BajaNomad

Otay border crosssing 3/17/2019

Bajaboy - 3-18-2019 at 10:12 AM

Yesterday I ran the Ultramaraton Baja Trail 50K at Rancho Casian in Tijuana. This is the second time I've done this race. It's a great but very challenging race.

We considered driving out to Tecate to cross the border but the CPB site said 110 minutes at Otay. Big mistake! We cued up at 5:30pm and crossed a 4:15am this morning. The agent didn't say a word to us.

Anyone else get caught in the cluster last night?

BornFisher - 3-18-2019 at 10:17 AM

That`s the worst I`ve ever heard! Very sorry.

del mar - 3-18-2019 at 10:30 AM

wow! regular or ready lanes?

LukeJobbins - 3-18-2019 at 10:36 AM

I crossed in sentri at San Ysidro at 3am and I didn’t see the end of the normal line. From where I saw was at least 3 hours.

Bajaboy - 3-18-2019 at 10:47 AM

Quote: Originally posted by del mar  
wow! regular or ready lanes?


Regular lanes.

David K - 3-18-2019 at 10:51 AM

So, why did you not go to Tecate?

del mar - 3-18-2019 at 10:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy  
Quote: Originally posted by del mar  
wow! regular or ready lanes?


Regular lanes.


that must be some kind of record!

Bajaboy - 3-18-2019 at 10:58 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
So, why did you not go to Tecate?


We considered driving out to Tecate to cross the border but the CPB site said 110 minutes at Otay.

nandopedal - 3-18-2019 at 12:05 PM

DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT ever trust any report for Otay especially on weekends!!!!.....Been there done that, never again.

David K - 3-18-2019 at 12:08 PM

Yes, I read that... why wait 110 minutes... is why I asked... and that you waited all night was horrible.

Tecate on the weekend might be 45-90 minutes... and during the week 0-20 minutes. I would rather drive for 110 minutes than wait in line that time. There have been two exceptions for me at Tecate... 3 hrs. once in 2006 and 5 hours once in 2012.

bajaguy - 3-18-2019 at 12:12 PM

Why wait at all.......get SENTRI or Global Entry

fishbuck - 3-18-2019 at 12:21 PM

I am trying to figure out how and where to set up a storage and stuff just NOB.
I want to use Otay because of Brown Field.
I may drive up once a month to check my mail.
But I will probably fly up when I get set up for it.
I can see flying acrossed as the only practical
way soon.
There is no line when flying across. You might have to wait behind a private jet from Cabo or two...

bajaguy - 3-18-2019 at 12:30 PM

This is what we used, you can walk to the airport

https://www.sandiegoselfstorage.com/self-storage/ca/san-dieg...
Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
I am trying to figure out how and where to set up a storage and stuff just NOB.
I want to use Otay because of Brown Field.
I may drive up once a month to check my mail.
But I will probably fly up when I get set up for it.
I can see flying acrossed as the only practical
way soon.
There is no line when flying across. You might have to wait behind a private jet from Cabo or two...

Bajaboy - 3-18-2019 at 12:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Yes, I read that... why wait 110 minutes... is why I asked... and that you waited all night was horrible.

Tecate on the weekend might be 45-90 minutes... and during the week 0-20 minutes. I would rather drive for 110 minutes than wait in line that time. There have been two exceptions for me at Tecate... 3 hrs. once in 2006 and 5 hours once in 2012.


The quote for Tecate was about the same.

fishbuck - 3-18-2019 at 12:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy  
This is what we used, you can walk to the airport

https://www.sandiegoselfstorage.com/self-storage/ca/san-dieg...


Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
I am trying to figure out how and where to set up a storage and stuff just NOB.
I want to use Otay because of Brown Field.
I may drive up once a month to check my mail.
But I will probably fly up when I get set up for it.
I can see flying acrossed as the only practical
way soon.
There is no line when flying across. You might have to wait behind a private jet from Cabo or two...


Thanks. This is probably the right spot.

David K - 3-18-2019 at 12:41 PM

Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
I am trying to figure out how and where to set up a storage and stuff just NOB.
I want to use Otay because of Brown Field.
I may drive up once a month to check my mail.
But I will probably fly up when I get set up for it.
I can see flying acrossed as the only practical
way soon.
There is no line when flying across. You might have to wait behind a private jet from Cabo or two...


Brown Field was easy for U.S. customs to check our helicopter northbound. We entered and exited Mexico at Ensenada and that took a long time, not because of any line of pilots... but just the slow bureaucrats (comandante) and paperwork the pilot needed to fill out and prove insurance, etc. The INM guy was pretty fast... You have to buy a flying FMM going south (and no free 7 days for flyers) and you have to pay to exit and turn in your FMM northbound, too. It was a smaller amount, like U.S. $5 I recall? Maybe that was lunch money for them, lol?

fishbuck - 3-18-2019 at 01:02 PM

I think the turnaround at Enesenada is about an hour. But that gives a chance to fuel the plane.
Another idea I have is to leave the plane parked at TJ Int., take a cab right to the border walk in door and walk across at Otay.
That always appears to be very quick.
And the airplane doesn't need any more paperwork and I can fly straight home or wherever I want.
Has anyone ever tried walking across at Otay.
If this works I will pick up my guest at the border in this manner.
They can walk across and take a cab to the private aircraft terminal at TJ.
I'll be there waiting with a fully fueled plane. We fly to the hotbite where ever that is a the moment. Or a pumping surf break.
Or to the my fishcamp for R&R.
The sky is the limit as they say...

