BajaNomad

Loreto Area Kayaking, Water at Carmen CN-11?

dayrate - 1-8-2020 at 10:08 AM

Hello, and thanks to all who contribute to this site, it offers a wealth of information. I was just referred by a pilot I know who has been traveling to Baja for many years.

I am staging a multi-day kayak trip in and around the islands off Loreto this February. All indications are that time of the year holds great potential for high winds, primarily from the north. Water temps should be around 63-65°F with air temps in the 70s. We would plan to work close to shore and get on the water very early each day, and off as conditions warrant and shore access allows. We will be plotting each day’s paddle with bail out options in mind, and will have enough days to keep our paddle distances on the small side, and/or layover to wait out winds if necessary.

I wanted to inquire if anyone has experience with the CN-11, Las Gavilanes site on the eastern shore of Isla Carmen? Some reports indicate there is access to fresh, potable water there. Can anyone validate that, or suggest if there are any other water supplies on Coronado, Danazante or Carmen?

Otherwise, any suggestions you may have would be welcome. We will be three, experienced sea kayakers with scores of long trips. One of our group has actually paddled Baja many, many times as well. We will be paddling Feathercraft kayaks, and embark from Puerto Escondido, though we are still mulling over our itinerary. We are a bit confused by the current camp permit situation, in that it seems you may not book online or by phone, but rather only in person. This greatly limits our advanced planning, as we may be locked out of sites by the time we get down there two days prior to our put-in.

Ultimately, any information would be appreciated. Have followed and enjoyed all of Graham Mackintosh’s posts! Amazing he has been able to ply those waters paddling what by his own admission is such a short and overloaded boat!

Cheers!

Steve Day
Los Angeles

JZ - 1-8-2020 at 11:09 AM

Sounds fun. My advice is late May or October would be the best times for this.

The North winds can be a b-tch, water will be a little cold. I went swimming out at Carmen last week, and it took a couple beers before I had the courage. Just not super enjoyable.

If it's Santa Ana conditions in SoCal, stay off the water.


[Edited on 1-9-2020 by JZ]

Alm - 1-8-2020 at 06:57 PM

Bring your own water in MSR Drom bags. Shouldn't need more that 1 gallon a day per person, in winter.

Mulege Canuck - 1-8-2020 at 10:14 PM

I did a trip in November in a Windrider 17 trimaran from Mulege to San Cosme. Basically a Hobie Cat on steroids. We spent some time on the east side of Carmen and Danzante. We had to get our permit at a tiny office next to the marina in Loreto. Seems like the popular spots are booked up with tourist companies but we found some other places that were fantastic.

Just 1.3km south of Puerto Balandra (CN 34) is a great spot. There is a rock face that looks like the profile of a native. It is in between CN33 and CN34. Great hiking up the Arroyo. We found a swimming hole way back up the canyon but not sure I would drink it.

We got by on 1/2 gallon of water per manday but we had a ton of beer to keep hydrated 😎

Next we stayed at Gorilla Head campsite further south on Carmen east of the northerly tip of Danzante. Nice little spot up a small Arroyo. Not great if it rains.

Have fun

Marc - 1-9-2020 at 10:27 AM

I've done all of what you are planning in my Klepper and sometimes a Feathercraft. Do not rely on finding water. Be sure you have enough onboard. If you do find water be sure to disinfect. There is water at Cosme.
Learn to read the morning sky to predict the wind later in the day.
Wind can kill. Stay close in. You will have a great time.
Back in my day; "We don't gotta show you no stinkin permits."

[Edited on 1-9-2020 by Marc]

4x4abc - 1-9-2020 at 11:20 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Mulege Canuck  


Next we stayed at Gorilla Head campsite further south on Carmen east of the northerly tip of Danzante. Nice little spot up a small Arroyo. Not great if it rains.

Have fun



do you have lat long for Gorilla Head?

Howard - 1-9-2020 at 12:59 PM

Dayrate, check your U2U as I sent you a message.

Mulege Canuck - 1-9-2020 at 04:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
Quote: Originally posted by Mulege Canuck  


Next we stayed at Gorilla Head campsite further south on Carmen east of the northerly tip of Danzante. Nice little spot up a small Arroyo. Not great if it rains.

Have fun



do you have lat long for Gorilla Head?


25 49’ 47” N / 111 13’ 50” W

This is not a spectacular spot but the sand spit just south was booked up for every day by tour groups when we were there. Pangas bring kayakers and supplies to this spot daily.

Alm - 1-9-2020 at 06:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Marc  
I've done all of what you are planning in my Klepper and sometimes a Feathercraft. Do not rely on finding water. Be sure you have enough onboard. If you do find water be sure to disinfect.

x2.
It's not too difficult to carry 2*10L Drom bags filled with RO water, in a kayak. Will last at least a week, in winter.

dayrate - 1-9-2020 at 07:50 PM

Thanks for all the replies. We are committed to our time frame, but will be flexible in terms of routes and itinerary based on wind, swell and tide action. We will not relay on finding water, and have used MSR dromedary bags for many years. We will also have water filters for any found supplies on land. We were not planning on taking the Katadyn Survivor 35 desalinator, but would consider buying one.

Well versed in coastal and river paddling in California, Alaska, Utah (Lake Powell) and Hawaii. And one of our group has paddled Baja many times on longer trips such as Muluge to Loreto and La Paz. Know well the issues with wind. We will plan with bailing out in mind, and dress for water temps either in dry suits, wet suits or Polartec Aqua Shell suits (lightweight wet suit). If water temps stay above 60, which it seems they will, we will be fine even in the lighter wet suits. We have paddled extensively in 35-45° waters and are well aware of the dangers.

