Baja Norte Safe?

**shmooley** · 10-04-2008, 10:25 AM

I'm looking for some beta on Baja Norte. I know there was a good amount of crime last fall/ winter and was wondering if anyone knew the climate these days?

I'm coming from LA and plan to get past Ensenada and just wing it (camping the whole time). Any info would be great.

**hop** · 10-04-2008, 11:31 AM

Just go with the flashiest rig you can find and pretend you're part of a cartel. You'll either have the red carpet or a gunfight.

**Boarding Medic** · 10-04-2008, 03:19 PM

No where even close to safe right now
Once or twice a week you hear about shootings (and or murders) going down

2 from the last week or so:
http://www.cbs8.com/story.php?id=141719
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...0,195605.story

I've spent a lot of time surfing Northern Baja, and it is really sad to say........ But
I would not consider going to local Mex. right now
Granted most of the violence is directed at cops or drug dealers. But it is still easy to find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I talked to a guy in the water the other day who got caught in the middle of a gun battle while getting a taco in Ensenada last week.

**shmooley** · 10-04-2008, 04:18 PM

Hot Damn.

What do you mean by "local Mex." I am not planing on stopping in or North of Ensenada.

If this trip does go down, do you have a suggestion of where to stay on the first night. Getting down to Scorpian Bay on day two would be ideal... but I dont know how realistic that is with driving only during the day.

Hugh Conway · 10-04-2008, 04:22 PM

The advantage of driving at night is no dumb gringos in an oncoming RV with 2' hanging into your lane. With the right swells driving down to Scorpion in 2 days is retarded unless you are surfing on the way back up.

**Boarding Medic** · 10-04-2008, 05:46 PM

Honestly,
I'd say time it so you hit the border at or before 4 am
Once you get south of Ensenada I would think your out of the zone
Good info here:
http://scorpionbay.net/getting_there.html
Scorpion Bay should be fine, I've never had any trouble down there
Odds are that you will be OK, just understand that it really is a whole new level of violence down there........ pay attention to what is happening around you

Good luck and let us know how it goes

**webb** · 10-04-2008, 08:46 PM

there was a pretty good article about it in water last spring. page 44.

I live in LA, I went down three times in a year two years ago and completely loved it. it was heaven. but now I won't even think about going back.

it's not just ensendada either, a surfer's rv got broken into south of there and he got robbed and his wife was raped. there's a brief description in the water article, and the article suggests that crystal meth is the reason all of baja is dicey. I read another piece that said over 400 americans were kidnapped in mexico in 2007. most of those were commuters and not tourists, but still...

scorpion bay's probably fine, but I wouldn't drive there.

**liv2ski** · 10-04-2008, 09:33 PM

Brother, in the best of times I would not have camped in Mex, now no fuckin way. I have been going between San Diego and Ensenada forever, but now, I am over it unless I rent a place a Los Gaviotas to surf. It is a gated/guarded community. That is just south of K38. Let me know if you need a contact. Please reconsider the camping thing unless you are going way south. Others mention Scorpion Bay. If camping, for Gods sake stay in a area where the are other people. Out by yourselfs is too dangerous.

**shmooley** · 10-05-2008, 12:10 AM

Thanks for all the info. So much shit to think about. The plan now is to make is past Ensenada and find a good safe place to sleep/camp. If shit gets weird then it's back to the US.

Ill let you know how it goes, and post some pictures when I get back in one piece. The bear spray is coming with me.

**Crystal_Mt_Dreamin** · 10-05-2008, 12:40 AM

I was there 5x last summer. Wouldn't go this summer, between the constant stories of the cartel battles, to the mayor (I think it was mayor?) that was killed in his bed during our last trip, the roadblocks, and my buddy's wife and her family (from TJ) saying best to stay away right now, figured there are far better places to vote for with my $$. Odds are 99.9% chance that if you go you'll have no problems and some sick surf, but if that .1% goes down....

**Boarding Medic** · 10-05-2008, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by shmooley

Thanks for all the info. So much shit to think about. The plan now is to make is past Ensenada and find a good safe place to sleep/camp. If shit gets weird then it's back to the US.

