Exploring Baja - Week Four: Agua Verde to La Paz (with a detour to San Juanico)
View of Agua Verde coast line from kayak.
Day 22- Agua Verde layover day
We woke up to calm seas and decided to explore the coast beyond our cove in the kayak. Because fishing is always on the menu for Andy, he decided to troll the waters as we made our way. We discovered that we were not remotely capable of catching up to the dolphins we could see swimming tantalizingly by, despite several tries. The water was beautiful and views stunning.
Kayaking off shore at Agua Verde
90 minutes into our kayak trip (one of those “lets just go around that point, wait now lets just go around that next point,” kind of mornings), Andy felt a big tug.
Who needs a commercial fishing boat
Wow – it was challenging with two of us crammed into a small inflatable kayak (Andy is 6’5”) but Andy brought in a 40” blacktip reef shark on the line and Dawn paddled fiercely to shore so that he could dispatch it. The only other casualty than the shark was a kayak puncture (lure, not shark teeth) but we made it back and were able to patch the kayak.
Biggest catch yet. Off with his head!
We shared 2/3 of the 24 shark steaks with our friendly neighbors down the beach. Fish for dinner for a week – we were getting a little tired of rice and beans.
Shark for dinner. So good, flaky, white and flavorful. Rice and beans on the side this time.
Day 23 – Agua Verde to Puerto Lopez Mateos – 4 hours driving
Because you really can never see too many whales, we decided to make the journey to the third whale watching location in Baja just to check it out. Bahia Magdalena was reputed to be more remote, easier to see whales because of its small size, and also inexpensive to get on a boat. We arrived in the village, followed the signs for ballenas and ended up at a huge concrete tourist landing – an odd juxtaposition with the rest of the area. Hopefully the infrastructure will help provide tourism dollars to the town. Unfortunately, the winds were up and the sea looked choppy and miserable. We also learned that unlike the $8 per person fee we had heard was the going rate at this location, operators here were now charging the same standard $45-$50US that other places were. All this combined, we opted out of a tour and camped close by in the hopes of seeing some activity off shore but no luck.
We camped at Four Palapas – and were the only people present. Not surprising as we were pretty sure the area also doubled as the village garbage dump. Not our favorite night, but that’s travelling life. It would definitely be a convenient place to stay the night before or after a whale tour.
Four Palapas site (we only camped by one) near Puerto Lopez Mateos whale watching pier.
Day 24 – Puerto Lopez Mateos to San Juanico – Scorpion Bay – 3.5 hours
Driving wise, maybe not our best decision, but with another unseen bay on our radar we drove up to San Juanico on a graveled, bone jarring road just to check it out. It was worth it. Usually a surfing location, with it being too early in the year, we were the only campers in Scorpion Bay. We paid $10 at the restaurant to use the showers and bathrooms.
San Juanico - Scorpion Bay bluff camping
Views from coastal walks at Scorpion Bay
The need to see everything is also fueled by the thought in the back of our minds that we will be back again. Next time we will know our favorite spots and can plan a slightly more sane travel course.
Day 25 – San Juanico to Ciudad Constitucion – 3 hrs
Waking up to more high winds, we decided to move on and get south to even more warmth. To break the drive up we stayed in an RV Park in Ciudad Constitucion – Campestre La Pila Balneario - $15 for the night. Expensive as camping goes in Mexico, but the staff were welcoming and the facility was amazingly landscaped and included a pool and on site yoga classes.
Ciudad Constitucion - campground with a pool - Campestre La Pila Balneario
Day 26 – Ciudad Constitucion to La Paz – Hotel Catedral – 3 hrs
Onwards to our first big city stay. We booked a night in Hotel Catedral – a pleasant, clean and well run hotel charging $65/night near downtown and the Malecon. We really liked La Paz. Once again we walked the Malecon at sunset, there were lots of families out for an evening stroll and had our first restaurant meal in Mexico. The hotel provided an excellent breakfast the next day so we were fueled up and ready to go.
La Paz downtown plaza where Hotel Catedral is located.
Day 27 – La Paz to La Ventana – 45 minutes
Our son, Trevor, an avid kite surfer had told us about this town he dreamed of visiting someday so we thought we would check it out. It was really extraordinary to see all the kites out.
Kite surfers at La Ventana
Lunch with a view of the action
Not wanting to drive too far on the washboard gravel road that bisects the town, we opted for one of the first campgrounds. $10 for a spot back from the beach at El Sargento (there is another newer campground of the same name further past town which is on the bluff). The beach side spots were filled with what looked like semi-permanent travelers – mostly young Americans there for the kite surfing.
La Ventana camping at El Sargento
We walked into town the next morning, no panaderias but a healthy smoothy and espresso shop that reminded us of Ashland where we had lived for years. This was the first place we had been where it felt like the non-locals definitely outweighed the locals.
Day 28 - back to La Paz - Airbnb
With Andy needing a couple of days of Wifi, we rented an Airbnb in a great neighborhood near the Malecon with outstanding Wifi (really hard to find). $65 a night with a full kitchen, balcony, the works. Rapidly approaching retirement (one week!) we have managed Andy’s work life technical needs but it will be a relief when it is not a worry.
Typical truck morning - Dawn drinks coffee in bed
While Andy works. No comment on who has the better deal.
We continued to enjoy La Paz and walks along the waterfront (at least Dawn did).
Morning on the La Paz malecon
