For boaters from the United States and Canada, this equates to more places than ever to find a comfortable slip – usually with shore power and water, sometimes with cable television, local phone connections and guest privileges at adjacent hotels.
Some marinas have their own fuel docks nearby, some simply offer a place to tie up for the night and some are currently under construction.
At Rosarito Beach, a new pier is intended for shore boats from cruise ships. Two residential projects closer to Ensenada plan to build small docks, but the estuary and channel are not yet dredged. El Sauzal is a commercial fishing port, not a marina.
Here’s a quick guide to what’s where, starting at the U.S. border and working our way south to Cabo San Lucas, north to San Felipe at the top of the Sea of Cortez, and then across and south down the mainland all the way to Acapulco, the most southerly marina – so far:
Marina Coral
Marina Coral (pronounced “koh-RAHL”) is the newest splash in Ensenada, built inside its own riprap breakwaters 2.75 miles north of Ensenada’s municipal harbor. Adjacent to a resort hotel, this marina has more than 300 full-service slips, end ties to 150 feet and a 135-foot fuel dock.
Due to its proximity to California waters, both of Ensenada’s largest marinas are called “90 day Yacht Clubs” for Californians who purchase and use their boats outside U.S. waters for at least 90 days. Contact the dockmaster at (800) 862-9020.
Marina Baja Naval
Marina Baja Naval (pronounced “nah-VAHL”) was the original U.S.-style marina inside Ensenada harbor, on the northeast side near the giant flag. With 25 full-service slips, a few moorings and a large boat yard, Baja Naval is often booked up, too.
Dockmaster “Temo” Huizar can arrange a tank truck or barrels to fuel you on the marina’s concrete Travelift pier. Baja Naval can also document your activities for the “90 day Yacht Club” benefits; (00152) 667-40020; fax (00152) 667-40028.
Juanito
Juanito’s Sportfishing Docks sometimes has a few guest slips at the blue and white docks just a bit north of Baja Naval, below the huge pink shopping center building. Owner Louis Cordona speaks fluent English and can arrange fuel in barrels on his floating barge; (01152) 667-40953.
Marina Cabo San Lucas
Marina Cabo San Lucas is the only marina between Ensenada and La Paz. It has more than 300 full-service slips occupying the whole north end of Cabo’s inner harbor, plus a large fuel dock at the outer end of L-dock.
Marina Cabo San Lucas is owned by the Almar chain of marinas in the United States, and the dockmaster is Tim Schaaf; schaaf@cabonet.net.mx. Call (01152) 114-31251; fax (01152) 114-31253; cabomarina@cabonet.net.mx.
The new marina near Cabo San Lucas’ navy docks is for local excursion boats.
Marina Palmira
Marina Palmira in La Paz is the first one you come to by sea, inside its own breakwater off the approach channel to the harbor. Marina Palmira (pronounced “palm-EE-rah”) has a fuel dock, and is expanding from its original 140 full-service slips.
Palmira has a launch ramp and dry storage yard. It’s a 15-minute taxi ride to town, but cafes and a grocery store are on the premises. Although there’s plenty of overlap, sportfishers mostly hang out here; (01152) 112-16297; fax (01152) 112-16142.
Marina de La Paz
Marina de La Paz is inside La Paz harbor, past the anchoring basin, in its own breakwater. Owned and operated by the Shroyer family, this marina has 90 full-service slips to 70 feet, end ties to 200 feet and a fuel dock.
A launch ramp, a café, a convenience store, a chandler store and a workshop are on the grounds. Although there’s plenty of overlap, long-range cruising sailboats mostly hang out here; (01152) 112-52112.
Marina Don Jose Abaroa
Marina Don Jose Abaroa is a smaller marina next door to Marina de La Paz. It has about 20 slips with various services, a gated parking lot and the only big boat haulout yard in this region. The well-respected Abaroa (pronounced “ah-bah-ROW-ah”) family has a grand history in the La Paz fishing fleets, and Don Jose was the family patron; (01152) 112-20848.
Two more marinas are planned in La Paz: One is slated for west of Marina de La Paz, and another will be in the sheltered cove southeast of Punta Prieta, two miles north of Marina Palmira.
Puerto Escondido has a company that manages the launch ramp, but no slips or services.
Marina Santa Rosalia
Located below the bright turquoise building in the northwest corner of Santa Rosalia’s municipal harbor and past the ferry terminal, Marina Santa Rosalia has 18 floating slips. The largest boat we’ve ever docked here was a 62 foot motoryacht.
The friendly dockmaster can arrange port clearance and a fuel truck, and the office houses a library, a sofa and a cooler; (01152) 115-20011.
Marina Puerto Penasco
Marina Puerto Penasco lies inside the northwest corner of the commercial harbor of Puerto Penasco (also known as Rocky Point), which is way up in the northern reaches of the Sea of Cortez.
Marina Penasco (pronounced “pen-YAHZ-koh”) has 19 slips up to 79 feet, but it is operated by the adjacent Plaza las Glorias hotel primarily for their excursion boats. The hotel can make guest slips available, however, if you call for a reservation a few days in advance. The hotel is planning to expand to 60 slips; (01152) 638-35777; fax (01152) 638-35781. The hotel is (01152) 638-36014 and (01152) 638-36010.
