BajaNomad

Safe camping on the Pacific coast between Rosario & Sta Rosalillita?

Dangela4700 - 1-1-2019 at 12:56 AM

Hello Nomads! New member and first time poster here!

My husband and I will be taking our Nissan 4x4 (with extra gas, tires, water and repair kits) down Hwy 1, planning to leave the Hwy at abt KM132 and drive to the Pacific, then proceed south along the Pacific route (seven sisters) to Sta Rosalillita pretty much as described in DK’s excellent road guide.

Camp guide books recommend traveling in groups and camping in established campgrounds. I’m not sure we’ll find campgrounds along the seven sisters road / beaches.

We’ll have one vehicle; no dogs, no weapons (obviously). Is it safe to camp on these beaches or other out of the way places along this route?

Thanks for any guidance you can provide!

David K - 1-1-2019 at 01:12 AM

It's safe when no other humans are around. I camped both inland and along the beach, solo. Do what you are comfortable doing.

JZ - 1-1-2019 at 01:13 AM

Hey, welcome. It's very safe. I did the trip 3 times this year with my two kids.

It's a little more challenging on the North end, but not that bad.

The bays/beaches about 30 miles above Santa Rosalillita are the best of the entire route. They are spectacular. Punta Lobos, Punta Maria, and Cono. From these bays to Rosalillita is very fast, 45 mins.

Here is a video we shot: https://youtu.be/hrdzmTWPUQs

Attached are some of the main way points/tracks.






Attachment: Area Around Seven Sisters.kmz (37kB)
This file has been downloaded 305 times

[Edited on 1-1-2019 by JZ]

ehall - 1-1-2019 at 06:35 AM

You should see plenty of surfers camping.

pappy - 1-1-2019 at 09:09 AM

it is fine. but, as mentioned, this time of year there will be other campers -most likely many- at a couple of spots in that area...

Dangela4700 - 1-1-2019 at 09:36 AM

Hey all - tks for the feedback.

JZ - thanks for linking your very cool video; like the combination of drone and ground footage!

David K - the road log you posted the other day was really a life saver for us; we were able to map out our trip in much greater detail using your info. We’re very glad you put it out there and look forward to buying the guide when it’s published. :)

chippy - 1-1-2019 at 11:00 AM

Oh no!!!!!! The sacred seven sisters defiled:lol::lol::lol:

fishbuck - 1-1-2019 at 12:24 PM

It's safe except for the secret surf spots. I would tell you where those are but then...

TMW - 1-1-2019 at 12:25 PM

We did the same trip in early Nov. Here is the report http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=91697

At that time we only saw 1 or 2 vehicles along the way except in the small villages. It can get a little confusing in the Canoas area if you've never been there before, but if you stay on the most used road you'll be OK. Sometimes getting lost is fun. Just remember the ocean is to the west.

TMW - 1-1-2019 at 12:33 PM

Oops, I forgot we did meet some surfers along the coast but I forget where it was. Actually that is the first time I have ever seen surfers along the 7 sisters in all the years I've been down there. Of course not being a surfer I was not really looking for them so I may have passed them by without noticing them.

Dangela4700 - 1-1-2019 at 02:16 PM

Thanks for pointing me to the trip report, TMW!

tiotomasbcs - 1-1-2019 at 02:56 PM

It's almost always safer to camp in a group. Better to come with few friends. If you're not Kooks ask someone if you could camp twenty yds away, share beers, offer fire wood! Also, very important, has DK shown you the Super Secret Nomad handshake? Smiles. Tio :coolup:

David K - 1-1-2019 at 07:30 PM

Secret Nomad Pass:

wessongroup - 1-2-2019 at 06:29 AM

:):)

hombre66 - 1-3-2019 at 07:10 PM

Tio toms advice is the closest to what I would suggest. Winter swells bring in groups of surfers , so camp near other campers but not too close.Those places have plenty of room to spread out. The biggest worry will be the roads in. Be prepared for washouts and expect detours. Hope you guys have experience and smarts.

geronimo21 - 1-7-2019 at 02:33 AM

A very recent post on Talk Baja reports a massive fly infestation/outbreak due to poor hygienic practices (read: people aren't burying their chit properly) in that area.

I don't know how far north the outbreak has spread, but many people have been getting sick in the area. They say it is spreading from one camping area to another. El Cardon was mentioned.

