Review of Sea of Cortez Anchorages & New Video Up!
San Evaristo
This is actually a review of half of the anchorages we stayed at in the Sea of Cortez. There will be part 2 in a few weeks or so. I put them in order of the path we took. -Basically, south to north.
And yes, there is a marina at Cabo San Lucas but I think there’s like a 5 year waiting list to get a transient slip there. So if you’re planning on a trip like this, just expect to anchor in the bay.
So here’s the basic lowdown on the more southern anchorages we had the chance to visit.
***If you’re just interested in the video, scroll down to the botton & you’ll find the link.
Cabo San Lucas:
Convenience- Very! You can find almost anything you need. Take a water taxi or take
your dinghy to the dinghy dock
Comfort- Super rolly. I think this is a consistent thing. It’s not super protected. Get
out your rocker stopper.
Pros- Cell reception. Access to just about anything you need. Water taxis &
dinghy dock. Warm water. View of the arch.
Cons- Super rolly. -Not so bad if you have a rocker stopper, depending on
the waves. Noisy. Crowded. Anchoring a little sketchy, as the shore
slopes down in an extreme way. Cabo is a bit pricey.
Cabo San Lucas
Los Frailes:
Convenience- No amenities around.
Comfort- Only protected from north & western winds & waves.
Pros- Beautiful. Snorkeling is great!
Cons- Dinghy is hard to land on beach.
Los Frailes
Bahia de Los Muertos:
Convenience- Restaurant on beach.
Comfort- Not the most sheltered. Very exposed to east & south.
Pros- Restaurant on beach. Huge anchorage.
Cons- Exposed. Looks like it is being built up.
Bahia de Los Muertos
Balandra Bay:
Convenience- Only about 14 nautical miles to La Paz.
Comfort- Exposed to west & north. We had a miserable night when winds blew from
the north & waves rolled in from the northwest.
Pros- Gorgeous! Amazing snorkeling! Lots to explore.
Cons- Not a lot of places to anchor. Can be very rolly. Gets crowded, as it’s a super
popular tourist spot.
Balandra Bay
Bahia Falsa:
Convenience- Restaurant on beach. Very close to La Paz.
Comfort- Well protected.
Pros- Pretty much what I’ve mentioned above.
Cons- Not the most scenic. However, road traffic isn’t too busy.
Bahia Falsa
Bahia San Gabriel:
Convenience- N/A
Comfort- Protected from north & east wind & waves.
Pros- Less visited than other anchorages on Espiritu Santo. Very pretty. Clear water.
Cons- Not much going on. Snorkeling so-so.
Bahia San Gabriel
Caleta Partida:
Convenience- N/A
Comfort- Protected from north & south conditions but not east or west.
Pros- Fun anchorage. When tide is low you can take dinghy to other side of island.
Close enough to La Paz to sail up for a few days with friends.
Cons- Very popular. Can feel a little crowded.
Caleta Partida
Isla San Francisco:
Convenience- N/A
Comfort- Can get rolly & windy. Exposed to west & south.
Pros- Beautiful aqua water! Fun hikes. Large beach. Close to other islands &
anchorages.
Cons- A little bit exposed.
Isla San Francisco
San Evaristo:
Convenience- Market & restaurant & fishermen.
Comfort- Protected from northern & western wind & waves.
Pros- Provisions. Yummy restaurant. Pretty & scenic view of mountains. Good
snorkeling & fishing.
Cons- Snorkeling part of the anchorage is only big enough for 3 boats.
San Evaristo
Nopolo:
Convenience- Just around the corner from San Evaristo.
Comfort- Fairly exposed. Only stay in fairly calm conditions.
Pros- Beautiful. Not a popular anchorage. Lots to explore. Hiking. You can hear burros
at night!
Cons- Water not as clear. Not a protected anchorage.
Nopolo
Los Gatos:
Convenience- N/A
Comfort- Protected from north & west winds & swell.
Pros- Stunning landscape. Large beach. Good snorkeling. Fun hikes.
Cons- Not the most protected.
Los Gatos
Agua Verde:
I’m going to save this review for next time when we don’t have so many issues going on. It was very crowded though. So, very hard to find a spot to anchor. -Even in the “off” season.
Agua Verde
There you go! Hope those are good, little summaries on each anchorage. Let me know if there is any other information you would like on a particular anchorage. And no, I can’t pick my favorite. Too hard. As someone who loves change & variety, I really enjoyed the fact that all the anchorages were fairly different. In a few weeks, or in a month, I will review the rest of the anchorages we stayed at in the Sea of Cortez.
Hooray! We have a new video for you! I won’t describe it. You will just have to watch!
Click on photo above to find out what happened!
Packing cubes have many uses!
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like any more information on what our experiences were with the Sea of Cortez. Come back next week for our last stop, Puerto Penasco! Until then, drive carefully.
