Sea of Cortez - Baja Mx cruise winter 2018-19

S

sequoia

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
9
Fluid Motion Model
C-26
Hull Identification Number
FMLR2515K112
Vessel Name
Sequoia
MMSI Number
367699980
Planting a “seed”. We have sailed (Winter seasons) in the Sea of Cortez, the Baja peninsula & mainland Mexico since 2011 starting from Monterey Bay, Ca. 2 years ago we sold our blue water sailboat & bought a Ranger Tug 25. We know “the ropes” of cruising the Baja coast & would love to do it with our tug. Was curious if any of you out there were thinking of exploring this part of the water world but don’t know the in’s & out’s of the Sea & Mx paperwork..what it would take. We would prefer to buddy boat on a trip like this on a boat like this. This would intail towing the boat (which we’ve done twice) on a good 4 lane road to San Carlos/Guaymas Sonora, mainland Mx, a 6 hr drive from the border. Then staying at Marina Real while waiting for a weather window to make the 80 mile Sea of Cortez crossing to Bahia Conception on the Baja Peninsula just south of Mulege. Our goal would then to work our way south to La Paz (about 250 miles) which we have done many times on our sailboat There are diesel refueling opportunities in Mulege, Escondido, & La Pz. This is instead of driving the Baja Peninsula highways for 3 days where roads are inadequate & dangerous to tow a load this large. Any takers ?? Next Winter ??
Otherwise, our alternative plan is to drive the I-10 from Ca to Fl & circumnavigate South Florida.
Hope to hear from you. Happy cruising Dana & Micah on “Sequoia”.
 
How long from a time standpoint are you thinking it would take for the trip?
 
For more specifics:
Time period, strong northerly cold fronts run down the Sea of Cortez periodically during the winter months making for fewer crossing weather windows, so late fall ( November) is best as there are longer periods of calm for crossing weather. Once on the Baja side, there are many north sheltered anchorages working south towards La Paz making winter passage doable with days of beautiful weather in between the fronts. We have in the past with our sailboat taken 3 to 4 months to do this trip south then north back to San Carlos. By mid to late March the cold fronts taper off in frequency, duration & strength to allow more crossing weather windows back to the mainland side.

Things you wil need :a very strong anchoring system (above factory standards) as most of the time will be spent at anchor in remote locations under various weather conditions, a good dingy & engine, ham & shortwave radio receiver at least, (we have a full ham/marine SSB transceiver to get weather from the local radio nets & to communicate), InReach or Sat phone as there is very scant cell & wifi service & no VHF Noah weather, a registered Epirb, boat insurance that will allow a Mexican navigation rider coverage,
current passport (NOT expired within 6 months) AND a must ... Navionics eletrknic charts on an I Pad or tablet or chart plotter. This is the only accurate electronic system that works in the Sea.. and Shaun & Heathet’s Cruiding Guide to rhe Sea of Cortez. We use AT & T North American phone plan covering all of the US & Mexico that gives cell, text & data coverage where it’s available. The departing marina has locked secure storage for trucks & trailers while away.

Hope I haven’t scared you off. This is our favorite place on earth & is well worth the effort . Though we have done this trip on our own with our large heavy displacement blue water sailboat several times, we feel it would be safer with a buddy boat or two on our 25 sc Ranger Tug “Sequoia”.
 
Dana may have made it seem as though the Baha weather is cold and windy. It is mostly nice in the winter months. The temperature in the island anchorages above LA Paz average about 75 in January and February, the winds are light with an afternoon breeze averaging 20 days a month during winter. It may rain 2 or 3 days all winter. For those of you in the PNW there are virtually no tides or currants to deal with, no fog or floating logs. There are many safe anchorages, many are remote but have a small fishing village and all ways have a few cruising boats from all over the world to socialize with. The fishing can be good for beach potlucks. The desert is very lush due to the summer monsoons, so incredibly beautiful landscapes for endless hiking opportunities. We find the Mexican people very friendly and helpful. Eating out from the smallest village restaurants to the best in La Paz dosn't have to break the bank, Margaritas on the beach overlooking your boat in an idyllic anchorage anyone??
 
thx for the crusing guide tip, I ordered one up. have you always trailered to guaymas? how does that road compare to hwy 1 on baja? would it be pretty easy to leave boat in la paz or? to fly back for a few weeks to catch up on work? How long are you thinking of staying down south?

shellbacksailor":frk0yxjv said:
Margaritas on the beach overlooking your boat in an idyllic anchorage anyone??
Click to expand...
yes please!
 
