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desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2396
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
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thats okay ,, didnt want to nitpick at all,,, just wondering, keep up the great posts and photos,,
oh and welcome aboard
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mcpuitar
Junior Nomad
Posts: 37
Registered: 3-16-2010
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Just wanted to make a mention about taking dogs on the ferry since this question came up here. I live in Tucson too and I take my two medium-sized
dogs with me almost every time I go (2 to 3 times per year each way). They stay and sleep in my vehicle on board. I make sure to let them run (or at
least give them a good walk) shortly before driving onto the ferry. If you were crossing without a vehicle you would have to bring a kennel I
suppose.
Although dogs are not allowed on the upper passenger decks I have had no problem going to the auto deck and walking them around for a few minutes
during the night. Usually there is nobody down there and when there is I have never gotten in trouble or been given any dirty looks from the crew. I
guess they figure if the dogs pee on the floor, a rope or vehicle tie strap it will eventually get washed off by the sea spray. The signs on the big
metal doors leading to the car deck say "no admittance during the trip" but the crew are relaxed about it and have politely told me it's okay to check
on the vehicle or the dogs at any time. It's true that the crew as well as the office staff are all very friendly and Rigo, who runs the snack bar
and other things is especially helpful.
Something to keep in mind with dogs is that if you are going during the hot summer months, for a night crossing it is important to try to drive on
last (to have a good air circulation). For the less-frequent day crossings it is important to make sure you are not the last in line to drive on (so
the vehicle is not parked in the sun for any part of the trip). Here's why: you have to back the vehicle onto the boat so if you line it up as the
front car (farthest from the boat) you will likely to be one of the last ones to drive onto the ferry. For a summer night crossing this assures that,
when the car windows are rolled down a bit there will be sufficient breeze for the dogs since the back of the boat has about a car length distance or
so (with two vehicle widths as you can see from the pictures) of open air and good circulation when the boat is moving. Although the air is not
especially bad anywhere on the auto deck, it just gets hotter the farther you are from the more breezy, open stern of the boat. But for a summer day
crossing you do NOT want to be parked in the stern if you have dogs because of the sun. None of this is so vitally important if the weather is cool.
Either way don't forget to leave water in the car for the dogs.
Here's some more advice: when you call the office they don't always know for sure until the day of departure if wind/weather is going to alter the
ferry schedule, so a good idea a day or two in advance is to check Sailflow data and/or the Buoyweather sites for the area to get an idea if the ferry
might cross over or not. I've noticed if winds are over about 13-15 knots it's a good bet that they are going to wait until the next day or so until
it calms down. So make sure to allow yourself an extra day or two for the return trip as quite a few times I've had to drive back up the Baja
peninsula to get back to Tucson for work and the ferry wasn't able to cross from Santa Rosalia to Guaymas due to big waves. I don't ever mind the
drive at all and it hasn't been a problem because even when I have purchased round trip tickets (it saves a few dollars) I save the return tickets and
they let me use them at a future date for crossings in either direction.
Hope this helps.
McPedro
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mcpuitar
Junior Nomad
Posts: 37
Registered: 3-16-2010
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One more thing I forgot to mention--The Federales like you to walk your dogs away from the vehicle and away from their dogs while they sniff around
the vehicle before boarding just so they don't get distracted from their detection duties.
McPedro
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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Mcpuiter...wow, 2 worthy posts from newbies...awesome! thanks so much for that excellent info as we would cross with pooches and your suggestions make
alot of sense indeed....look forward to more posts from you all.
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bajafam
Senior Nomad
Posts: 654
Registered: 9-6-2009
Location: Northeast AZ, Bahia Asuncion, BCS :)
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What a fantastic thread! Thanks you two!! I have no idea when we will make a trip that requires the use of the ferry, but now I have something new to
look into!
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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In terms of the pricing that I found, here is the thread that discusses it. Read the entire thread as I update info along the way.
Also keep in mind that the booking of a room DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF THAT ROOM. They can book up to four people in the same room.
Finally, I found that it is very easy and not frowned upon to access your vehicle. I hit my beer and food stash and even brought food up to other
decks.
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k-rico
Super Nomad
Posts: 2079
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Location: Playas de Tijuana
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Thanks to all that posted info about the ferry crossing. Answered all my questions, almost.
Of course the true cost would have to take into consideration the difference in the cost of driving from wherever your starting point is.
One question I have is about the weight of the vehicle in relation to the cost. I have a pickup with a small cabover camper on it. The camper does not
add length, just weight. Would it cost more than the same pickup without the camper?
I drove to Guaymas from TJ last year and I MUCH prefer the drive to Santa Rosalia. That combined with a 8 hour ferry ride would be much better for me,
the only question is, is it worth the cost, and that's an individual calculation.
Thanks again, good info.
[Edited on 3-17-2010 by k-rico]
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mcpuitar
Junior Nomad
Posts: 37
Registered: 3-16-2010
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I just checked my credit card statement showing my last trip in November, '09 and the total roundtrip (retorno) cost for two adults with my Honda
Element (aka "the cube" or "the mini-Hummer") was $608.29. The dogs were free of course. I think the exchange rate was about 13 pesos to the $US.
Vehicles longer than 5.4 meters or wider than 3 meters would be more expensive.
That was one of those trips where the wind prevented my return crossing for several days and I had to drive up Baja to get back to Arizona so I saved
the 2 passenger return tickets and the vehicle ticket in my passport holder. My son and his girlfriend were able to use them last week when they went
across from Guaymas to Santa Rosalia. So they are transferable (even between vehicles I think) and Diego at the Guaymas ferry office says they do not
expire. But take good care of them because if they get even partially ripped they will be void (when you board the boat they rip them slightly--not
totally in half but about 50% across the width to show that they are used tickets). It saves only somewhere around $20 or so to buy round trip, so
unless you do the crossing regularly or have extra time to wait it out in or near Santa Rosalia, it's probably better just to buy one-way tickets in
case of windy conditions when you try to cross back over.
