During the day I visited Puerto Escondido, at the end of October, the cruisers had a flea marked, as you can see from the photos, there were lots of dealings going on.

I also learned that the Sport Fisherman and Cruisers/Sailors are negotiating with FONATUR about the daily ramp/park use fees for fisherman and 24 hour monthly parking charges for the cruises, hoping to reduced and simplified recent arbitrary fee increases. Since Puerto Escondido is now under the jurisdiction of 4 agencies, it will be interesting to see this outcome.

In 1999 the Tripui sport fisherman asked Fonatur to fix the almost unusable ramp at Puerto Escondido, (see picture attached) they didn't! So Tripui sport fisherman and a few people from Loreto and Nopolo contributed almost $4000 to have the above water portion of the ramp replaced. It was Ty Miller of El Fuerte Fishing that arranged for the labor. He also negotiated to have the cement delivered from the construction company, building the newest hotel in Nopolo. After only half the cement was delivered they left the area and kept a $500 deposit for to be delivered cement. They ended up finishing the other half using the traditional hand mix method, about 20 yards. They also installed 2 boarding letters on the sea wall next to the ramp. The security that was organized by the cruisers never was very effective, still having many cars, dinghies and motors stolen each year.

After continued complaints about security Fonatur step in last year, fenced in the parking area, fixed all of the lights around the parking area and added 24 hour guards. The cruisers were charged 200 peso's per month to park. The ramp charge was 20 peso's daily with daily parking (for more then 4 hours) was 30. So for the sport fisherman to use the ramp and park, they had to pay 50 peso's per day. Up until then they paid 16 Paso's to use the ramp even after they spent their own money to repair it.

About mid year 2002 Fonatur painted a new sign changing the daily fee to 50 peso's parking and the ramp to 20 peso's per use or 20 in and 20 out, for a 40 Paso total. They did not however change the 200 per month parking charge. So now the daily fee to use the ramp and park totals 90 peso's. In October the sport fisherman asked Fonatur for an optional prepaid combined park/ramp permit at a discount price. They don't care about 24hour security. When they stay out over night they just park their rigs at Tripui. What they felt would be fair and work best, is to prepay for 7 ramp/park uses and to be given 15 days before it expires. Fonatur liked the prepaid idea because of the present cash handling problems they have, but no decision on that option has yet to be finalized. Fonatur indicated at that time they intended to increase the monthly 24 hour parking fee from 200 to 900 peso's. Top of page

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Puerto Escondido
Research on Puerto Escondido History to the present: 1633 - now

There is historic reference to Puerto Escondido as Bahía de Los Danzante (Bay of Dancers), named by the Spanish pearling Capt. Francisco de Ortega when he first visited there in 1633, because the Indians received him dancing and playing flutes. At that time the entrance channel was on the North, just south of Bahía Chuenque. Later Atondo y Antillon in 1683, accompanied by Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino, called it San Ignacio de Loyola. It was the Jesuits that use the harbor as a supply point for the missions, building a warehouse there. The Jesuits were probably responsible for closing the North entrances (Windows) and opening the present south entrance channel. An interesting side note taken from the "Lower California Guidebook," first written in 1956. Mentions a "Chuenque Ranch" site as located inland and just south of the farming and fishing settlement Juncalito as an important Indian rancheria, where stone foundations were, which are probably the ruins of a Jesuit visiting station.

They also mention Puerto Escondido as a cattle ranch with a nice harbor where the name Tripui is mentioned as "Fisherman's shacks." This explains some of the Indian names used in this area. Puerto Escondido is without a doubt the most well protected anchorage on the Baja, and perhaps the entire Sea of Cortez. It is actually two anchorages; the outermost, known as the "Waiting Room", is not as well protected as the innermost harbor, but is well suited to boats that are just passing through. The Waiting Room, named so for waiting for the high tide to enter the protected harbor, is separated from the main harbor by a narrow, shallow channel. You cannot see just how large the harbor is until you have passed through this channel, hence the name Puerto Escondido, which means "Hidden Harbor".

