BajaNomad - RV accessible surf spots?

RV accessible surf spots?

Sevy77 - 8-31-2022 at 09:37 PM

My girlfriend and I are looking for RV accessible surf spots, ideally south of Ensenada, we are going to surf Rosalito before heading further south. We drive a 21' class C motorhome on dually on a chevy van chassis, so we definitely aren't a big rig. We've taken our little RV on quite a few logging/forest roads in Canada, and are used to driving rough roads we just go slow. Where we are a little less experienced in the very sandy conditions, and tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to driving on any loose sand. We're hoping there's still quite a few options out there for those of us without a high clearance 4x4 to find some nice surf. We're fine to boondock, or stay at a place and are equipped with enough water for about a week at a time of off-grid until water starts running out.

We eventually will make our way down to BCS but aren't in any rush, and if we like a spot definitely want to enjoy it for at least a few days if not longer. Any other campers down here with similar limitations and love of surfing? Let us know what the best options might be. Any information is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!

Ateo - 8-31-2022 at 10:36 PM

I probably have a few ideas.....what time of the year? Just thinking south swell or NW swell spots.

Are you experienced surfers looking for a point break or will a beach break with easy access be OK?

Punta Cabras. Take the road to Erindera and then head North.

Cuatro Casas.

Colonet/Camalu area has some stuff that's easy access from Highway 1

South of there you're kinda out of luck until you hit Santa Rosalillita, unless you want to get aggro and make try one of the 7 sisters.

Sevy77 - 8-31-2022 at 11:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo

I probably have a few ideas.....what time of the year? Just thinking south swell or NW swell spots.

Are you experienced surfers looking for a point break or will a beach break with easy access be OK?

Punta Cabras. Take the road to Erindera and then head North.

Cuatro Casas.

Colonet/Camalu area has some stuff that's easy access from Highway 1

South of there you're kinda out of luck until you hit Santa Rosalillita, unless you want to get aggro and make try one of the 7 sisters.

We're in Ensenada now, but spending the next 6 months just touring around Baja and then BCS, but we don't want to drive down south and miss out on any sweet spots on the way.

We're both experienced surfers, not looking for anything too big and impartial whether it's beach or point break. (Where we come from and surfed a lot is mostly beach with a few point break spots).

Also definitely into checking out one of the 7 sisters. As we'll be driving back north in probably 4(ish) months it'll be a good way to check out a bunch of spots and see what we like most and want to return to on the way back up.

David K - 9-1-2022 at 08:04 AM

A motorhome is not a good choice for off-highway driving, so be careful!
The map shows the southern Seven Sisters coast and as you can see a paved road goes to Santa Rosalillita. From near there, an excellent graded dirt road follows the coast north 31 miles to the junction to Punta Cono.

One camping/ surfing place close to the good road is Punta Diablo, where nearby Rancho El Cardón runs the camping beach.

I researched this area and more in 2017. See my trip report/ photo web page: https://vivabaja.com/p417/

Signed for camping ‘El Cardón’ (Punta el Diablo)

The 31-mile-long dirt highway.

JZ - 9-1-2022 at 09:03 AM

Southern end of the Seven Sisters it the perfect spot.

shari - 9-1-2022 at 03:59 PM

EAsy peasy to get into Sta.Rosalillita to surf at the breakwater in town. To surf in Bahia Asuncion you can camp at our campground Campo Sirena on google maps and we take our surf club kids to the break nearly every day so you can ride along with us or also at Los Choros you can camp if you have a bit of clearance to get over the berm getting onto the beach road. I can dial you in on how to get to the breaks if you want to visit our friendly, beautiful, safe village.
To see the breaks and our surf club we are PacNorba on Facebook.