Marina Real
Marina Real at San Carlos, near Guaymas, is just northwest of Tetas Peak and Bahia San Carlos. Marina Real (pronounced “ray-AHL”) has 300 full-service slips inside a dredged lagoon, plus a fuel dock near the entrance and a launch ramp at the far end.
The marina is a 10-minute ride to San Carlos; (01152) 622-43481 or (01152) 622-60258.
Marina San Carlos
Marina San Carlos at San Carlos, near Guaymas, is east of Tetas Peak and adjacent to the northeast side of Bahia San Carlos. Founders and owners Ed and Tere Grossman have 350 full-service slips, a fuel dock just outside the basin and a launch ramp.
Ed Grossman operates a yacht hauling business, and a dry dock and a boat yard are nearby. Cafes and a hotel are on the premises. This marina is considered a hurricane hole; (01152) 622-60230.
Marina El Cid
Marina El Cid in Mazatlan lies about seven miles north of the old harbor, inside a dredged channel and lagoon. El Cid (pronounced “seed”) has about 35 full-service slips in a side basin off the 15 foot deep entrance channel (just below the El Cid resort) and more slips in the inner lagoon.
The marina’s fuel dock lies just past the outer slips, and a chandlery and convenience shop are on the premises. The marina can clear Mexico paperwork and sponsors major sportfishing tournaments. The hotel restaurants and other amenities are open to slip guests.
Contact dockmaster Heronomos Cevallos; (01152) 691-33461 or (01152) 691-33462.
Marina Mazatlan
Marina Mazatlan is another half mile farther inland, off the same channel. It occupies the northern half of the dredged Sabalo lagoon.
The 100 floating slips have varying services while construction has stopped. Plans call for another 500 slips. Meanwhile, for a landing fee, boats may anchor in the sheltered lagoon. The marina office has showers and a library.
Contact the dockmaster; (01152) 698-80481.
Marina Vallarta
Marina Vallarta, the largest marina in the Puerto Vallarta area, lies in the north end of the municipal harbor. The marina has 472 full-service slips up to 140 feet. Adjacent to the region’s only fuel dock, it is surrounded by cafes and shops.
The marina can clear your papers and arrange fuel. This basin has proved to be a hurricane hole, but it’s often booked up.
Contact dockmaster Karl Raggio at (01152) 322-10275, or fax (01152) 322-10722.
Marina Nuevo Vallarta
Marina Nuevo Vallarta, also called “El Norte,” lies 3.5 miles northwest of Puerto Vallarta’s harbor. The marina is inside its own dredged lagoon, with a 5 to 8 foot channel depth and 6 to 14 foot inside depths. It has about 70 slips for boats up to 43 feet.
The entrance channel silts in, so hail any boat inside on VHF to find out the present depth.
Marina Paradise Village, across from El Norte, has 23 slips along a 130-foot-long floating dock. For space, call the dockmaster; (01152) 329-70770, ext. 6617.
Marina Puerto de la Navidad
Marina Puerto de la Navidad is one of Mexico’s newest marinas, 25 miles northwest of Manzanillo. It has 207 full-service slips to 110 feet, larger end ties and a fuel dock under construction.
Marina guests share the amenities of the adjacent Grand Bay Hotel, and the town of Barra de Navidad is a dinghy ride across the lagoon. Although it’s not a hurricane hole, I once rode out a hurricane here. Call the dockmaster; (01152) 335-55050, or (01152) 335-55950, or (01152) 335-55832.
Marina Las Hadas
Marina Las Hadas in Manzanillo has about 50 Med-mooring slots around a floating pier for boats to 70 feet, and moorings are rented outside the breakwater. Marina guests can use the Las Hadas Resort; (01152) 333-40000, ext. 755.
Marina Ixtapa
Marina Ixtapa has 500 slips inside a dredged lagoon eight miles northwest of Zihuatanejo. A dredge sometimes closes the narrow entrance channel, but once inside, bear to starboard. Cafes, shops and golf facilities surround the basin; (01152) 755-32180.
Marina Puerto Mio
Marina Puerto Mio lies just inside Zihuatanejo Bay, and it has 15 slips, a 100-foot end tie, moorings and its own 100 foot fuel dock (with the only fuel between Manzanillo and Acapulco). A dive shop, hotel and restaurant are on shore, and the marina is within walking distance to the town center. Phone (01152) 755-42748, (01152) 755-43745, (01152) 755-43624.
Acapulco Yacht Club
Acapulco Yacht Club (Club de Yates de Acapulco), located in the western lobe of Acapulco Bay, is a historic private club with reciprocal privileges, but unaffiliated guests are usually allowed to Med-moor off the new floating dock. The new dock is west of the club’s concrete docks and 130 foot fuel pier.
The club has a Travelift, a chandlery, a pool and a restaurant, and the office can clear your papers for a fee. Reserve fuel 24 hours in advance; (01152) 748-23860 or (01152) 748-23870; fax (01152) 748-22836.
La Marina de Acapulco
La Marina de Acapulco shares the west lobe with Acapulco YC, but these floating docks are north of Acapulco YC’s, at the base of La Ventana dip in the surrounding hills. This newer marina has about 70 slips to 60 feet, plus some larger end ties, but the outer docks have not been repaired since recent storm damage.
The office can clear papers for a very reasonable fee; (01152) 748-37505, (01152) 748-37461, (01152) 748-31026 or (01152) 748-37498.
