Across the Sea of Cortés on Ferries

About a week before our six-month Mexican tourist visas expired, we drove up the east side of the Baja peninsula from Loreto to Santa Rosalía to catch the ferry to Guaymas on the mainland. We left late in the morning when the sun was high and the air was warm. It was Semana Santa (Easter Week) and we had been warned that the roads would be crowded with travelers. Mario, our neighbor just back from Mulege, told us that the beaches along the Sea of Cortés were packed with campers.

Playa El Requeson on Bahiá Concepcíon

Cresting a rise about halfway to Santa Rosalía, we caught a glimpse of Bahiá Concepcíon's bright blue waters in the distance. Playa El Requeson was lined with campers. A jet ski zipped around the cove and speed boats were anchored close to shore. We could hear ranchera music and people shouting and laughing.

Playa Coyote on Bahiá Concepcíon

We stopped at Playa Coyote, a popular camping beach for Mexicans and gringos. An enterprising señora had set up a small tienda on folding tables under several tarps near the entrance; she was selling water, snacks and supplies to the campers. Liveaboard sailboats were anchored in the bay. An older gringa was paddling a kayak along the shore with a small dog in a life vest standing on the bow.

Playa Coyote

We met two brothers who had traveled to Baja from British Columbia on a pair of motorcycles. They stripped out of their leather riding suits and fiberglass helmets to cool off in the water in their underwear. “You should go swimming – the water’s great,” the younger one said to us. They were watching two young women posing for pictures in the jardín de las piedras (garden of stones).

Ferry dock and terminal (blue building) at Santa Rosalía

Arriving in Santa Rosalía, we went directly to the terminal de transbordador (ferry terminal) to buy our tickets. We had made reservations by phone for the boat leaving the next morning, but we wanted to buy our tickets early because the ferry only carries about a dozen trucks. We purchased a ticket for the truck ($2,000 MXN) and two for us ($1,800 MXN); the total was about $260 USD. The woman who sold us the tickets told us to be there at 7:00 AM the next morning.

Ferry Santa Rosalia approaching Santa Rosalía harbor at sunset

That night we stayed in Las Casitas Hotel on the cliff overlooking the harbor and the Sea of Cortés. North of the hotel were two abandoned buildings. An older man sat on the porch of one building with a small hammer cleaning mortar from bricks he had removed from a wall. We watched the ferry cruise into the harbor near sunset. From a distance it looked rather small and Rande was having second thoughts about the crossing.

Las Casitas Hotel (left) overlooking the Sea of Cortés

We arrived at the terminal early the next morning. An official from Aduana Mexico (Mexican Customs) had us to park next to several commercial trucks. We would be inspected twice – once by Customs and once by the military – before boarding the ferry. Five marines dressed in brown camouflage and a female sailor in a blue uniform did the military inspection.  A young marine with a clipboard asked for our papers and wrote our names, passports and license plate numbers on a sheet of paper. Two marines searched the luggage in the cab. The back of the truck was packed to the roof of the shell with boxes of food, kitchen supplies, books, tools and diving gear. One marine looked into the food box and the cooler. The German shepherd’s handler ordered his dog up onto the tailgate where it sniffed everything in reach while the sailor took photographs. Satisfied with their inspection, the marines repacked the boxes and moved to the next truck.

Santa Rosalía at the ferry dock in Santa Rosalía

A young customs officer approached the truck and asked for our passports and truck papers. He asked where we were going and where we had come from. We told him we had come from Loreto. “Muy tranquillo” (very peaceful) he said. He was from Cabo San Lucas and said he missed it. He didn't like Santa Rosalía – too boring. He pointed out that our truck registration had expired six weeks earlier. We said that we had a new registration waiting for us in the U.S. He told us that Mexico had a one-month grace period for expired registrations and asked why we hadn't returned to the U.S. earlier. We said that we were not aware that it was a problem (we'd seen gringo vehicles with registrations that were several years out of date). He said that customs could confiscate our truck and we'd have to take the bus back to the U.S. At that moment, it was clear where the conversation was headed; it was only a matter of time before he would give me his price to overlook our supposed violation of Mexican law.  “How can I help you?” he asked rhetorically in English. I knew the bite (mordida) was coming, but I wasn’t going to help him get there.

Military inspectors leaving the ferry

He asked me to walk to the back of the truck away from Rande and out of view of the other drivers and customs officials. He told me the fine was $90 USD. I asked him what it was in pesos; he said $1,100 MXN (which was based on an old exchange rate). I took out my wallet, removed a $500 MXN ($33 USD) note and said “quinientos.” He took the bill, folded it and slipped it into his pocket. We were free to go.

Tying down our truck inside the Santa Rosalía

The two inspections took about an hour, which was quick based on our experiences with the larger ferries between Baja and the mainland. The man directing the loading pointed at me to go first. We drove on over a stern ramp so I ended up in the bow. The ferry is too narrow for trucks to easily turn around inside, so everyone had to back in.