Puerto Escondido is bordered by a large, rugged mountain range called Sierra de la Giganta. From the mid 1970's to the late 1980's it had its own Marina with docks in front of the old office buildings. As there was wiring and plumbing on the docks and water and power available at the Gangway, it was never connected, until in 1982, a German sailor, JDK, from Hamburg Germany, on his Yacht RADIANT, sailed in, made it his home and was asked to take charge of the Marina. To take the job, he made it a condition, to be allowed to connect the dock wiring to the power and the plumbing to the water system. During the 1980's construction he tried to save the many existing docks, by suggesting they be place in the waiting room. The local FONATUR office did agree to that, but a Mexico City Bureaucrat vetoed the plan, so most floating docks were destroyed and never replaced.

In the main harbor parking lot, there still stands a stone building that was used to house a Generator before the complex was connected to the modern power grid. Puerto Escondido was the site of a planned resort, condominium, hotel, golf course and marina complex. Construction was started in the mid 1980s by a French investing group and the Mexican government but never completed after some 20 millions dollars were spent.

At one point the Moorings Charter Company had its operations there until about 1990, but then moved to La Paz because the promised harbor development never happened. Moorings complained that during the winter the North winds caused considerable damage to boats and docks, so an interim sea wall was constructed to reduce the fetch towards the south sea wall. Not sure who paid for this work. Today the outer end of this jetty has been eroded badly and needs repair. After Moorings left there was a caretaker in the building that housed Moorings office and cruisers paid him to watch their Trailers, campers and cars that were left in the parking/storage area. Theft of cars, dinghy's and motors has been an on going problem. The original Fonatur master development plan also included a trailer park, which is still in operation today and is called Tripui RV & Trailer Resort.

The entrance from sea to Puerto Escondido is easily visible from a southern approach. After passing Los Candeleros (a series of three rocks between Isla Danzante and Punta Candeleros), you can see miles of sandy beaches to port, until an old commercial pier comes into view. The Waiting Room is opposite the pier. Approaching from the north, you will pass the sandy beach of Bahía Chuenque, go around the outer side of Isla Chuenque. From here you can see the masts of the sailboats in Puerto Escondido. As you follow the coastline around Punta Coyote, there will be a navigation light on shore. Once you 'round that curve you will be in the Waiting Room. The Channel separating the two harbors should be taken directly in the center, there are range markers and lights on either side. Fresh, metered water is available near the launch ramp for a price. See the Fonatur security guard on duty to make arrangements. It is best to anchor out and back down to the sea wall, to fill up water tanks. No boat wash down is allowed. The cruisers dinghy dock and the steps to the top of the sea wall were built at the cruisers expense and recently rebuilt at their expense. Its located just west of where you get your water, there is a mail drop there.

The local net is at 8:00am on VHF 22.The fisherman use 78. There is no fuel available at the harbor (for that you have to go into Loreto). The Tripui Trailer park is about a ½ mile walk up the road. There is a small, but well stocked store there, a restaurant and Internet, fax and phone access in the office. You can have your laundry done at the store as well. You now have to fill your propane tanks at the new CALIGAS LP plant, 4 mi south of Loreto. There are sometimes taxi's at the dingy dock or trailer park, if you want to do some shopping for things not readily available at the Tripui store. . Loreto is about 15 miles North on highway 1. Puerto Escondido is also under the authority of the Port Captain in Loreto, a ride into town will be necessary to check in or out. The immigration office is on the left near the clinic as you enter town. The beach area to the south of Escondido is ideal for camping. There are no organized campsites, but there are dirt roads leading to areas delineated by rocks. The campers are quite helpful when it comes to rides and information in the area. Escondido is definitely worth an extended stopover.

Puerto Escondido is listed on the first phase (2000 to 2006) Escalar Nautica plan as "Nuevos Centros Nauticos" so we will be waiting to update you on the latest history for Puerto Escondido.