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La Paz, the city of peace, is one of the most popular
destinations when cruising Mexico. Whether cruising Baja's Pacific Coast,
or the Gulf Coast, few boaters pass up the chance to anchor in this
lovely city. If you've been at sea for any length of time, La Paz is a
welcome respite. With all the conveniences you could possibly need (or
want), yet still managing to maintain the warm, friendly atmosphere of
smaller towns, this city of 160,000 is one of our favorite places to
visit (do we seem to say that about a lot of towns in Mexico?)
Approaching the harbor
The approach to the harbor is not a simple one, and probably should
not be undertaken at night for the first time visitor. Whether
approaching from the north or the south, there is a narrow canal bordered
by the Baja coastline on one side, and El Mogote on the other. El Mogote
looks like a peninsula jutting out into the bay, but this is quite
deceptive as it continues in the form of shoals. To the uninitiated, it
is quite easy to accidentally run aground here. When the winds are up
(which is often), whitecaps can be seen along much of the shallow area,
but in calmer weather, it is virtually invisible. These shoals begin
approximately opposite Punta Prieta, where not only is there a navigation
light, but a large Pemex plant. Once past the lighted buoy marking the
entrance to the canal, there are standard "red-right-return" lighted
buoys to mark the way into the marinas and anchorage.
Anchoring in the harbor
If you choose to anchor in the harbor, there are several things to
keep in mind. La Paz experiences a condition they have affectionately
nick-named the "La Paz Waltz" (I've also heard it referred to as the La
Paz shuffle). This is when the currents and winds are not going in the
same direction, thereby causing the boats to swing in all different
directions (when the waltz starts, it is quite a site to behold). In
addition, during the cruising season, the harbor is generally VERY
crowded, making it impossible to use more than one anchor, and often
restricting your scope to 4:1. The bottom is hard-packed sand.
Danforth/fluke style anchors are NOT recommended. A heavy plow anchor
(CQR or Delta) is best, as it will swivel better without unsetting and
dragging. It is also inadvisable to leave your boat unattended for any
length of time during periods of strong winds. We were there in
December, which is high season, and seeing people pushing boats away or
jumping from boat to boat to help others do so was not an uncommon sight.
Check-in/Check-out
The procedure here is much the same as any port; you must check in
with Immigration, as well as the Capitania de Puerto. Immigration is a
short walk from Marina de La Paz and the main anchorage, while the
Capitania de Puerto is much closer to Marina Palmira, neither Marina is
all that close to the other. The Capitania is only open from 9 to 2, so
be sure to do your check-in/out early. It is also necessary to pay an
anchor fee (five pesos a day) at the municipal dock if you are anchored
out and not in a slip or on a mooring. The Marina's can do the check in/out
process for you for a nominal feel, and frankly its well worth it.
Marinas
La Paz has several marinas with good facilities if you don't wish to
anchor out. The two largest marinas are Marina Palmira and Marina de La
Paz. If you are planning a trip to La Paz during high season, it is
necessary to contact the marina well in advance if you want a slip or to
be put on the waiting list for one. Marina Palmira has gasoline and
diesel. Marina de La Paz has diesel at the fuel dock, the gas station is a
short walk up the block. The net is on channel 22 every monring at 8.
Propane is available. If 4 or more boats at either marina or in the
harbor need propane, you can leave the cans at the office of Marina de La
Paz before 10am and they will have them back within 3 hours (this is
organize on the net). There are a number of facilities conveniently
located at Marina de La Paz, including Water Works boat service, and the
Dock Café, which is open breakfast through dinner and is a hangout for
both cruisers as well as locals. The dinghy dock is located in front of
the Café, and "parking" is ten pesos per day. Showers are adjacent to
the Café, and keys are available at the marina office for a nominal fee
(if you are not a guest of the marina).
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Club Cruceros de La Paz
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A non-profit organization dedicated to helping the less fortunate children of La Paz and to exchange cruising information. The club's membership is made up of mostly ocean cruisers.
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If you are in a slip, you will be issued a key when you take care of the
arrangements for the slip. There is a laundry behind the café, as well
as a small convenience market (Infomar) with both computers and hook-ups
for laptops in the back so you can check your e-mail or work on-line.
Club Cruceros de La Paz is also located behind the Dock Café. There is a
fruit and vegetable truck parked just outside the parking lot of the Café
most of the time as well, and there generally are at least two taxis
available at all times. Marina Palmira is actually part of a beautiful
resort/hotel complex. It is a beautiful facility, but it is
substantially less central, and more expensive.
Other services and facilities
In addition to the services at Marina de La Paz, there are many other
conveniences that are either a short walk or taxi ride from the harbor.
It would be impossible to include them all, but we do want to mention a
few. There are two marine chandleries right by Marina de La Paz.
Omni Services is only a couple of blocks away from the harbor and offers
internet access to cruisers. There are numerous places to
shop for groceries and other supplies within walking distance of the
harbor. The city boasts a large multi-story department store with just
about anything you would find in a department store in any American city. There
is in international airport just outside of town. The Mexican navy has a base
in La Paz, and you will regularly see their fleet of converted WWII-era mine sweepers
and PT boats.
Cruising grounds and diving
The coast and islands around La Paz offer cruisers truely beautiful sights, anchorages, diving
and hiking. The islands include Islas Partida/Espiritu Santo, Isla San Franscisco, Isla
San Jose, and Isla Cerralvo. The diving around Islas Partida/Espiritu Santo is excellant,
and Pulmo Reef, near Los Frailes, is the largest hard coral reef in the Sea of Cortez.
Events and happenings
There is always something going on in La Paz. In April, there is the
Race Week, featuring a series of races, and other events for cruisers and
non-cruisers. In February there is Carnival de La Paz, in March a fishing
tournament. Well, you get the picture. As I mentioned, we were in La Paz
in December for the holidays, and the streets were lined with temporary booths for
shoppers. It was as if the streets were two stores deep, and there was a
truly festive atmosphere. The cruisers had a wonderful potluck on the
Mogote at the ruins of a resort that operated there in the
not-too-distant past. The locals put on a fireworks display at night. We
had a terrific time.
Day trips
There are quite a few car rental agencies in La Paz, which is just a
short day trip from Cabo San Lucas, and the two ports are a strong
contrast. If you are going to take this trip, be certain to
take highway 19, not highway 1, as this is a much longer drive and really cannot be
done as a round-trip in one day. There is also daily bus service between the cities, and it is
quite inexpensive. We also visited Todos Santos, a beautiful community
on the Pacific Coast that we fell in love with. It is a haven for artists
from all over. San Jose del Cabo was about an hour farther than Cabo,
but well worth the trip. If you are planning to spend any amount of time
in these areas and don't choose to cruise, an overnight as opposed to a
day trip would be advisable.
History
Originally named Villa de la Santa Cruz by Hernan Cortes, who was
unable to remain in Baja, the city was re-named La Paz 60 years later by
Sebastian Vizcaino. La Paz became the capital of California under Spanish
rule in 1829, when a hurricane destroyed the previous capital of Loreto.
La Paz, which means the peace, or tranquility, certainly is a suitable
name for this beautiful city on the bay.
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