Sevy77 - 9-1-2022 at 04:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Thanks for the info, and informative trip report. Our little RV is just a big Chevy 350 Van. We got brand new all terrain tires, and recovery tracks, and tire patch kits as well as basically brand new suspension. We've also taken it on a lot of rough logging and forestry roads back in Canada. We scrape the hitch receiver around town (doesn't affect anything, and is just a reality of these roads it seems) because of the shorter wheel base but at 21' its definitely on the smaller end. It's just the loose sand that we don't like testing our luck, and always opt to walk a bit rather than have a front row beach parking spot.

Sevy77 - 9-1-2022 at 04:36 PM

Quote: Originally posted by shari

EAsy peasy to get into Sta.Rosalillita to surf at the breakwater in town. To surf in Bahia Asuncion you can camp at our campground Campo Sirena on google maps and we take our surf club kids to the break nearly every day so you can ride along with us or also at Los Choros you can camp if you have a bit of clearance to get over the berm getting onto the beach road. I can dial you in on how to get to the breaks if you want to visit our friendly, beautiful, safe village.
To see the breaks and our surf club we are PacNorba on Facebook.

Wow sounds amazing, we will definitely look you guys up online and try to make a plan to stop by and enjoy the campground/surf. Thanks for the info, and welcoming invitation, we're hoping to relocate to Baja or BCS in the future so definitely love to get a good feeling for different areas.

pappy - 9-3-2022 at 06:46 AM

Just before camalu is shipwrecks. After that, I would go with what Shari said...

Hook - 9-3-2022 at 08:53 AM

I will never forget some of the washes I went through in Anza Borrego Desert State Park in SoCal in my 24 foot class C rig. Like driving through the deep sand in the area of Bow Willow Wash and Carrizo Wash. Yeah, it was a foolish, drunken thing to do, at the time.

But I learned how capable airing down to 10-12 lbs on a rig with duallies in the back can be. Air down the front, too.

If you get stuck, DONT SPIN THE TIRES MORE THAN A SECOND, IF YOU ARE STOPPED. Just get out, air down, clear any sand that creates an incline in the direction you plan to get un-stuck, and drive out SLOWLY. If you start moving you can increase the speed moderately to get you over the soft stuff and back on firmness. I personally like to use SECOND GEAR for this. Most American automatic transmissions will stay in second gear when in second gear and not downshift into first even from a standing stop. This inhibits spinning the tires and digging in again.

Highly recommend carrying a quality air compressor with you.

Also recommend you have a means of getting weather reports, while in remote areas, for the next two months. It is still hurricane and chubasco season. Hurricanes can really play havoc with the roads and arroyo crossings in any of northern, central or southern Baja. Arroyos might flow for a few days, leaving you cut off for a while.

Of course, hurricanes can also bring big surf, I guess. :biggrin:

It's a two-edged sword.

AKgringo - 9-3-2022 at 09:22 AM

I absolutely agree with airing down all wheels to get out of the sand, but if you air down duallies to the point where the sidewalls rub, you must air back up again before you drive more than crawl speed.

I have burned up a cheap compressor, and fuses before trying to get all four wheels up to road pressure, so refill in stages, rotating so that all tires will be close to equal if the compressor quits. The higher the pressure, the harder the compressor has to work.

pacificobob - 9-3-2022 at 10:56 AM

As popular as airing down is. I also always carry a plastic bucket. If the traction loss happens near water wetting the sand provides additional traction. While living in Central America in the 70s, i had 30 miles of sugar sand before reaching a regular dirt road. We always waited for a hard rain ,aired down and crossed our fingers.

El Camote - 9-3-2022 at 03:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

I will never forget some of the washes I went through in Anza Borrego Desert State Park in SoCal in my 24 foot class C rig. Like driving through the deep sand in the area of Bow Willow Wash and Carrizo Wash. Yeah, it was a foolish, drunken thing to do, at the time.

Speaking of Carrizo, here's our 32 ft. Bounder-beast making short work of a nasty back road through the Temblor range in Carrizo Plain Natl Monument. I'm always amazed where this thing can go. Always exceeds my expectations. And it's so sweet when you make it to a remote camp spot with all the comforts of home.