Mulege Canuck, loved your posted video on your recent trip. I have a poor man's version of your Windrider, a Hobie Tandem Island. We have sailed that across the channel from San Pedro to Catalina island and then went campsite to campsite along the island. Your trip looked great! Love how you used PVC pipes to roll your rig ashore. Were they 2 inch, and did you use about 6 of them?

I am definitely concerned with trying plan an itinerary with the campsite permit situation the way it exists nowadays. As we seemingly cannot book these sites until we arrive, we have no idea if there will be anything available. How are we meant to plan a flexible trip that is well thought out only to find that when we arrive, none of it will hold up as the sites are already booked with tour groups?

Marc, you mentioned "There is water at Cosme", where is Cosme?

Otherwise, thanks for the tips on sites and the link to the video. Appreciate everyone's feedback!

Mulege Canuck - 1-9-2020 at 08:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by dayrate  


Mulege Canuck, loved your posted video on your recent trip. I have a poor man's version of your Windrider, a Hobie Tandem Island. We have sailed that across the channel from San Pedro to Catalina island and then went campsite to campsite along the island. Your trip looked great! Love how you used PVC pipes to roll your rig ashore. Were they 2 inch, and did you use about 6 of them?

I am definitely concerned with trying plan an itinerary with the campsite permit situation the way it exists nowadays. As we seemingly cannot book these sites until we arrive, we have no idea if there will be anything available. How are we meant to plan a flexible trip that is well thought out only to find that when we arrive, none of it will hold up as the sites are already booked with tour groups?





Hola Dayrate

I use 4 2” PVC rollers to get the boat up on the shore. Can be a grunt until it gets out of the wet sand.

Both places we camped at on Carmen were not “ official campsites”. We booked whatever spot was available when we got the permit, then found our own campsites.

The permit process in my opinion is only in place to ensure that the tour guides have certain popular spots to themselves. Honeymoon Bay on Danzante was booked for all of November. I went in there last year to check it out and was asked by the tour guide to leave since I did not have a permit.

Do some digging on google earth and locate some nice spots other than the designated campsites. This will give you some flexibility.

There is a sweet spot just outside of Puerto Escondido on the point that is out of the northerly winds. It makes a great overnight stay if you are running late your first day or hit some weather. It is on the video we made.

Carmen is great but in my opinion the scenery and camping is much better if you head south of Danzante towards San Cosme. The salt water Hotsprings is great there. You can get water and food from the family run restaurant there.

Have a great trip.

dayrate - 1-10-2020 at 12:26 AM

Great info MC, thanks! I wondered how tightly enforced, if at all, camping opportunities would be outside of the listed ones. I've seen what appear to be many nice looking sites with satellite imagery. I get your drift with the booking of sites so we have permits, without getting too locked into to those actual places.

Your Windrider is far heavier than my Hobie. I will try your method next time I take it out. Your boat makes me want to get one of those!

4x4abc - 1-10-2020 at 01:17 AM

where is that roller video?

Mulege Canuck - 1-10-2020 at 06:39 AM

There is no video of me using the pvc rollers.

4x4abc - 1-10-2020 at 09:58 AM

then whatever video was mentioned here

dayrate - 1-10-2020 at 09:59 AM

Mulege Canuck, where is the spot (referenced below) you refer to? On Danzante or on the mainland side just across from the marina on that spit of land that wraps to the east?

"There is a sweet spot just outside of Puerto Escondido on the point that is out of the northerly winds. It makes a great overnight stay if you are running late your first day or hit some weather. It is on the video we made."

Mulege Canuck - 1-10-2020 at 10:21 AM

Dayrate

It is on the mainland side just outside the Marina. Great snorkeling there. Totally sheltered from the northerlies.

Harold

I posted the video a month ago. If you look up “Windrider 17 in the Sea of Cortez” in trip reports, you will find the video link.

Alm - 1-10-2020 at 11:43 AM

I carried Catadyn 35 (when it was still called PUR 35) in a folding kayak for years, but only was able to use it on one trip - in Land and Sea Park, Bahama keys. There is absolutely no water on small keys, and no people where I camped - or very little, on the other end of some island, and gringos didn't look friendly enough to bother them. I guess this is why they chose to live there. Local population, predominantly black, are not pleasant to deal with, either.

OTH, in Baja you're always within 1 paddling day from some village with RO water.

The experience with Catadyn 35 was rather positive. It does make 1 gallon of water in 1 hour of pumping without much effort, albeit very boring. I used to sit at the water at dusk, turn AM radio, put some talk show on, and pump. And it was still boring. I got Catadyn 35 on Ebay refurbished with new membrane for ~1/2 price and sold years later.

dayrate - 1-10-2020 at 12:40 PM

Thanks Alm for the Katadyn info.

And thanks Howard, I have indeed watched your video. Just have to go back to see where you meant for that protected area. I can see a couple spots on the sat pix, just not sure there is much of a beach to land on. The land seems pretty vertical there!

Mulege Canuck - 1-10-2020 at 02:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by dayrate  
Mulege Canuck, where is the spot (referenced below) you refer to? On Danzante or on the mainland side just across from the marina on that spit of land that wraps to the east?

"There is a sweet spot just outside of Puerto Escondido on the point that is out of the northerly winds. It makes a great overnight stay if you are running late your first day or hit some weather. It is on the video we made."


32390C96-2265-4D27-96A2-F0CFFE6557D6.jpeg - 48kB

This is the spot out of the northerly winds close to Puerto Escondido.

wilderone - 1-10-2020 at 03:04 PM

If you're prepared for multi-days and you have your own water, you could just go south along the coast if you can't get a camping permit at Danzante. Pull out at La Paz, one of you bus back to Loreto to get the car. There's water at Agua Verde, Los Dolores, San Juan de La Costa. Awesome trip.

dayrate - 1-10-2020 at 04:03 PM

Great, thanks very much!