Trip Report San Diego to Cabo.

[Dannowar]

I finally got more than 4 days off!! With two days notice, I quickly threw together a crew and a couple bags and we were off to explore baja the RIGHT way. Excitement loomed as we embarked. Not even 20 minutes in I was presented with a speeding ticket on the I-8!! F**k it. Nothing can bring us down! Continuing on! Quick stop to get our FMM and we embarked again! 5 minutes into Mexicali and we were pulled over again! Oh boy....speeding? Supposedly....I guess speeding warrants a full car and body search. Our Baja newbie buddy had a folding knife in his pocket....GUYS, I can not stress this enough, do not CARRY a knife into Mexico. After some useless pleading and careful negotiating I did what I told myself I would never do again. I paid off a cop. A doozy of a price tag too. Beats jail. Carrying a knife on you is a felony. Nothing can go wrong now!

We arrived to campo encantadas on morning one. Welcomed by Rob, and crew. Sorry for forgetting names. Unpacked and threw some gear into the truck for a quick dinner run at the point. Big tides, lotta current but surprisingly DEAD on the reef. WTF! So I'm diving in about twenty feet off the birdshit rock and what appears out of the murk?! Yellowtail baby. In the 5 foot murk I got his attention and threw a Hail Mary of a shot on him. Glad I brought my big gun. In about ten seconds my reel line was gone. I was being dragged at a fair speed, luckily into shallow water. As he stopped pulling, I started to climb my shooting line, closer and close until I laid my eyes on the biggest yellowtail I had ever laid eyes on, and my shaft. Hanging by a piece of skin. As my heart rate started playing techno, I grabbed the base of the tail, which my hand barely fit around and I bear hugged it with all my strength. As I reached for my knife and in one swift movement, the fish of ten lifetimes shook my shaft and casually swam away. Many expletives were shared and I kicked my sad ass in and had a good internal sob.

Back at camp, we ate like royalty as is tradition in Baja. Shrimp and ribs tonight. We stuffed our bellies and watched the moon rise.



430 am and we were up and packed. Left the sleepy villiage and made the newly routed detour to the 1 no problem. Just a few more hours and we would be in one of my favorite towns MULEGE. We planned on staying with a friend who has his own home/hotel, who graciously hosted us last trip.


My favorite road in Baja. Lush cactus country and a breathtaking mountain drive. From San Ignacio to Mulege one enters many geographic areas. Mountain. Desert. Coastline and oasis. Do yourself a favor. And if you need lodging talk to my boy at playa Buenaventura if you need a beer/meal/lodging. Well our friend had gone into town to get supplies and we had just missed him. Over a beer we decided to keep on trekking to la Paz.


I mean cmon. Look at that view!!

Onward to la paz! A quick stop for gas and eats in loreto and we arrived in La Paz by sundown. Unloaded at the hotel and we hit the Malecon (boardwalk) for some ice cream, beer and scenery. A few too many beers and tequila shots and a piss stop on the way home had us pinned down by the police again. Luckily my negotiating skills got me out of this one! Woke up about 5 hours later than I had planned. Slammed two Electrolits ( Mexican hangover godsend) and we were off to the holy land.



Day one in Cabo we planned on skimboarding our favorite shorebreak in the whole world. Flat. Fark! Hiked down to the beach with my dive gear and smacked some pargos for dinner.




For seven bucks each, Mariscos Mazatlan HOOKED IT UP. Pargo ceviche. Pargo frito. And pargo zarandeado. Can't beat ocean to table.


Also. Whence in Cabo. Or Mexico in general, do yourself a favor and get the pastor con pina any chance you get...



Day two we went offshore with good friends of mine in search of pelagics. Long story short, I saw more wahoo than I'm comfortable admitting, I took four shots. I missed four shots. Can't win em all. We returned at dusk and I had myself another internal sob. God I suck.

Good times for a few days in Baja sur. Wish I took more photos. After checking out early, we headed back north to climb the Baja ladder. Another stop in mulege and we were able to catch up with our old friend who made us shrimp burgers and some fine mezcal.



Playa Buenaventura.


No bad days in mulege.


27 year old parrot had lived his whole life here.

7 hours more and we were in gonzaga again. Jumped in to grab some scallops for dinner and enjoy the sunset. Stayed with Miguel at bufeo ( someone has bobs llaves) let's figure that situation out eh? Dinner at the restaurant was scallops al moco ajo.





Unreal sunset.





MVP of the trip goes to my Tacoma. Never did she flinch at the sight of a Vado. Never did she tremble in knee deep soft sand. And no sweat on the washboard road past cocos corner.

Also. Most of the Vados have been pretty smoothed out. But just in case you're blind.....there's a new road marker.