One thing I should probably mention is that one time about 2-1/2 years ago the credit card machine/computer at the Guaymas ferry office was not
working and they asked me to pay the fares in cash. So I had to go to the nearest ATM in town because I don't generally carry that much. Since then
I have come prepared with at least enough cash for one-way tickets just in case. But it only happened that one time.
I'll be going across again in late May-June and will get back to y'all with any new information gleaned at that time.
McPedro
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DianaT
Select Nomad
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Registered: 12-17-2004
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mcpuitar
Thank you for the very detailed dog info---where to park, able to walk them, etc. Very important information for us.
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mcpuitar
Junior Nomad
Posts: 37
Registered: 3-16-2010
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For K-Rico--The camper shell weight would not add additional cost. They only go by length, width, and number of wheels on the vehicle.
Yes, the true cost is related to your starting point and it's probably not worth driving to Guaymas to use the ferry for most people starting out from
west of the Colorado River. The ferry costs much more than the gas it takes to drive to Baja Sur for most vehicles. From my house in Tucson the
ferry saves a half-day's travel time, and 635 miles each way on my Honda over driving the whole way to my usual Baja destination of Punta Chivato
(it's exactly 1000 miles to drive there from Tucson, crossing at Tecate, vs. 375 driving miles to take the ferry from Guaymas, crossing at Nogales).
It can also save on the nominal cost of one cheap hotel room for a night in El Rosario (or wherever) for those who don't camp along the Baja drive. I
get about 25 mpg in my Honda so it costs me around $250 total in gas (less than 1/2 the round-trip ferry cost) to drive down and back up Baja the
whole way from Tucson. And the gas I use to drive when I take the ferry both ways comes to almost $100 roundtrip. But I find the ferry relaxing and
a little adventurous at the same time so I usually prefer it. Also, Route 15 to Guaymas is divided highway which makes it relatively quick and
painless from here. Just wish I had an airplane!
McPedro
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mcpuitar
Junior Nomad
Posts: 37
Registered: 3-16-2010
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In looking for alternatives to the ferry for travel to Baja from Arizona I have been reading recent posts about the road conditions through
Puetecitos, Gonzaga and out to Hwy 1. Also watched all of Tom Higgins motorcycle videos of his ride down that way in November of '09--very scenic!
With all the new road construction going on it doesn't look/sound nearly as bad as the last time I "TRIED" it ~24 years ago. So, I might take that
route for my May-June trip (at least in one direction) just to see what it's like pricewise (and otherwise) as compared to the Santa Rosalia ferry.
It should be much cheaper (unless I shread a few tires). And it looks like it cuts off several hundred miles over going from AZ over to the Pacific
side and down through Ensenada. It's worth a try anyway. Will post back in a few months on how it goes.
McPedro
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mcpuitar
It saves only somewhere around $20 or so to buy round trip, so unless you do the crossing regularly or have extra time to wait it out in or near
Santa Rosalia, it's probably better just to buy one-way tickets in case of windy conditions when you try to cross back over.
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I disagree. My crossing in Dec 09 produced a round trip reduction in fare (vehicle and passenger combined) of 620 pesos. This was based on a vehicle
under 5.4 meters and ONE adult fare. At 13/1, the savings were about 48.00. As noted in my post at that time, there was no discount on a round trip
booking of the room.
My total cost for the round trip crossing (I paid cash which I believe also resulted in a reduction of 2%) was 476.00. Maybe your credit card charges
ate up the other 28.00.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Next year I will take the time to drive around. Might bring the cabover with the Jeep in tow. Now that I've scoped the Bahia Asuncion area out, I'll
bring the wife and the dog. Man, there was some nice beach camping areas up by San Roque.
November seems like the prime month. Crab stuffed yellowfin for Thanksgiving?
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
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Location: La Bocana, BCS
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very very well written and informative !!
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
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Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Great info---thanks! We are considering using the ferry since we currently live in Texas and it would really save some driving time if we are heading
into Central Baja.
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Kimpatsu_Hekigan
Junior Nomad
Posts: 57
Registered: 5-11-2005
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Here's another article about taking the ferry from Guaymas to Santa Rosalia. Not as detailed as the original post in this thread, but adds a slightly
different perspective:
Taking the Ferry Across the Sea of Cortez
FWIW,
-- K.H.
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jedtimesaz
Newbie
Posts: 17
Registered: 12-6-2010
Location: Phoenix
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Thanks you for the great posting on the ferry!! Do you have any information on whether pets (dogs) are allowed on the ferry and if they can stay in
our pickup truck during the crossing?
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mcpuitar
Junior Nomad
Posts: 37
Registered: 3-16-2010
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jedtimesaz
Thanks you for the great posting on the ferry!! Do you have any information on whether pets (dogs) are allowed on the ferry and if they can stay in
our pickup truck during the crossing? |
Re: dogs on the ferry, please check my post on this thread from 3-16-2010 at 09:59 PM. Yes, dogs are allowed, and supposed to remain in the vehicle
deck in the truck. But I have also been allowed to walk them on the vehicle deck during the crossing. The big iron doors leading to the deck
sometimes get latched but they can be opened with a little upper body leverage. None of the crew ever mind as they all seem to like dogs.
McPedro
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Marc
Ultra Nomad
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I plan to put this info to good use very soon. Thanks!
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
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Agavedaze
Thanks in advance We are planning two long trips, one includes the use of the ferry. There's not a lot about the new ferry out there on the web.
Excellent reporting. You should forward this data to Moon Books.
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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