Bahia Frailes is a very welcome break after rounding Punta Gorda and beating northwards up the east coast towards Punta Arena. Although Cabo Los Frailes is only a minor headland the bay is wide enough for a dozen boats to find shelter close to the north shore and wait for a more favorable wind.

Snorkeling amongst the fissures and boulders at the base of Cabo Los Frailes is surprisingly satisfying and hiking up the steep rugged path to the top of the granite headland is a good workout. The view along the coast and into the inland hills is fantastic.

Approaches

No info

Anchorage

Tuck in close the cliff on the north side of the bay and drop the anchor in 8m on a sandy bottom. Holding is good but watch out for rocks at the foot of the cliff. The bay is open to the south and east and can be rolly in a NE wind. Surf on the beach so taking the dinghy in can sometimes be a bit of an adventure.

Facilities

None.

8NM south of Punta Arena. The bay is quite steep too leaving little anchoring space for more than a couple of yachts. The Bay provides some shelter from the north but is open from NE through to south and can be rolly.

Approaches

No info

Anchorage

Tuck in below the headland on the northern side of the bay and anchor in 10.5m on a sandy bottom. This bay can be a washing machine in strong winds.

Facilities

None.

Lying at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula Cabo San Lucas is the entry point for the Sea of Cortez and is also a good stopping off point for yachts passing north or south up the coast to provision, shop and pick-up crew or guests. Bahia San Lucas is a busy anchorage with jet skis ripping through during the day and party boats with throbbing lights and pumping music touring the bay at night. Fishing is one of the main draws to Cabo San Lucas and at least thirty charter boats bristling with fishing rods leave the marina every morning.

Cruise ships anchor in the deep channel which runs E-W across the bay whereas cruising yachts and local boats anchor compete for space on the narrow northern shelf. The harbour is protected from northerly winds which are predominant during the winter months but watch out when the wind veers to the northeast; a steep choppy swell turns the crowded bay into a washing machine. This is a poor anchorage in southerly winds during the summer months.

Approaches

No info

Anchorage

Anchor on the northern side of the bay as close to the shore as possible while dodging the numerous moorings. Holding in the sandy bottom is good except on the shelf edge which drops steeply from 10-40m at the western end of the bay.

Dinghy into the harbour and tie up at the dinghy dock on the right hand side of the slipway. A small fee is charged which includes garbage disposal and an additional fee is charged for anchoring is sometimes charged. Taking the dinghy in to the beach is possible in calm conditions.

Facilities

Cabo San Lucas is a major tourism centre and has every amenity you could wish for and probably some you never even considered. Banks, bakeries, grocery shops, restaurants and bars crowd the downtown area behind the harbour and bulk stores and hardware stores lie on the edge of town. Fuel and potable water can be purchased at the fuel dock in Marina de Baja however a dockage fee ($2/ft in 2017) is charged to tie up at the fuel dock while you fill up. Discounts are available for more than 400 gallons.

Cabo San Lucas is a port of entry. Many cruisers use an agent as the process is reported to be slow and laborious with unhelpful officials in diverse locations: the port captain’s office is on Matamoros Street, Immigration is situated near the Pemex fuel station and the Immigration fee is to be paid at a bank.

Bonanza Bay lies on the east coast of Isla Espiritu Santo, 3.7NM from the southern tip between Punta Morritos and Punta Bonanza. This remote anchorage has a two-mile beautiful white sand beach and snorkeling on the reef off Punta Bonanza is reported to be good. A hiking trail leads to Bahia San Gabriel on the west coast of the island.

The bay is exposed to weather from the northeast to the south but provides great protection from a westerly buster.

Approaches

Watch out for reefs at the north and south ends of the beach.

Anchorage

Anchor in the NW corner of the bay in 5m on a sandy bottom. Do not anchor north of 24o 27’N as it is part of the Isla Espiritu Santo Flora and Fauna Protected Area Marine Zone. This anchorage can be a rolly when the northerly swell wraps around Punta Bonanza. Surf crashing on the beach can make dinghy access difficult.

Facilities

None.

The city of La Paz lies on the southern shore of Bahia de La Paz and is protected from the swell by a broad sandspit. La Paz is a wonderful town to visit with ancient buildings oozing history, fantastic restaurants and a great market in the cobbled streets of the old town. The anchorage and several marinas lie on the malecon in the heart of town.

La Paz is a port of entry. It is great for provisioning, getting boat work done, picking up guests or crew and for meeting other cruisers. Club Cruceros is a social club set up for cruisers by cruisers. They have a radio net each morning and the club house at Marina La Paz is a very useful port of call when first arriving in La Paz.

Approaches

The channel behind the sand spit which drains a large lagoon has strong tidal flows and it is recommended to go in on a rising flood tide. It is well buoyed and regularly dredged but when the wind blows over 25kt waves break across the entrance making passage in to the anchorage dangerous. Then the harbour closes for departing traffic but vessels are still permitted to enter.

Anchorage

Anchor on either side of the main channel through the harbour, keeping a sharp lookout to avoid unmarked shoals in the waterway. The anchorage can be quite crowded with dozens of yachts swinging around as the tide ebbs and flows - known by the locals as the La Paz waltz.

Anchor in the town anchorage outside of the channel in 3-5m on a sandy bottom. The holding is moderate but boats often drag in the strong currents draining the lagoon. The sand spit, El Mogote, provides protection from the swell but the anchorage is exposed to the northerly wind.

The anchor across the channel on the El Mogote side of the bay at 3m in sand. This anchorage is better protected from northerly winds. Dinghy to shore to one of the dinghy docks in town or to the beach east of Marina Cortez. Dinghy to the beach at the east end of El Mogote for a meal at Paraiso del Mar or for a great walk  along the sand spit.

A nominal charge is made for anchoring and can be paid at the API office on the Malecon beside the commercial pier.

Facilities

La Paz has everything a cruiser needs: bulk stores, superstores and OXXO convenience stores, shops of all shapes and sizes, markets, medical services, banking services . . . and much more. The morning broadcast of the Club Cruceros radio net (VHF 22a) tells what’s happening in town, weather and tide information, as well as the low down on yoga classes and where to get your dinghy fixed and anything else you need to know.

Whale sharks are common in Bahia de La Paz during the dry season (October to April) and tours can be booked in La Paz.

La Paz is a port of entry and obtaining a Temporary Import Permit is reported to be straightforward. The Customs and immigration offices located in the Federal Building behind the municipal quay and the Port captain’s office is in Calle Francesco Madero north of the quay. When departing and heading to another Mexican port just call the Port Captain on VHF 16, it is not necessary to visit his office again. Although this sounds easier it can cause a problem in Bahia de Navidad where the port captain requires the paperwork.

The anchor across the channel from the town on the El Mogote side of the bay in 3m on sand. This anchorage has better protection from northerly winds than the town anchorage. Dinghy to shore to one of the dinghy docks in town or to the beach east of Marina Cortez. Dinghy to the beach at the east end of El Mogote for a meal at Paraiso del Mar or for a great walk  along the sand spit.