58 replies to this topic

[SunMan]

Though I have dragged the co pilot to Baja on more than one occasion, she had never made the full trip to the bottom of the peninsula. After having to listen to the boys talk story for years about places she'd never been we thought it was time fix that. We headed down to San Diego and flopped for the night. The next day we crossed the border at 0645, got our visas and were on our way by 0715. After fueling up and a mandatory fish taco lunch in El Rosario I was getting dangerously tired behind the wheel so we stopped for a little cat nap in the desert: Before we hit the road again I stumbled upon this cool snakeskin We didn't really have a destination planned for the night, we were just going to drive until we were done, wherever that was. We hit Villa Jesus Maria and decided call it a day so we went to check out Laguna Manuela for the night, it was someplace new for me. We drove down the beach towards the lagoon and found a secluded place to pop up. Being pretty tired after a 12 hour day the co-pilot whipped up a little snack and we called it dinner for the night. Fresh queso fresco and chipotle queso quesadilla from the Doña Lala's in San Vicente. Always a great stop when headed southbound to stock up on fresh cheese, honey, olives, tortillas and dried fruits. Props to old forum member doble traccion for the tip on this place years ago.

[SunMan]

The next morning we drove out to see the light house at Punta Santo Domingo



We found this nice secluded beach situated right below it



Next stop, San Ignacio. This little oasis is a jewel in the middle of the desert and was the start of new territory for the co-pilot and she was impressed!





It was nice that we were there on a Sunday as there was a lot of activity with many of the locals hanging out and trying to beat the heat in the shade of the town square. We had a nice lunch and toured the mission which was erected in 1696. There is a lot of history here as the original mission was actually founded around 1610 by the Jesuits but was under constant attack by the Portuguese. This is definitely one of my favorite places in Baja and i never spend enough time here.

[SunMan]

Ultimately our destination for the day was San Juanico, aka Scorpion Bay. We headed out the notoriously awful road to Laguna San Ignacio, though it has been paved a good way out there it is still the same ole bone jarring washboard it always has been. Cruising through a levy out in the salt flats...



You do not want to veer of the road anywhere out here or you will be in deep trouble, this place is notorioius for gobbling up the vehicles of drivers who stray off the path!



I hadn't been through here in years and after some bad navigation on my part (it's not just you Maglellan!) I missed locating the easier, less bone jarring way through the flats we ended up taking the dreaded north road in. As bummed as we were this guy was having a worse day than us...

[SunMan]

After a long, hot day and over 130 miles of some of the worst dirt roads Baja has to offer we arrived at the pot of gold. Here we are rinsing off the road grime in our own indivdual ways...







After a good long surf I was ready to break in the new Cook Partner, what better way than some messy tacos al pastor! Thanks again DD, I am loving this bugger! It really got a solid work out on this trip.



With the swell forcast to be on the rise for the next few days things were looking pretty good. The end of another beautiful day...

[SunMan]

We spent 3 nights and 4 days in San Juanico.

Why we go:








Scorpion Bay ain't just another pretty name...There's a reason they call it that:

[Silvertip47]

WOW!!! What a great trip. I would really like to go there someday!!! Preferabley with a small group who knows where they are going!!!

You didn't have any trouble getting your dog across?

[SunMan]

Fresh mango from San Jose de Gracia, breakfast of champions!



Spotted this sweet rig on the beach while leaving town...



Took a newer south road out of SJ which leads out by Punta San Gregorio and Las Barrancas. Had always wanted to check these places out so this was a plus.

[SunMan]

Next stop, "Rabbit Point". This was about a six hour journey south, a pretty easy day.



Mama working on her road pop:



The Campo for a couple of nights



Unfortunately the winds were not cooperating, this place perpetually haunts me...grrrrr

[SunMan]

Since the surf wasn't really cooperating and I was fairly surfed out we generally rested, took long beach walks and ate well:

Breakfast


Appetizers






Main Course


Side Dish


Mmmmm..


The end of another crappy day:

[SunMan]

The Tequila rations were running low so the next stop was La Paz to resupply and then off to the East Cape.

Since I have been there last they have installed small palapas all the way up the coast from San Jose del Cabo beyond Cabo Pulmo. Makes it nice for camping or day trips up the coast. We found a nice spot at a well known surf spot and posted up for a couple of days.



We got there late in the afternoon and I went for a surf and stayed out until around 9 pm surfing under a beautiful full moon. Water was 78-80 degrees.