chuck wagon
Newbie
Posts: 11
Registered: 12-5-2015
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Vehicle permit needed to Guaymus
I'm going to travel down from Tucson via hiway 15 to Guaymus and catch the ferry to S/R . Anyone know if I need a vehicle permit as I'll be staying in
Baja . Thanks , CW
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
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Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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You do not need a permit as long as you don't go south of Guaymus. I did the reverse trip earlier this year from Loreto, ferry from S.R. to Kino Bay,
etc. and crossing into the USA There are billboards along the main road which brag about being a free zone.
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6025
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Thanks for the info Howard
Good to know, I thought the TIP would be required. How long is the trip across?
Did you happen to be traveling with a dog?
Any special requirements for insurance coverage?
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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I posted this in January of 2015/Long but it might help you
Santa Rosalia to Guaymas ferry report
Well, I did it and was I ever happy that I did. Here is the report.
Left Loreto in my F350 dually with an 11.5 foot Host camper Sunday around 1:00 P.M. Oh yeah, Gringo the Dingo my trusty yellow lab was with me. A very
pleasant ride to Santispac in the Bay of Conception to watch most of the first ˝ of the Bronco game and then off to the ferry terminal. The Sunday
ferry departs for Guaymas at 8:00 P.M. and I arrived around 4:30. I went to the office and had no idea what waited for me and what adventures lay (or
is it lie?) ahead. The Spanish only speaking office person was very pleasant and in my best Spanish explained what I wanted to do. We went outside
and she measured my rig which is 26 foot bumper to bumper (just under 8 meters) and I helped her with the tape joking around that it is really shorter
than that and she just laughed and smiled. OK, OK, I was trying to butter her up and it worked! Got back to the office where she declared it was
only 7 meters. I was told that the dog had to stay in the camper and I was not allowed to sleep in it as well. Being a wee bit over the old age
limit I received a 20% discount on the fare and the room. She told me I had to share a room that had 4 beds and no bathroom but that she was pretty
sure that I would have the room to myself.
Here is the breakdown of costs. The rig ran 6,170 pesos, the ticket was 710 pesos after the discount and the room was 110 pesos after the 20%
discount. No discount on the RV. At 14.7 pesos to the $ that came out to around US $475 total, less than I anticipated.
I had some time to kill so I went for tacos at Tacos El Paisano for a couple of Al Pastor’s. I would rate them very good, not great but I am spoiled
eating at Poblano’s on the highway in Miramar, Loreto as I rate those the best. They are good enough to go back though!
Drove back to the terminal and was told where to park and now it was only 5:30 and they wanted us there at 6:00. I had my ferry and room ticket and
the ferry was already there but no boarding. While waiting with a flatbed truck, a couple of commercial trucks and a couple of cars officials started
to drive up. Between the Marines with their extremely well trained drug/explosion detecting dog and trained personal, not like the kids at the
military checkpoints, they went through all the rigs and mine as well with a very fine tooth comb. They were very polite and very professional but
you couldn’t have got a joint or a bullet by them. Then came some department with all the initials inspecting my ID and car registration checking the
VIN and being very thorough, much more than the military checkpoints. It was now around 8:00 P.M. and one of few non-uniformed people who for some
reason looked important milled around and finally told everyone except me to start loading the vehicles by backing down this ramp onto the ferry. It
looked a little hairy as I cannot see behind me but I waited and I was the last rig to load and then I understood, he gave me the final place which
meant I would be first off the ferry. After a harrowing backing in reverse down the ramp with very little help, we finally made it on the ferry with
sufficient room to get in the back of my camper as well as open the doors to the pickup. I went into the camper to say goodnight to my pooch and went
upstairs where the “important looking person” turned out to be the captain of the ferry and a very pleasant person. As a last moment act of
desperation I asked him if I could walk the dog during the night and he asked me if I wanted to spend the night in the camper and sleep there! Wow,
what a bonus, stay with my nervous dog and be able to sleep in the camper and use my own bathroom. I was very thrilled about that and had a nice sleep
with the rocking motion of the boat. It was a very calm night and I don’t think it would have been near as pleasant with even a little wind and ocean
chop. I could see it being miserable in even so-so weather no less bad weather.
The ferry finally departed around 9:00 and after telling Gringo I would be right back I went upstairs to do a little reconnoitering. I found what
would have been my room and there was another person in the small cramped quarters and I was doubly happy that I did not have to spend the night with
a stranger. They did have a large, maybe a 70 person seating area that had a snack bar and was playing a movie. The chairs could have been slept in
but they did not recline and they would not been comfortable to spend the night in. There was another area that no one was in that the seats reclined
and would have been better to sleep in but I am not sure if it was open or if it was closed. I am sure if it was available it would have been a more
$. There was also outside seating that did not look to comfortable sleep in.
After a good night sleep I awoke around 6:00 A.M. went outside my rig, walked the dog where there was not an official dog walking area so some of the
ropes they use to tie down the boat when in port got watered down by Gringo .  )
We pulled into the Guaymas port around 8:00 and I was first off only to be met by the same looking bunch of military and officials to be inspected in
the same manner as back in Santa Rosalia. Everyone got the same treatment and once again they were very polite and I was impressed with the training
of the dog and was on my way around 9:00 A.M.
After missing the turnoff to San Carlos, (not sure how the hell I missed it) as it should only been a 30 minute drive, I arrived at Totonaka RV park
in San Carlos. “Hook” from this board of whom I have never met came over and picked me up and took me for a great tour of the town and marinas. We
had lunch, I came back to my rig, took a siesta and walked across the street to watch the Ohio State game. I normally would of called it the Oregon
game but you know what happened.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I realize that this is not as entertaining as Roger, AKA Pompano, would of made it, no co-pilot just a 4
legged friend who never says, “Are you really going to wear that?”
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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chuck wagon
Newbie
Posts: 11
Registered: 12-5-2015
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Thanks Howard , great info , takes the mystery out of my trip but not the excitement . Chuck .
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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In Baja there will always be mysteries and detours of life. 
What time of year are you going?
Have fun
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9009
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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You need to realize that IF there is greater than 15 knots of wind predicted during the crossing, the ferry will NOT run, until the forecast is
favorable. It can be stuck on either side, waiting out the wind. Generally, it runs at night but it can run in the day, especially if it is trying to
make up for being "grounded" for a spell. So, be prepared to book a hotel, sleep in your car at the terminal, whatever. The schedule is not hard and
fast.
It's also very expensive, especially if your vehicle is over 5.4 meters. It will run about 300.00 US for one passenger and a vehicle under 5.4 meters.
Maybe a bit less if they havent adjusted the rates to make up for the devaluation of the peso against the dollar.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6025
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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Howard, thanks for re-posting that, I did not find it with the search keywords I used. My dog is probably as large as yours (but yours looks much
smaller in your avatar) but my vehicle is under 4 meters.
Although I have it set up for sleeping, with my dog's bed next to me, I doubt that I would be allowed to sleep in it as if it was a camper. There is
probably no way to get permission before actually loading on the vessel and hoping for a dog loving crew member.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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