Go on FUBAR Odyssey, Baja, Mexico

Add to My List Check Off

Cruising 1,000 miles down the Pacific side of Baja California in a powerboat can be a wonderful experience. The rugged coastline and only a handful of anchorages hide some of the most isolated parts of the peninsula. The season starts when the hurricane season ends (and the humity goes away), usually about the first week of November. FUBAR gives power boaters an opportunity to experience long distance cruising to Mexico within the safety of a flotilla of 50+ boats, replete with mechanical and medical personnel in the fleet. The FUBAR Odyssey is one of two organized events for groups to go down toegther. The Baja Ha Ha is for sailboats and the FUBAR is for powerboats. FUBAR is an acronym for Fleet Underway to Baja Rally. Each group goes down every two years on opposite years. The FUBAR route take 12 days with a start in San Diego. The typical route is the following: San Diego to Ensenada (65 NM) for two nights. Ensenada is a coastal city in Mexico and the third-largest city in Baja California. Ensenada is now known as a cruise ship destination and as the heart of a wine country regarded as the best in Mexico. There is a street in Ensenada called "La Calle Primera" or Adolfo Lopez Mateos ("1st Street"). It's a tourism spot in Ensenada due to its many "Curios" (short for "Curiosidades" — trinkets and souvenirs) shops, restaurants, hotels, bars, and popular clubs such as the Hussong's Cantina and Papas & Beer. Ensenada to Turtle Bay (282 NM) for two more nights. Bahia Tortugas (Turtle Bay) is one of only two spots to get diesel fuel on the 850-mile outer Baja coast. Bahia Tortugas is a great (usually required) stop that has an expansive bay with a stunning backdrop of desert mountains, with sheer cliffs dropping right into the water in some spots, and gradual beach slopes in others. On the northern end of the bay there's a tiny village with a run-down pier, a little outdoor cafe, a few stores, and bakeries. The town makes its living primarily on lobster exports to Japan. Turtle Bay to Mag Bay (258 NM) for two more nights. Bahía Magdalena (Mag Bay) is a 50 km long bay that is particularly noted for the seasonal migration of the California Gray Whales that come here during winter to mate. The bay is also popular for commercial and sports fishing. Nearby mangrove swamps provide sanctuaries for sea birds. The bay is protected from the Pacific Ocean by the sandy barrier islands of Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita. The bay includes the small fishing port of San Carlos, as well as Puerto López Mateos. Mag Bay to San Jose Del Cabo (185 NM). Sister town to the party destination of Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo offers a more low key place to rest. Relax on the beautiful beaches, explore the brillant green San Jose del Cabo estuary or go shopping in town. The town square, or Zocolo, is home to the cathedral – a reminder of San Jose del Cabo’s vivid history as a mission. The Mission San José del Cabo was founded in 1730; the nearby Río San José was useful to the Spanish as a source of fresh water for galleons traveling to and from the Philippines. San Jose Del Cabo Marina to Bahia de los Suenos Bay (75 NM). Bahía de los Sueños (the Bay of Dreams) is located 35 miles south of La Paz, is a resort community with an elite fishing club, a Tom Doak 18-hole golf course, resort hotels and spas. Bahia de los Suenos used to be called Bahia de los Muertos, which is Bay of the Dead. When they decided to build a community and resort in the area, the developers decided that in order to make it more enticing for potential residents and visitors, they needed to change the name of the area. Los Suenos to La Paz (52 NM). La Paz, the largest city in Baja California Sur, also the capital of this Mexican state, is big enough to provide virtually any needed support services, yet retains its small Mexican fishing village feel. La Paz offers a number of marinas where your cruising adventure may commence. Visitors to La Paz also find the local museums, restaurants, clubs, art galleries and theaters well worth their attention. Islands off the coast of La Paz are frequent targets of cruisers in the Sea of Cortez. La Paz is accessible through its modern international airport. Twin islands, named Isla Espiritu Santo and Isla Partida, connected only by a sand spit, possess mostly undisturbed ecosystems supporting diverse land and sea based life. Isla San Jose with its beautiful white sand beach and forests of cacti is another favored destination.

Write a Review

No Ratings Yet

Flag as inappropriate ›