Ill let you know how it goes, and post some pictures when I get back in one piece. The bear spray is coming with me.

Be careful with the bear spray thing. Make sure you aren't going to get into trouble having that in your car. You never know about the "laws" in Mex.
Going that far down its pretty likely that you'll get searched at least once. I'm not sure if they'll give you a hard time or not......
Those check points can be a pain

**shmooley** · 10-05-2008, 10:49 AM

Im heeding all yours' advice and camping at San Onofre and checking out Ca breaks. Just doesn't make sense to go into Mex and be worried that something might go down, and to be looking over my shoulder the whole time. After all, the point of going is to explore and be able to camp where we wanted, and with that element taken away then whats the point.

Hoping for a dope time and little crowds at Trestles. Again thanks for all the links and advice. It's a shame cuz last year southern Baja was the best surf trip i ever went on and the north is PUMPIN right now.

Ditching the bear spray for a handle of Maker's.

**hop** · 10-05-2008, 02:06 PM

Well, you could always fly into Cabo or La Paz and rent a car....

**webb** · 10-05-2008, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by shmooley

Ditching the bear spray for a handle of Maker's.

good call on bailing on mexico, but don't try to bring booze into san o state park if you want to stay there.

**liv2ski** · 10-05-2008, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by webb

good call on bailing on mexico, but don't try to bring booze into san o state park if you want to stay there.

Wow, hope your kidding. It has been a few years since I did any beach camping in the CA state park system. Is there a booze ban now? If yes, just drink wine/beer from a plastic cup and be mellow. I can't imagine the rangers busting everyone there. Good call to camp there rather than Mex IMO.

**Crystal_Mt_Dreamin** · 10-05-2008, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by liv2ski

Wow, hope your kidding. It has been a few years since I did any beach camping in the CA state park system. Is there a booze ban now? If yes, just drink wine/beer from a plastic cup and be mellow. I can't imagine the rangers busting everyone there. Good call to camp there rather than Mex IMO.

Was there last year the weekend they implemented it. They were actually going thru people's coolers when they suspected them of drinking. Same story at Cardiff. Was pretty nuts. Still pulled it off by putting it in a Gatorade bottle though. Didn't even try to drink when down there last weekend so not sure if they've eased up on teh enforcement or not.

**Crystal_Mt_Dreamin** · 10-05-2008, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Boarding Medic

Be careful with the bear spray thing. Make sure you aren't going to get into trouble having that in your car. You never know about the "laws" in Mex.
Going that far down its pretty likely that you'll get searched at least once. I'm not sure if they'll give you a hard time or not......
Those check points can be a pain

And those 'laws' change. We were pulled over once, had to empty the van and sit there while they went thru it. They found a knife and informed us that the laws in Mex are that the knife can be on your person, not in your vehicle. Mental note taken, escaped without any bribery. Trip down a month or two later pulled over again (I think it has something to do with being in a large Ford Econoline with YMCA Youth Bus on the side...), this time someone grabbed the knife and put it on their person. Guess what, the law was now that the knife could be in vehicle, not on person. This one turned into a longer story but ended up with no bribes or body cavity searches going down as well.

Hugh Conway · 10-06-2008, 08:26 AM

god damn

In all, at least 57 suspected organized crime members, a majority of them believed to be part of the Arellano Felix organization, were killed in the last week, including 12 dumped in front of an elementary school Sept. 29 and eight tossed in an industrial yard Thursday.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...0,570471.story

**Tippster** · 10-06-2008, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by webb

good call on bailing on mexico, but don't try to bring booze into san o state park if you want to stay there.

Originally Posted by liv2ski

Wow, hope your kidding. It has been a few years since I did any beach camping in the CA state park system. Is there a booze ban now? If yes, just drink wine/beer from a plastic cup and be mellow. I can't imagine the rangers busting everyone there. Good call to camp there rather than Mex IMO.

