TCS
Newbie
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Baja Surf Trip Safety Question
Coming out of lurker mode to post this question and would appreciate honest feedback from senior nomads. The question is: is my trip plan safe for my
family.
I've travelled to San Jaunico and Sea of Cortez area around 10 times but not in the last seven years or so. I think I have a pretty good idea of basic
safety measures such as driving slow, in the daytime, staying in a hotel with private parking when on the way down and back. I have a good deal of
camping and roadtrip experience and have felt pretty confident about the upcoming trip, but have had a few second thoughts, possibly due to taking my
15 year old daughter.
So here's the plan: I'm planning on driving down to (depending on swell direction and advice I receive here) 1. The Wall, 2. Abreojos, 3. San Juanico.
Will either leave Friday afternoon and stay down around San Quintin or leave Saturday morning and get to El Rosario on day one. Day two we would
arrive at one of the above surf spots and camp on the beach for six nights. Might make the return trip in one day as that's what we've done in the
past.
Its a little difficult to know what's really going down south of the border and in these locations in particular, so I would really appreciate your
advice either posted or in a PM.
Also, sorry if this is in the wrong forum.
Thanks,
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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One always needs to be aware of their surroundings to be safe. Baja is no less safe than anywhere else. Of course come down and have fun but always
keep an eye out around you the same as if you are on a beach in the US. I think your daughter will love it and may make new friends along the way.
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
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I've been taking my kids down since they were just a few weeks old. Now at 3 and 5, they are both veterans. Follow you instincts and you will be
fine. Enjoy your trip.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65100
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Location: San Diego County
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Agree with TW and Bajaboy... also took my son and daughter down from the time they were babies until they moved out (and they both want me to take
them back). My son has gone down in his 20's to Mag Bay, as well.
I feel safer in Baja than most anywhere else...
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redhilltown
Super Nomad
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Location: Long Beach, CA
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Agreed to the above posts. A second buddy truck/group is never a bad idea in remote Baja locations.
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coolhand
Junior Nomad
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Location: san diego
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My wife and I head to various beaches in Baja twice a year. We look at Google earth; she finds a beach, we find a way in. Then I find a beach, and we
find a way in. We camp totally solo. We have never seen another person on the beaches where we go. We feel totally safe. But meth is raging in Baja. I
would never camp too close to a pueblo. Most pueblos have meth heads. Or at least one. So do all US towns, but here there are campgrounds and camp
rangers. Now I love Abreojos, more than any other town on the Viscaino P. but we camp far away, when camping. If you stay in town, at a motel or
B&B your fine. But if you camp alone, close enough to any small town, yet far enough for town eyes to see, there is a slight potential for
trouble. This goes for Bahia Asuncion, Abreojos, Juanico, or The Wall. But if your around fellow campers, and most likely you will be at the above
locations, your fine. My rule of thumb, when camping solo with the wife; camp far enough from a town that meth addicts will never find you, or they
find you too far out of the way to be worth it (not an easy target). All in all, I still feel safer in Baja, than here.
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coolhand
Junior Nomad
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Location: san diego
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My Motto: Just camp far enough away from bad people looking for easy money, yet close enough to good people willing to help.
We essentially position ourselves so we can hike out with our H2O and food in case of car/boat trouble. But no way in hell the bad guys will chance a
trip to BFE for possibly nothing.
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bajario
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We'll be making the trip to Loreto then over to San Juanico with our 14 yo daughter and 8 yo son probably in late July. We did it two years ago and
two years before that. They love it and so do we. We typically leave mid day the first day also and make it to El Rosario or Catavina and finish up
the next morning.Last time along with this time we have family caravanning with us so safety in #s is a great idea. Not sure Scorpion Bay cares to see
13 of us (7 kids) roll up but there's plenty of beach for everyone. We stay to ourselves.
