-Topolobampo Ferry

Ron_Perry - 12-23-2016 at 09:52 AM

Anyone have experience traveling with a dog on the La Paz to Topolobampo Ferry? My daughter and husband will be heading down thru La Paz this February...continuing to Oaxaca...traveling on a Toyota pickup.
Will they require her dog to be in dog crate...left inside the truck ...or will they place the dog elsewhere? Will it become excessively hot where the vehicles are parked? What else should be our concerns for her dog's health?
Thanks in advance for any help and advice, Ron

David K - 12-23-2016 at 09:59 AM

In the past... dogs had to be left in the car but you could go down and check on them during the trip.

My mom tried to sneak her little dog onto the Guaymas ferry (1973) but was caught when we boarded the ship after the car was driven into it... They just made her take the little fur ball to the car... and she made a bed for it. We went down to walk it a couple times. It was an overnight cruise across from Santa Rosalia.

BigBearRider - 12-23-2016 at 10:21 AM

I recall there being a special area with individual cages on the La Paz - Mazatlan ferry. For whatever that's worth.

kevin_in_idaho - 12-23-2016 at 10:32 AM

Wouldn't that be dog-a-la-paz-aloosa?

BigBearRider - 12-23-2016 at 10:38 AM

Info here:

http://www.bajaferries.com/politicaMascotas.aspx

JZ - 12-23-2016 at 10:03 PM

We just rode the ferry from Santa Rosalia to Guaymas today.

There were a couple dogs. They were in crates and they put them in a room together. I walked past the dogs a couple times.

Pic from the bed of my truck as we were about 10 miles out.

kiterkip - 12-24-2016 at 09:22 AM

I am preparing now for the La Paz-Mazatlan crossing with my dog. After 3 other crossings on this same boat, this will be my first with a dog. Speaking to the LP/Maz boat only.... You cannot leave a pet in your vehicle as this is way down below decks. There is a special compartment for dogs which you will be free to visit several times during the 16 hour crossing. Dogs must be in a kennel crate.
Not sure why your people would take the La Paz-Topo boat for a southbound route when it just adds so many miles to the mainland portion.
In fact I once did the math for cost, and with the mainland tolls, extra gas, plus and additional hotel night I thought it was almost a wash monetarily.... then add 5 hours of road time.
Go with Mazatlan.

kiterkip - 12-24-2016 at 09:27 AM

Cheaper "shared" cabin, around $40USD
More costly "private" cabin with view. Around $70USD

AKgringo - 12-24-2016 at 09:48 AM

I met a German tourist in La Paz that was getting ready to cross to the mainland with his dog. I asked about the requirements for the dog on Baja Ferries, and he intended to use another company that allowed him more access and better conditions for the dog.

I am sorry I don't know the name of the company, but it is worth searching for info!

kiterkip - 12-24-2016 at 10:15 AM

Yes, This is the other company with mainland ferry service. With this company you would leave your pet in the car, and you can stay with your car as long as you like. I've never used them. Heard good reviews on forums.
http://www.ferrytmc.com/

Just checked prices for La Paz to Mazatlan. My fare (car, driver, cabin) on Baja Ferrys is $3,650. This line is $3,550 without a cabin. Nice part is this line leaves every day... not with Baja Ferry.


[Edited on 12-24-2016 by kiterkip]

AKgringo - 12-24-2016 at 03:11 PM

I should mention that the German tourist did not have a car. He was riding a bicycle, with his 95 pound Rottweiler/Ridgeback mix riding in a cart behind him.

He started his ride in Vancouver, and was crossing over to Mazatlán to continue his ride over to the Yucatan! See...Gringos aren't the only crazy ones!

kiterkip - 12-24-2016 at 04:07 PM

Ha! I can top that. I met a group of cyclist lined up for the La Paz/Maz Baja ferry. This guy was on a "penny farthing" peddling from Fairbanks Alaska to Patagonia. He was from England, where they're really nutty :)
PS.... what you see on him is all his traveling gear. Total.
Oh, And the guy to the far right in this image was on a UniCycle!! Also from Alaska to Patagonia! He told me his normal peddling cadence is 132 per minute!! Might as well run the length.

chippy - 12-24-2016 at 04:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
I should mention that the German tourist did not have a car. He was riding a bicycle, with his 95 pound Rottweiler/Ridgeback mix riding in a cart behind him.

He started his ride in Vancouver, and was crossing over to Mazatlán to continue his ride over to the Yucatan! See...Gringos aren't the only crazy ones!


DUMMKOPF !:rolleyes:

surabi - 12-25-2016 at 09:16 PM

I have taken both the Mazatlan and the Topo ferries, though not with my dog. While the Topo ferry entails another 4 and a half to 5 hours driving south on the mainland, I wouldn't take the Mazatlan one again, unless it was a new or newer one.
The staircase to get up from the car deck was almost vertical, more like a ladder than a staircase, very steep and my knees kept banging into the next stair while trying to lug my cooler and duffel bag. The room was jumky and the bed uncomfortable, and it was a good thing I wasn't sharing it with anyone, because the other mattress was just springs with some thin stained fabric over it and needed to be thrown overboard. The whole ferry was old and grubby.
The Topo ferry was clean and comfortable, the room and mattresses were nice.
I'd rather spend an extra 5 hours driving than 18 hours on that Mazatlan run.

kiterkip - 12-26-2016 at 06:44 AM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi  
I have taken both the Mazatlan and the Topo ferries, though not with my dog. While the Topo ferry entails another 4 and a half to 5 hours driving south on the mainland, I wouldn't take the Mazatlan one again, unless it was a new or newer one.
The staircase to get up from the car deck was almost vertical, more like a ladder than a staircase, very steep and my knees kept banging into the next stair while trying to lug my cooler and duffel bag. The room was jumky and the bed uncomfortable, and it was a good thing I wasn't sharing it with anyone, because the other mattress was just springs with some thin stained fabric over it and needed to be thrown overboard. The whole ferry was old and grubby.
The Topo ferry was clean and comfortable, the room and mattresses were nice.
I'd rather spend an extra 5 hours driving than 18 hours on that Mazatlan run.


Well that's interesting. There must be a fleet of different vessels. In my images above both the cheap and pricey rooms had nice clean beds. I can almost say that it was the best night's sleep of my entire season, with the gentle rolling and the "white noise" of the engines. The only point in your story that I can confirm is that stairway from the car storage is damn steep. But I'm a retired iron-worker and did not even notice it.
One of the posts here on BN stated that a new La Paz/Maz vessel is coming online in Jan 17.

OverlandAdventures - 12-28-2016 at 01:06 AM

I crossed in 2010 with my dog on this ferry. They wanted to make him sit in a cage for the trip but as soon as I was on the boat they didn't care and he rode in my truck.

If you travel beyond Mexico with yoru dog you really should get a USDA APHIS form before you go stamped by your local USDA office as well as a recent rabies vac also stamped by your local USDA office. May people don't do this but it is what you are supposed to do and it guarantees you will not have any problems.

Cheers