Originally Posted by Crystal_Mt_Dreamin

Was there last year the weekend they implemented it. They were actually going thru people's coolers when they suspected them of drinking. Same story at Cardiff. Was pretty nuts. Still pulled it off by putting it in a Gatorade bottle though. Didn't even try to drink when down there last weekend so not sure if they've eased up on teh enforcement or not.

What? I was just there for the 4th of July and we built a friggin' BAR at the group campsite (~2.5 miles in.) Cops came and chased us all off the cliff where we always go for sunset cocktails, but not because there were 40 open containers there, they were worried about the stability of the cliff.

You're not allowed to have glass down at the beach, but that's no big deal. We had beer, soda, premixed margs in 2 liter bottles, and water in our coolers, were about 30 yards from the Lifeguard stand, and drank for 3 straight days without a problem.

Regarding the OP: you could still go down to Baja. If you're going to Scorpion Bay that's a reaaaaallllly long drive, depending on traffic and amount of Federale and local cop checkpoints. Get to Mama Espinozas in El Rosario (where the road turns left) and have dinner, then ask the people there where you could camp safely for about $20; likely somebody will offer you their yard. Then haul down to SB the next day... or as close as you can get.

**Tye 1on** · 10-06-2008, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Crystal_Mt_Dreamin

I was there 5x last summer. Wouldn't go this summer, between the constant stories of the cartel battles, to the mayor (I think it was mayor?) that was killed in his bed during our last trip, the roadblocks, and my buddy's wife and her family (from TJ) saying best to stay away right now, figured there are far better places to vote for with my $$. Odds are 99.9% chance that if you go you'll have no problems and some sick surf, but if that .1% goes down....

I'm on this page, and agree it's like a .1%, or 1% chance you'll be fucked with, but if that happens it'll more than ruin your day. The narco's are really fkn things up. Last time i was down there ended up eyeball to eyeball with an armored vehicle full of federales, all with autoweapons and faces under a ski mask. Kind of a buzzkill...

**webb** · 10-06-2008, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Tippster

What? I was just there for the 4th of July and we built a friggin' BAR at the group campsite (~2.5 miles in.) Cops came and chased us all off the cliff where we always go for sunset cocktails, but not because there were 40 open containers there, they were worried about the stability of the cliff.

a buddy of mine was at san o a few weekends ago, didn't know about the new law, popped open a couple of beers, was asked to leave by the rangers. I was glad to hear that's all they did, I was there the first weekend they started it last summer and had my cooler rifled through. the rumor was that it was a $500 fine, but we couldn't get the rangers to say one way or another.

**fullers2oh** · 10-06-2008, 10:46 AM

why dont you go down and find out for yourself?

its no more or less safe than any other ghetto in the US.

better stay home - baja not safe.

**TWINS** · 10-06-2008, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Tippster

Get to Mama Espinozas in El Rosario (where the road turns left) and have dinner, then ask the people there where you could camp safely for about $20; likely somebody will offer you their yard. Then haul down to SB the next day... or as close as you can get.

If you want to camp at El Rosario drive down the incline to the T crossing.
Mama Espinoza`s will be on your left.Make a right hand turn and follow the dirt road to the beach.Its safe there to camp.You will pass a general store on you left.Stop here for beer.I was told the pocket knife cannot have a blade longer than 4 inches when they pulled me over.You will be pulled over.........

**Crystal_Mt_Dreamin** · 10-06-2008, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Tippster

What? I was just there for the 4th of July and we built a friggin' BAR at the group campsite (~2.5 miles in.) Cops came and chased us all off the cliff where we always go for sunset cocktails, but not because there were 40 open containers there, they were worried about the stability of the cliff.

You're not allowed to have glass down at the beach, but that's no big deal. We had beer, soda, premixed margs in 2 liter bottles, and water in our coolers, were about 30 yards from the Lifeguard stand, and drank for 3 straight days without a problem.

1) San Mateo campsite is diff than San Onofre the beach, possibly diff regulations
2) It's now no alcohol, you just got lucky, plus your drinks were rebadged. I think they don't enforce it as harsh as they were early last year, plus like anything YMMV.