Marina Puerto Escondido – Moorings

[Updated May 2023] The mooring field at Puerto Escondido, about 15 miles south of Loreto, has been around for a long time, but had fallen into disrepair years ago before the entire marina operation was taken over by a private Mexico-US family partnership. Since then the investments in the Marina facilities, infrastructure and mooring field have been quite impressive, and the new higher pricing reflects that investment. It’s a lovely place run well by good people. While the $1/foot/night price might be the highest you’ll pay anywhere (if your boat is 40 feet or more), better deals can be had by staying a week or more. Check with the office. As of spring 2023, connectivity is no longer a real problem in PE, as they finally got a cell tower inside the basin providing 4G coverage, and wifi at the tables in front of the market is quite functional.

Note that while many consider this to be a hurricane hole, it can, and does get quite rowdy here on strong S/SE from a tropical storm, or a powerful norther that rips through the “windows” on the north end of the mooring field. The waves will indeed by smallish by comparison, but you won’t feel very protected in this rather large basin.

Approach:

Once through the channel and past the elipse, the inner bay opens up again with no hazards other than the clearly visible sandbar on the far north side of the bay. Keep an eye out for dinghy traffic, and other boats in the channel of course.

Mooring:

Every mooring with a line and a float has been serviced or replaced in the last few years. [NEW spring 2023] A large number of moorings have been replaced with one inch nylon downlines and beefy turquoise polypropylene pendants. Hardware is beefy and connections seems solid. HOWEVER, poorly crafted connections to the mooring pendant eyes has resulted in serious chafe on some in years past, so have a plan for alternate attachments. It’s critical to tie off in such a way that your lines (yes, two) will not saw on the eye, for obvious reasons that seem lost on some. Two lines, one from each bow cleat, through the eye, and back to the same bow cleat seems a minimum of security here.

Puerto Escondido before the big marina went in, circa 2018

Ashore:

The Marina Puerto Escondido complex with boatyard and associated real estate development. Fuel dock, too. Dinghys can tie up at the base of the first dock closest to the channel (go around the SE end of the big long dock to get there). There are some marine service providers on site, a charter company, and the boatyard is staffed with staff to handle basic repairs and service. As of Summer 2020, quality technical help on systems or complicated repairs is reported to be lacking. The restaurant upstairs is nice but one of the most pricey you will find anywhere in Baja, maybe in coastal Mexico.

Don’t Miss:

Across the highway from Marina PE is an excellent canyon hike. Alternately called Steinbeck Canyon or Tabor Canyon, it’s a delightful hike/scramble up a gorgeous canyon, well protected from the sun in the mornings. How far you can go depends on the condition of the crew, and the debris in the canyon. Ask around, then go explore!