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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| Quote: | Originally posted by coolhand
My wife and I head to various beaches in Baja twice a year. We look at Google earth; she finds a beach, we find a way in. Then I find a beach, and we
find a way in. We camp totally solo. We have never seen another person on the beaches where we go. We feel totally safe. But meth is raging in Baja. I
would never camp too close to a pueblo. Most pueblos have meth heads. Or at least one. So do all US towns, but here there are campgrounds and camp
rangers. Now I love Abreojos, more than any other town on the Viscaino P. but we camp far away, when camping. If you stay in town, at a motel or
B&B your fine. But if you camp alone, close enough to any small town, yet far enough for town eyes to see, there is a slight potential for
trouble. This goes for Bahia Asuncion, Abreojos, Juanico, or The Wall. But if your around fellow campers, and most likely you will be at the above
locations, your fine. My rule of thumb, when camping solo with the wife; camp far enough from a town that meth addicts will never find you, or they
find you too far out of the way to be worth it (not an easy target). All in all, I still feel safer in Baja, than here. |
This is definitely not true for Asuncion especially with the vigilancia presence.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
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Be prepared for wind at the Wall.
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TCS
Newbie
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Appreciate your input everyone. That is how I've felt about it as well, but nice to get some confirmation. We leave in nine days!
Any additional tips or pros/cons on seven sisters vs. abreojos would be welcome as I've never been to either. I'm not seeing any signs of swell for
scorpion bay.
Thanks, Tom
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BooJumMan
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 8-11-2007
Location: San Diego
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Well, this past year I've seen more gringos/surfers (As I am one myself) than I have in close to 10 years. Apparently the media has laid off from all
the drug related murders in Baja enough that people are feeling safe on going down.
Baja to me is the same as it ever was... It's relatively safe, but you obviously have to be aware of your surroundings...just as it ever was. To me,
the last few years have been the best since there haven't been many surfers at the spots I like to travel to. 
As far as where to go, I would probably tend to go further south for better surf. 
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65100
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Seven Sisters (except for Santa Rosalillita) is not reached by paved road, and Abreojos and Asuncion both are. Coolhand sounds like he also goes with
what Mama Espinoza says: "Bad Roads Bring Good People... Good Roads Bring ALL Kinds of People"
In extra measure is to camp at the end of a road or down a beach that requires 4WD to get to. Don't camp on the beach near towns (Camalu, San Quintin,
El Rosario, etc.) unless in a campground or with others.
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Buena Vista BCS
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Welcome to Nomads TCS, have a fun trip....
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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MMc
Super Nomad
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TCS, Check out the U2U in the upper right hand corner.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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LukeJobbins
Nomad
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Location: Lemoore, Ca
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Out of everywhere I have ever been including nicaragua, the entire west coast, baja, hawaii, the wall has had the best and worst waves I have ever
seen. It is a horrible long bumpy ride with nothing to do but surf, but when it's on it has 3 different points to surf and the best waves ever.
Normal afternoon winds blow offshore on the last point. It's a risky half-day excursion if you don't know it's going to be good, but it's a risk I
would take. I have been skunked with crazy winds and small surf and I have had crazy long overhead hollow waves.
And for camping I have camped all over including on the side of the road many many times and never had a problem or anyone look twice except for the
military guys asking if we were ok or needed anything.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by LukeJobbins
Out of everywhere I have ever been including nicaragua, the entire west coast, baja, hawaii, the wall has had the best and worst waves I have ever
seen. It is a horrible long bumpy ride with nothing to do but surf, but when it's on it has 3 different points to surf and the best waves ever.
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and one of those 3 spots is called "Whimps and Gimps" so there is that.....
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merlin
Junior Nomad
Posts: 87
Registered: 2-22-2007
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All good advice. I agree, baja is very safe but you still need to keep your wits about you. We live in San Juanico, have been for ten years. Raised
our son here. Wonderful people. Most of the time it's a gringo that starts any trouble. Stop by to say hello if you make it down this far.
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