IMG_3358.jpg - 126kB

pappy - 9-5-2022 at 07:09 AM

The rains from Kay May possibly alter some of the central coast roads in which case might be impassable in a 21 foot rv

AKgringo - 9-5-2022 at 07:45 AM

In 2014, Odile followed a similar track and left many back roads unusable even with a 4x4. This storm doesn't appear to pack the punch that Odile came on shore with, but it is the rain, not the wind that will kick road butt.

Main roads will get repaired first.

mtgoat666 - 9-5-2022 at 08:17 AM

Quote: Originally posted by pappy

The rains from Kay May possibly alter some of the central coast roads in which case might be impassable in a 21 foot rv

Will be a wee bit rainy and windy later this week, throughout all of baja peninsula… not the best conditions for camping/RVing, eh?

AKgringo - 9-5-2022 at 08:22 AM

Storm chasing sounds like a lot of fun! Storm catching...not so much. :wow:

bajatrailrider - 9-5-2022 at 08:28 AM

Erindera good to go now baja under bad heat wave now . More south more heat. Im close to erindera know two surfers there could show you the spots.

Hook - 9-6-2022 at 07:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider

Erindera good to go now baja under bad heat wave now . More south more heat. Im close to erindera know two surfers there could show you the spots.

I think this is sound advice. Stay north until you see how much damage occurs from Hurricane Kay. This area will also return to comfortable temps quicker than anywhere below the turn inland at El Rosario.

The Seven Sisters area would also be nice but getting in or out of there could become problematic, shortly.

BooJumMan - 9-6-2022 at 08:23 AM

Unfortunately I am having a hard time thinking of spots that require a high clearance 4x4 these days... Of course that might all change after Kay....

Hook - 9-6-2022 at 12:57 PM

Sevy77 hasn't replied to this post in five days, though he/she did post about changing Canadian dollars today.

Hoping he/she has not proceeded down the peninsula and has limited access to information.

Sevy77, WHERE ARRRRRE YOU!!??

Sevy77 - 9-8-2022 at 02:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

Sevy77 hasn't replied to this post in five days, though he/she did post about changing Canadian dollars today.

Hoping he/she has not proceeded down the peninsula and has limited access to information.

Sevy77, WHERE ARRRRRE YOU!!??

Sorry to cause any alarm or panic. Spent a few days out Erindera at Punta Cabras but waves weren't amazing at the time. Went south of San Quintin boondocking and managed to find a little spot where we could catch some waves! Crazy the difference in push these waves have down here opposed to where we're from, it was a lot of fun!

Now due to the Kay situation, we've hunkered down near San Quintin and taking all the necessary precautions. We also just got set up cell-phone wise down here so have more access to internet. Nice to know theres such a great community of travelers looking out for eachother.

Definitely going to have to assess road conditions moving forward, and expecting to have to put off some stops until the return trip in ~4-5 months. Either way, we're happy to be in paradise. We'll be in the San Quintin area for the next 2 weeks at least, and if anyone is in the area that is interested in finding some surf or sharing their knowledge at some point we'd love to connect.

Cheers and happy travels to all!

David K - 9-8-2022 at 03:02 PM

2 weeks should be enough time to build detours around the washed out bridges! Have fun!! :light:

bajajoaquin - 9-9-2022 at 03:56 PM

You might check out the Wall. You should be able to get in there with a Class C if you come in directly from the road by Nuevo Rosarito. You almost certainly won't be able to get in from the coast road leading from Santa Rosalillita, as even before Kay, there were a couple places where you dipped down into little gullies that had cross-axle loads and place a premium on rear overhang/departure angle.

The Wall is the most consistent spot on that section of coast, but the camping kinda sucks. It's rocky and windy, so you will be best served with a Class C there. Lots of space to camp with rock cairn wind breaks, and it's pretty level.