Remains of the copper smelter in Santa Rosalía

Passengers cannot get on the ferry in the vehicles. Rande had to wait in the terminal and walk on with the other passengers after the vehicles were loaded. We were the only gringos on the boat. The 100-mile crossing took 10 hours and was smooth and uneventful. The day was sunny and warm and the sky was blue. A light marine haze hung over the water, but, from the middle of the Sea of Cortés, we could see the mountains on the mainland and on Baja at the same time.

Captain of the Santa Rosalía boarding the ferry

The captain of the ferry was in his 50s, well-dressed with glasses and wavy black hair streaked with white. We had met him on our trip from Guaymas to Santa Rosalía the previous fall. On that crossing, which was at night, he came out of the wheelhouse as we were leaving port. I was standing on the exposed wing watching the stars come out and he asked me in Spanish if I was a profesionista (professional). I said I was a marine biologist. He had captained ships out of Puerto de Manzanillo, the largest port on Mexico’s west coast (link), and had traveled in the U.S. He said he was surprised at the amount of farm-raised fish he had seen in the supermarkets in Philadelphia. He and his friends in the Navy were concerned about the state of the oceans. We talked about contamination by plastics and overfishing. He asked if I was optimistic about the future of the oceans. I said that the outlook was not good so long as we exploit ocean resources for short-term gain and ignore their long-term protection. He nodded slowly and thanked me for sailing with his company (link) and for visiting his country.

Seabirds feeding near Guaymas

Occasionally a seagull or tern flying by would detour and inspect the boat, but when they realized we weren't fishing, they moved on. We passed large floating patties of brown algae and I could see fish swimming under them. Closer to the mainland, we saw pods of dolphins followed by hundreds of seabirds; the dolphins were feeding and the birds had joined them.

Tugs escorting a bulk carrier into Puerto de Guaymas after sunset

We passed the lighthouse (el faro) and rounded the point into Puerto de Guaymas as the sun was setting. Tankers were anchored near the entrance; we passed a bulk carrier coming into port guided by two tugboats. Guaymas is a large industrial and commercial harbor and the ferry dock seems like an afterthought. Dwarfed by the terminals for bulk carriers, tankers and container ships, it is small, unlit and unmarked. Three longshoremen met the ferry, caught the lines from the ferry's crew and tied us up.

Arriving at the ferry dock in Puerto de Guaymas

A contingent of marines with a German shepherd directed us to park along an unlit dirt road muddy from water sprayed to keep the dust down. To one side, men in heavy machinery were filling the harbor with dirt and rocks creating several acres of new land (we saw the same thing in the harbor at Pichilingue). Marine trade is increasing in Mexico (link).

Shrimp boats in Guaymas harbor

A young marine with a clip board took our papers and wrote down the information. Two marines searched the luggage in the cab and another lifted his dog onto the tailgate to sniff for contraband. We've taken six ferry rides across the Sea of Cortés and on each trip, we were inspected by the military before we boarded the ferry and after we got off. Did they think we were going to pick up contraband on the high seas? More likely it’s full employment for the military and training for young marines.

Where shrimp boats come to die in Guaymas harbor

In the past two years, we've crossed the Sea of Cortés on all three ferry routes: Guaymas – Santa Rosalía (three times), Topolobampo (near Los Mochis) – Pichilingue (near La Paz) (two times), and Mazatlán – Pichilingue (one time). The ferry (Santa Rosalía) between Guaymas and Santa Rosalía is the smallest. The Topolobampo ferry (California Star) and the Mazatlán ferry (La Paz Star) are several times larger and carry largely commercial traffic and walk-on passengers; private vehicles are just a fraction of the vehicles transported.

Pichilingue harbor near La Paz with Isla Cerralvo in the background

The California Star and the La Paz Star are operated by Baja Ferries, a private company (link). They make 20 knots (23 mph) and our crossings were 6-7 hrs Topolobampo-La Paz (210 km, 130 mi) and 18 hrs Mazatlán-La Paz (450 km, 280 mi). The California Star is 186 m (610 ft) long and 26 m (85 ft) wide and carries 49 crew. It was built in Italy in 2001 and acquired by Baja Ferries in 2003 (link). The La Paz Star is 151 m (495 ft) long and 24 m (79 ft) wide. It was built in South Korea in 1978 and acquired by Baja Ferries in 2013 (link).

California Star

The large ferries have restaurants, bars and salons where movies are shown. Passengers can rent cabins with berths, a toilet and a shower. The ferry from Topolobampo to Pichilingue begins loading about 9:00 PM and leaves around midnight. Dinner in the restaurant comes with the ticket. Our cabin was cramped, but comfortable; we took showers before we went to sleep. If you don't rent a cabin, you can sleep on a reclining chair in the lounge or on the deck outside covered by a blanket.

La Paz Star

The La Paz Star leaves Mazatlán at 4:00 PM Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We got four tickets (boletos) when we checked in at the ferry terminal at 1:00 PM – one for the truck, one for each of us and one for the cabin. The fare for the truck was based on its length. The ferry was scheduled to arrive in La Paz at 10:00 AM Tuesday, an 18-hour crossing; we rented a cabin ($60 US), but most people slept on reclining chairs in the lounge.