As My toe-less friend Bob would say. Hard to beat.



Too long, didn't read: get off your ass and go to Baja. Follow the laws. Eat what you catch. Tip heavy. Enjoy your time on this planet.





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[Ggiannig89]

Damn that’s a bitchen trip! Thanks for sharing. One of these days I’m going to get in a trip like this! New Years resolution

[SDROB]

Sick af.... Next time you need an extra crew member to go back hmu. Id love to do some more exploring further down south.

I had Lupe call Luis about the keys last night. Hopefully they got it all figured out.

[ProfessorLongArms]

Great report. Wonderful photos!!!
Hope to cross paths down there some time!

[LEEZO]

Incredible Baja shots. thanks for the Cabo report.

[makobob]

Danno, thanks for the post amigo. Back in the nursing home for a few weeks. Big toe gone and with it some infected bone was removed.. Hopefully the end of the infections is just a month away. Then it will be time for Baja in the spring.

[Dannowar]

Originally Posted by makobob

Danno, thanks for the post amigo. Back in the nursing home for a few weeks. Big toe gone and with it some infected bone was removed.. Hopefully the end of the infections is just a month away. Then it will be time for Baja in the spring.

Your guidance, advice, and presence is always missed. Wishing you a safe and speedy recovery. If there's ANYTHING you need here or there please dont hesitate to reach out.


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[(a D u B)]

What a trip.... It's my goal to do a Baja trip this year. Thanks for the post

[Iceman]

been dreaming of Mulege, figured a stop at Gonzaga would be a great stop over. Excellante!

[Dannowar]

Think about mulege, but think harder about isla San Ines via punta chivato.....


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[Iceman]

Ha I said Mulege but yes looking at rental property at Punta Chivato

[Dannowar]

Jelous! I love PC


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[Baja_Traveler]

So - how long was the drive from Bob's place to Hwy 1? We are heading down to San Ignacio Lagoon first week of March, and I'm considering taking the 5 because the road around Catavina is such a pothole disaster...

[Dannowar]

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

So - how long was the drive from Bob's place to Hwy 1? We are heading down to San Ignacio Lagoon first week of March, and I'm considering taking the 5 because the road around Catavina is such a pothole disaster...

It's a different road there than on the way back. Very narrow and totally cuts cocos corner completely. We did it in the dark and it still wasn't horrible. Keep your gps on and as long as you're pointing at the road perpendicular you're good


But to answer your question I'd say 30-40 minutes

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[Denis_Ruso]

Great trip report, same as Rob let me know if you even need a seat filled for a trip further south. Cool to see another skim boarder on here.

I stayed at the Solmar resort a couple of years back and got absolutely wrecked by a few waves skim boarding there, but also had some of the deepest barrels of my life.

Don't know if you've seen the locals skimboarding down there but Bullo and Scott Flores absolutely tear it up down there.

[Dannowar]

Originally Posted by Denis_Ruso

Great trip report, same as Rob let me know if you even need a seat filled for a trip further south. Cool to see another skim boarder on here.

I stayed at the Solmar resort a couple of years back and got absolutely wrecked by a few waves skim boarding there, but also had some of the deepest barrels of my life.

Don't know if you've seen the locals skimboarding down there but Bullo and Scott Flores absolutely tear it up down there.

I've been going to lovers since I was 16. Been wrecked so many times I can't keep track. This was the first time I've ever seen it dead flat. Oh well. Added you to my call list. Cheers!!

[MrPukaShell]

Great report and thanks for sharing.

[CON KSO]

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

So - how long was the drive from Bob's place to Hwy 1? We are heading down to San Ignacio Lagoon first week of March, and I'm considering taking the 5 because the road around Catavina is such a pothole disaster...

I cross at Tecate (avoid Mexicali bullshit) through to San Felipe, Gonzaga and out to Laguna Chapala this is the ONLY way I drive south. I much prefer it over TJ/SQ etc. - I hate that stretch of Baja.

From where the dirt road starts past Gonzaga Bay to the pavement at 1 it's 21 miles of dirt. It takes me 1.5 hours because I drive slow (4x4 Tundra with double kayak trailer) there's a llantera at the end of dirt road if you need to get a flat fixed.

I was just down Dec. into January - there are some big potholes just outside of Jesus Maria. The road was good over Thanksgiving but between November and December it's gone to shit again.

There's some big potholes as you wind up the hill outside of Nuevo Rosarito - big enough to slow the big trucks down to get through them without swerving into oncoming traffic.

Good luck.

[ceviche eater]

Wow great trip and great report!

[blitzburgh]

Such a cool report! Thank you for sharing