[Edited on 3-18-2019 by fishbuck]

elgatoloco - 3-18-2019 at 03:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
So, why did you not go to Tecate?


We considered driving out to Tecate to cross the border but the CPB site said 110 minutes at Otay.


Holy crap. We have been crossing for day trips (10-12 x in last 60 days). We use Sentri but I always look at BWT app and it either does not get updated as frequently as it should or its just plain wrong at times. The old original Border crossing app that was crowd sourced and is no longer supported seems to have offered a bit more realistic estimate IMHO.

Congrats on the race. I'm guessing it took you less time to run it then it did to get back across. Maybe they should have a cross border race out and back. :saint::dudette:

BajaBlanca - 3-18-2019 at 09:33 PM

That is just awful and thanks for sharing.

mtgoat666 - 3-18-2019 at 09:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
I think the turnaround at Enesenada is about an hour. But that gives a chance to fuel the plane.
Another idea I have is to leave the plane parked at TJ Int., take a cab right to the border walk in door and walk across at Otay.
That always appears to be very quick.
And the airplane doesn't need any more paperwork and I can fly straight home or wherever I want.
Has anyone ever tried walking across at Otay.
If this works I will pick up my guest at the border in this manner.
They can walk across and take a cab to the private aircraft terminal at TJ.
I'll be there waiting with a fully fueled plane. We fly to the hotbite where ever that is a the moment. Or a pumping surf break.
Or to the my fishcamp for R&R.
The sky is the limit as they say...

[Edited on 3-18-2019 by fishbuck]


I think we are more likely to see pigs fly before we see you fly. Just sayin’...

fishbuck - 3-18-2019 at 10:27 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
I think the turnaround at Enesenada is about an hour. But that gives a chance to fuel the plane.
Another idea I have is to leave the plane parked at TJ Int., take a cab right to the border walk in door and walk across at Otay.
That always appears to be very quick.
And the airplane doesn't need any more paperwork and I can fly straight home or wherever I want.
Has anyone ever tried walking across at Otay.
If this works I will pick up my guest at the border in this manner.
They can walk across and take a cab to the private aircraft terminal at TJ.
I'll be there waiting with a fully fueled plane. We fly to the hotbite where ever that is a the moment. Or a pumping surf break.
Or to the my fishcamp for R&R.
The sky is the limit as they say...

[Edited on 3-18-2019 by fishbuck]


I think we are more likely to see pigs fly before we see you fly. Just sayin’...


Thank you for your interest and positive motivation.
I feel better now;)

Bajaboy - 3-19-2019 at 07:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by elgatoloco  
Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
So, why did you not go to Tecate?


We considered driving out to Tecate to cross the border but the CPB site said 110 minutes at Otay.


Holy crap. We have been crossing for day trips (10-12 x in last 60 days). We use Sentri but I always look at BWT app and it either does not get updated as frequently as it should or its just plain wrong at times. The old original Border crossing app that was crowd sourced and is no longer supported seems to have offered a bit more realistic estimate IMHO.

Congrats on the race. I'm guessing it took you less time to run it then it did to get back across. Maybe they should have a cross border race out and back. :saint::dudette:


We were laughing about that as well....8 hours to do 30 miles for the race, almost 12 hours to go 3 miles at Otay...it sucked at the time but is less painful in hindsight.

fishbuck - 3-19-2019 at 11:27 AM

Thanks for sharing it. Bummer that your time got wasted.
The border is unpredictable... and unpleasant...

carlosg - 3-19-2019 at 12:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy  
...

We considered driving out to Tecate to cross the border but the CPB site said 110 minutes at Otay.


The CBP App NEVER is trust worthy... I've been using

https://www.lalineaenvivo.com/

on my phone for over one year and most (if not always) its correct: it shows live cams and also the option of wait time at different ports of entry from Nogales to San Ysidro.

You pay under $2 but its worth it....!!!!

Try it, you'll like it....!!!!:light:

Bajaboy - 3-19-2019 at 12:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by carlosg  
Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboy  
...

We considered driving out to Tecate to cross the border but the CPB site said 110 minutes at Otay.


The CBP App NEVER is trust worthy... I've been using

https://www.lalineaenvivo.com/

on my phone for over one year and most (if not always) its correct: it shows live cams and also the option of wait time at different ports of entry from Nogales to San Ysidro.

You pay under $2 but its worth it....!!!!

Try it, you'll like it....!!!!:light:


Thanks!