Vehicles loading on the California Star at Pichilingue

The vehicles loaded first, so the drivers (operadores), all male, congregated in the air-conditioned restaurant/bar to watch Mexico play Croatia in the fútbol (soccer) World Cup on a TV rigged with rabbit ears. The reception was so poor that we could barely see the players on the wide shots. We only knew when a shot was missed or a goal was scored by the cheers or groans from the TV. The rabbit ears were passed among several men sitting close to the TV to find the best reception. There were lots of cheers and smiles and hand clapping when Mexico won (1-0).

EL faro (the lighthouse) at Mazatlán

The passengers boarded the ferry about mid-way during the second half. They walked from the terminal onto the lower deck and up four flights of narrow, steep stairs to lounge, a challenge for the elderly and those with luggage. We knew the passengers were loading when women and children began filtering into the restaurant while we were watching fútbol. You have to take everything you need for the crossing with you when you leave your vehicle because you can't access the car decks after the ferry leaves the dock.

Tugboat escorting the La Paz Star out of Mazatlán harbor; pilot boat in the distance

The La Paz Star untied and left the dock about the time the game ended. The boat was accompanied by a tugboat at the stern and a pilot boat. The harbor pilot came on board before we left the dock and got off the ferry onto the pilot boat as we left the harbor.

The Mazatlán harbor pilot leaving the La Paz Star

Our cabin had two bunk beds, closet, small table and head (toilet, sink and shower). We were on the port side and had a porthole. After a long, hot afternoon waiting to board the ferry, we were glad to shower in the cramped space. The air conditioning didn't work, so Rande spoke to the concierge. He came to the cabin, confirmed that it wasn't working and said he would talk to the engineer; the a/c came on later in the evening.

Dreaming of flying on the California Star

Dinner was served at 8:00 PM and the choices were chicken stuffed with cheese, beef stew or a pork chop in red sauce. There weren't enough seats in the restaurant to accommodate everyone at the same time and announcements over the loudspeakers asked people to leave when they were finished eating to make room for others. We went to bed early, but woke up during the night to a large swell rolling up the Sea of Cortés. 

Sunset from the California Star

We greeted the sunrise from the stern on the fourth deck with americano coffees purchased at the bar. We were south of Isla Cerralvo (officially known as Jacques Cousteau Island; link) closing in on La Paz. Breakfast was served at 8:00 AM and consisted of huevos revueltos (scrambled eggs) with salchichas (chopped-up hot dogs), beans and flour tortillas. The ferry entered the channel between Isla Cerralvo and the peninsula. With no other large ships in sight, the captain hugged the left side and passed closer to the green buoy than the red buoy marking the entrance. Several pangas crossed in front of us on their way to the fishing grounds, a surprising display of faith in their old engines.

Filling in the harbor at Pichilingue near La Paz

The ferry docked stern first in the harbor at Pichilingue assisted by a tugboat while it executed a 180-degree turn. A panga carried dock lines from the ship to the longshoremen dressed in orange waiting on the pier. The stern ramp was lowered and the port crew met the ship’s crew with jousting and noisy banter. Clearly they knew each other from working together to load and unload ferries.

Unloading at Pichilingue

I didn't hear the announcement for the drivers to return to their vehicles. I was still on the upper deck taking pictures when I saw passenger cars disembarking. I gathered my stuff and headed down several flights of stairs to the car deck. Once in the truck, I squeezed between a couple semis, worked my way down to the main deck and drove off.

Car deck on the California Star

I spent the next two-and-half hours in the midday summer heat winding my way through the chaos of the ferry terminal. First there was the one-half kilometer stop-and-go line to the kiosk where I paid a port fee of $153 MXN ($10 USD). Then there was the one-kilometer stop-and-go line back against traffic coming off the ferry to the drive-thru “gamma ray scanner” at the Alto Todo (all stop) sign. No one was there. The truck behind me honked and I moved on to the military security checkpoint where they looked at my ticket, asked me where I had come from and wrote the information on a sheet of paper. A young man in full camouflage did a cursory inspection of the truck.

Liveaboards in Santa Rosalía harbor

Next I had to stop to have the underside of the truck sprayed for insects, which cost $30 MXN ($2 USD), but the operator only sprayed the wheel wells on the driver’s side. By the time I arrived at his station, he had seen over 50 vehicles, mostly 18- and 22-wheel semis, and it was just too hot to do a thorough job.

A fisherman heading out to sea at sunrise from Santa Rosalía harbor

The line of traffic led out of the terminal and I still hadn’t see Rande, who walked off the boat and boarded a bus to the terminal building. I passed the bus on my loop from the port-fee kiosk to the gamma ray scanner. Rande was sitting at an open window waving to me as I drove by in the opposite direction. She saw the truck leaving the terminal, stepped out of the crowd into the road where I picked her up and we headed into La Paz.