BajaNomad

Baja 12 years later

bike4mee - 2-23-2018 at 05:11 PM

Well it's been 12 years since I was last down the baja. Just got back from 2 fun weeks down there. Many things had changed but most is still Baja
We tried entering Mexicalli west with our boat and had to turn around and go to east entrance. The east entrance is so much nicer and less crowded. It was pretty easy to get a FMM and TIP. It is hard to navigate back to HWY 5 from there but google maps help.
Made windy Purtocitos and was charged $22 just to camp. OK, maybe everything had gone up. On to bay of LA across the road construction. We followed what looked to be good road past some moved barrels and wound up on a dead end and had to back-track. Pretty common that the locals have moved cones and barrels to make for an interesting route. We survived and had a beer at Cocos. He was real grouchy. Bay of LA is really the nicest place in northern Baja for all the things there are to do there. The Cordon cactus forest along that stretch is out of this world. Huge flowering yuccas. Wish there was camping off hwy 1 in that forest
Then off the San Ignacio lagoon and wonderful camping and whale watching. On the bay of conception to camp at Coyote. it's was more trashed than 12 years ago. There is a nice hike from El Burro up a real trail to a view that can't be beat. Coyote is still $8. Lots of vendors and good people. Easy to launch a boat from the beach there. Fishing along the rocks is excellent. There are some hot springs within sight of the camps that are Vulture bathing sites, real interesting.
Mulege is nice and we met a friend who flew his small plane in. We were going to nomad with him on the pacific coast but he was hassled so bad at Loreto airport that they grounded him and he had to hire a USA pilot to fly in and get his plane back to USA. Pilots beware if you don't have all your i's and t's together
So we went to Bahia Ascention where Juan at hotel Bufadora was the best. Great place at a point where whales just cruize by.
Now a race to the border. Where to camp around San Felipe? Most camps are closed (playa grande) so thank goodness for Pete's camp.
I got lost in Mexicalli again and ended up in the long line at Mexicalli west exit. Never again.
Did make it down and back with wonderful memories. Will go back again, over and over.
Will not pull a boat if we are nomading. Boat would be great if staying in one place. A fishing kayak is the ticket that goes on top.
thanks for all the input from this forum

David K - 2-23-2018 at 05:32 PM

Great to hear from you! Man, 12 years is too long!

Next time, get the route to Mexicali East printed and that makes it easier.

Okay if I ask some questions?

Why could you not cross south at the original Mexicali crossing (ie. West)?

Puertecitos has been a rip-off for many years, IMO. They demanded 200 pesos (was $10) just so I could snap some photos and leave. This was one year ago.

Do you know why the pilot was denied to fly his own plane out?

Juan and Shari at Bahía Asunción are the best, yes!

Playa Grande looked deserted when I drove in but not closed. Is there a chain or some kind of roadblock closing the beach there?

Tecate is a much nicer border crossing... than Mexicali or Tijuana, IMO.

bike4mee - 2-24-2018 at 07:17 AM

We needed a TIP for the boat and the mexican side said they don't do them there.
Our pilot friend had one little glitch with his medical FAA licence. He did it online before he left. I guess this was not good enough for the mexican aviation inspector at Loreto. Works fine in US
We drove down to playa grande and didn't see any campers and a chain with barrels were across the entrance

David K - 2-24-2018 at 10:32 AM

Thank you bike4mee!

JZ - 2-24-2018 at 12:31 PM

Good report.

Cliffy - 2-25-2018 at 11:00 PM

As far as the FAA medical goes if he did it online it was most likely the new "Basic Med" way of aviation medical. It is only good inside the USA and Bahamas. Not good in Canada or Mexico and that is part of the online training. It all in the details.
Basic Med is the only flying medical one can do online. It still takes a very basic physical by any doctor in the USA. Musk like a school physical to play sports.

PaulW - 2-26-2018 at 08:54 AM

Playa Grande - Some historical notes:
The one called Playa Grande at Hwy5 ~Km183.4 is in the hands of the court. Years ago, Butler bought the place and the title was disputed. The court demanded that Butler provide the barricades to prevent all the parties from entering the property. No update on any resolution that anyone knows of.
Approximately 12 years ago I drove to the beach area and found people tent camping in the ruins of a very large compound of buildings. The drifting sand and been trying to cover up the place at that time. On the drive to the beach I noted several homes all with electrical power.
===== =
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Great to hear from you! Man, 12 years is too long!

Next time, get the route to Mexicali East printed and that makes it easier.

Okay if I ask some questions?

Why could you not cross south at the original Mexicali crossing (ie. West)?

Puertecitos has been a rip-off for many years, IMO. They demanded 200 pesos (was $10) just so I could snap some photos and leave. This was one year ago.

Do you know why the pilot was denied to fly his own plane out?

Juan and Shari at Bahía Asunción are the best, yes!

Playa Grande looked deserted when I drove in but not closed. Is there a chain or some kind of roadblock closing the beach there?

Tecate is a much nicer border crossing... than Mexicali or Tijuana, IMO.