Bubba - 1-7-2019 at 06:42 AM

Quote: Originally posted by geronimo21  
A very recent post on Talk Baja reports a massive fly infestation/outbreak due to poor hygienic practices (read: people aren't burying their chit properly) in that area.

I don't know how far north the outbreak has spread, but many people have been getting sick in the area. They say it is spreading from one camping area to another. El Cardon was mentioned.


Link?

mtgoat666 - 1-7-2019 at 07:09 AM

Quote: Originally posted by geronimo21  
A very recent post on Talk Baja reports a massive fly infestation/outbreak due to poor hygienic practices (read: people aren't burying their chit properly) in that area.

I don't know how far north the outbreak has spread, but many people have been getting sick in the area. They say it is spreading from one camping area to another. El Cardon was mentioned.


In certain areas, Too many people camping there. No sanitation. People peeing and pooping too close to campsites, not burying wastes.
Certain areas being over-used. Someone needs to provide sanitation, time for a fee campground..

Pack it in, pack it out, don’t leave your poop.

One road may not be passable

John M - 1-7-2019 at 07:09 AM

On the November 2018 trip TMW posted, we had originally gone to the ocean at Puerto Catarina to start the trip. A small to good-sized fishing village, but the interest for me was the large number of onyx blocks still on the beach. These had originated at El Marmol, and you see some in TMW's report. We had planned to take the "shortcut" south but after a half-hour of very deep ruts, soft sand plus no evidence of a real road we decided to return to the junction 12-15 or so miles back, then head south to Punta Canoas. The southern end of the cut-across road was plainly visible as we passed it - but not from the other end.



Extra gas is a good idea

John M



[Edited on 1-7-2019 by John M]

David K - 1-7-2019 at 08:14 AM

Hi John, I also could not find the north end of the short cut road, where it was when I drove it before. So, I also drove back to the fork for Canoas. When I got on Google Earth, I could see that it now originates right at the fish camp and not where it did in 2007 when I last drove it.

ehall - 1-7-2019 at 09:44 AM

https://m.facebook.com/groups/606976129316997?view=permalink...

Who knows if it is the flies or just a bug going around

sandpoint - 1-7-2019 at 10:30 AM

Flies on poop....

I've heard it from a couple sources who were there at the same time.

It dissapointing, I'm headed down there in 10 days.

Goyo - 1-12-2019 at 10:40 PM

I was on the Central Pacific side of Baja for the entire month of November. Tons of flies at each place I stayed. I've never experienced that amount of flies before. At the Wall, several people got sick. Gringo George from Alejandros speculated that it was due to the flies (rolling in human poo then coming to your campsite and walking on your cooking utensils, pots, pans, food). People theorized that the unusual amount of flies was due to all the rain from two major hurricanes just months prior.

Sanitation is becoming a problem with the hordes of people that now visit those surf areas. Most know the drill, but I witnessed some people pooping less than 25 yards from their campsites. And many people walking inland to take care of their business without a shovel. Even if you bury it and burn your paper, the coyotes come at night and dig it up. But they don't eat the entire pile, so there's remnants of human waste exposed for the flies to find on.

The Wall has become so popular that eventually it could become a toxic ghetto. I know many who stopped going there 20 years ago because it was too crowded then. Good times!

Bubba - 1-13-2019 at 06:09 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Goyo  
I was on the Central Pacific side of Baja for the entire month of November. Tons of flies at each place I stayed. I've never experienced that amount of flies before. At the Wall, several people got sick. Gringo George from Alejandros speculated that it was due to the flies (rolling in human poo then coming to your campsite and walking on your cooking utensils, pots, pans, food). People theorized that the unusual amount of flies was due to all the rain from two major hurricanes just months prior.

Sanitation is becoming a problem with the hordes of people that now visit those surf areas. Most know the drill, but I witnessed some people pooping less than 25 yards from their campsites. And many people walking inland to take care of their business without a shovel. Even if you bury it and burn your paper, the coyotes come at night and dig it up. But they don't eat the entire pile, so there's remnants of human waste exposed for the flies to find on.

The Wall has become so popular that eventually it could become a toxic ghetto. I know many who stopped going there 20 years ago because it was too crowded then. Good times!


Talk about scaring a Newbie off...