Don Juan Hurricane Hole

We find most cruisers have a love-hate relationship with Don Juan. It’s a welcome refuge when a tropical storm is working it’s way up the Baja, but this also creates a bunch of negative feelings associated with the place. It’s also generally a bit toasty (not a lot of breeze), and the bees can be a bother. But hey, lots of people love it, and it’s often a go-to spot for birthday parties and other shenanigans. If the weather forecast is undecided and you’re looking for a flat calm night of sleep, this is also your place.

Approach:

From south one must round the series of blunt points that make up the Don Juan cluster of anchorages (Quemado and El Pescador to the SE) There are some off lying rocks around these points, so don’t shave too close. If coming from the village or north, you are likely in familiar territory. The entry to Don Juan itself is otherwise straightforward, coming in the channel on the NE side, DJ’s only vulnerable wave angle.

Anchoring:

This place looks small on paper, and in fact might seem small when you first roll in, but there is room here for 25+ boats for storms. It runs deep toward the middle (45 ft+), and extremely shallow on the SE side toward the low saddle, with moderate depths around the outside (mostly 18-25 feet). All is good holding in firm sand/shell.

Click gallery above title for more images

Ashore:

There is a low saddle to the SE with walking trails that go over to Quemado, and on to El Pescador, if you’re looking for exercise. There has been in the past a small wreck on the shore of the tiny inner lagoon that was pretty photo-worthy. Not sure if it’s there anymore.

Don’t Miss:

The pure bonding experience that is sitting out a tropical storm in Don Juan. It’s one of the reasons you came up here in the summer anyway, so you might as well settle in for the nail-biting and minimal turf aggression brought on by anxiety. This is always followed by a “Survivor’s Party” regardless of whether it was a proper storm, or just a damp fizzler at 15 kts. You made it! And made a bunch of new friends! Kind of like summer camp. Make some cookies or cocktails or something else to share as the storm is subsiding and you’ll be a hero.