Just wrote a nice reply to the last post & it won’t go thru !!?? Copied then pasted it to PM message & that won’t go thru either !!??
What’s up !!??
 
Dana tried a reply, must have been to long...Any way we have experience on Baja 1 and feel it is to long, to narrow, to many fast crazy big rigs to be safe with our rig. The hwy from Arizona to Guaymas is 6 hours of mostly good 4 lane. Airports in Loretto and La Paz. Marinas in Escondido and La Paz. We will spend most of January and February in La Paz and nearby islands. Hope this helps.
 
Newbie here...just bought a used 2010 Ranger 25 ...I am currently in Phoenix and getting ready to tow it to San Carlos very soon. ...My dream is to cruise the Sea of Cortez with a group of 2 or more boaters who have experience in the area? It's all new to me! ...I also need to find a good trustworthy Mechanic in San Carlos to clean my fuel tank and do a full service on the boat? It has been sitting for 4 yrs in the desert and needs to be gone all thru? Any ideas would be appreciated? If all works out I am definitely up for doing the Sea of Cortez cruise?
 
Hi, we've been hoping for years someone would like to buddy boat in the Sea of Cortez. We drove to Loreto one year with only a dingy and had a wonderful time, especially for me was the diversity of seashells on the beaches. Since then we've upgraded a couple of boats and now have the Ranger 27.

Most of our boating experience has been San Juan's, BC to the Broughton's, The Broken Group, and a favorite, Lake Powell, Arizona.
Count us in for the trip! I'll get the guide and start practicing for those Margaritas on the beach!
 
I’m planning to bring my R23 to southern Arizona from the Gulf of Mexico this spring. I’d be up for a trip if the timing worked out.
 
attn: Rogue Nut & Swinalcatraz
Hi Dana & Micah here on Sequoia
We have tried to PM you with personal contact info to keep this going via phone. I sent PM messages to everyone who has shown the slightest interest with my phone contact. Your PM messages showed they was sent but apparently stuck in my outbox & will not go out to you two. All others went out & show they were delivered. I tried resending them to you with the same result so I have no way of communicating with you except thru this public general chat site. Maybe your profile posted emails are incorrect ? Would love to still connect ...
Dana & Micah
 
NOTE: Private messages aren't delivered like email. They sit in your outbox AND the recipient's inbox until they are read.

Cheers,

Bruce
 
Thanks so much. Obviously just learning my way around this site !!
 
Simpatico here.....we are a gas fueled R23 and are most definitely interested in Sea of Cortez this fall. We trailered our boat down to Puerto Penasco January, 2017 and kept it at Safe Marina until we returned to Gig Harbor area last June. Our plan was to cross to San Felipe and cruise down Baja coast with no specific turn around spot. Well, we made it over to San Felipe only to be held up for 5 days due to weather and got cold feet and abandoned the trip. We now are ready to resurrect a Sea of Cortez cruise.
 
Sounds like we got ourselves a flotilla in the making! Sounds awesome and a number one bucket lister!
 
Hi everyone,
We are new owners of a Ranger tug 31 CB taking delivery end of April. We would be very interested in joining a group to cruise the Sea of Cortez. We live in Scottsdale, AZ. What kind of range do we need between diesel stops and is a water maker necessary?
 
Hello and welcome aboard. Ha ...your life will never be the same again !!! I sent you a PM with my contact number . Hope to hear from you . We looked up the specks of a 31. A huge load on the HWY & we thought our 25 was big !! Three fuel & water stops in around 300+ miles. Otherwise only desolute beautiful anchorages in between with s few little villages now & then .. good luck with your new big baby
Dana & Micah on Sequoia
 
Thanks Dana for your reply!
How do plan on managing your fuel and water capacities for extended cruising?
 
We would refuel & take on water in Santa Rosalia right after the crossing at the Fonatur Marina.
iIf we choose to cross to Bahia Conception, no marina, then would have to Gerry Jug to Mulege by renting a car. Now that would be an adventure!!! After that, there is fuel & water on the way south in Puerto Escondido & then in La Paz. We are planning on purchasing a portable Rainman water maker unit for this kind of trip plus we had already installed 2 foot gusher raw water pumps as we use the salt water for sone things to help with our fresh water supply. You can call as I PM’d you my number You May wonder why crossing to either Santa Rosalia or Conception ... there are pro’s & con’s to both choices
Dana & Micah on Sequoia
 
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