Date: 04/12/2012 à 05/12/2012

Path: Road Escencia (vulgar, Sea of ​​Cortez)

From Baja to the Mainland - Crossing the Sea of ​​Cortez by ferry

After crossing the Baja California from start to finish, We had two options to continue the trip: an era back all 1700 km long peninsula and move to the mainland by land; and the other was to take a ferry from La Paz. Do not think twice, 'll ferry!

O ferry!

It would be the fourth time on the trip that would Tanajura a boat trip (not to mention the raft and the raft she took in Jericoacoara). No entanto, this time would not be 20 days as in exports to the U.S., 7 days as the Belém-Manaus route, or 2 dias na travessia do Inside Passage no Alaska, but only 17 hours of travel. This was the time required to cross the Sea of ​​Cortez on a ship (
ou ferry) de La Paz à cidade de Mazatlán.

A Baja Ferries (link) is the only company that carries both cargo and passengers. The cost for the trip is $2300 Mexican pesos (approximately R $ 360) for car, that ended up fitting as pick-up and also includes the passage of driver. Each additional passenger costs $1075 Mexican pesos (or approximately R $ 170). This figure includes a seat on Lounge, where there is a recliner and flat where the movies are full time. There is the possibility of renting the Cabins, that would almost double the prayer. But the journey was relatively short, decided to go the same armchair. Also includes a dinner and a breakfast in the morning. There is a charge of customs $150 Mexican pesos (+/- R$25) paga no porto para inspeção do carro.

Who will lose to the boat, running back!

A van takes passengers to the boat. This in itself was not bad either. It was not as simple as the Belém-Manaus, not as neat as what we in Alaska, was like a middle ground. The seats were not super comfortable, but gave pro spent. The food was simple, but was well served. The fact that one film after another in Lounge helped pass the time. The bathrooms were fairly clean and were not shared. The cafeteria is full at mealtimes then get the business when they start serving or more for the final, but then you risk losing some of the foods. The cafeteria also sells beer and spends the movie in a higher volume. The people who wanted to chat rather stay right there. Mas a maioria preferia dormir boa parte do caminho.

The TV lounge

The refectory

We arrive at 14 nonterminal hours, located on the beach in Pichilingue, 23 ao km north of La Paz. It is recommended to get 3 hours before departure of the ship to be timely for inspection. Our boat was scheduled for 17 hours and came out with a few minutes late. A van takes passengers to the boat after going through the police control. Os motoristas entram com o próprio veículo depois da inspeção.

Preparing the bad, only the driver is in the car

No ferry, many locals and some tourists. We had groups of Canadians, Italian, Americans, Argentines. Most of them traveling through Mexico and headed toward the Mayan cities by the end of the world on 21 de dezembro.

Inside the ship

Many trucks make the journey

After several films, much talk and several naps, the boat landed in Mazatlán. Travel time consuming, quietest. Estávamos prontos para seguir viagem México adentro.

The post From Baja to the Mainland - Crossing the Sea of ​​Cortez Ferry appeared first on 4x1.

Date: 02/12/2012 à 04/12/2012

Path: We took our last stretch of beautiful Highway 1 Mexicana.

About Boys and sealions

Saindo of Los Cabos, prefer a little stretch on the road to the small town of "Los Barriles", where we found an RV park with great structure, named Martin Verdugo's. We spent the morning enjoying the beach, antes de seguirmos viagem.

It was late afternoon when we arrived in La Paz, Our last destination in Baja California. All RV Parks we were looking for camping were closed for the season or no longer existed. A epopéia finalmente acabou quando nos indicaram um ainda aberto no caminho para o aeroporto: Maranatha or RV Park. To our luck, the place was very neat, não era caro e super bem atendido por uma simpática senhora americana.

Chegada in La Paz

"Have you seen the movie 'Dances with Wolves'?"The question sounded strange when the lady asked camping. More ela logo are explicou: there were hollow (Yes, Geese!) available at camping and she offered to us, you want to sleep in the barracks as usual. The hollow were gigantic, really seemed that the Indians lived movie. And had stretchers with mattresses inside. We could not refuse, after all, when we would sleep in a hollow again?

Who has slept in a hollow?

We went to dinner in the city fringe, where there is a great variety of bars and restaurants. The place tinha less "American face", but it was still quite internationalized and reminded us of some edges beaches in Brazil. In the main square, a stage was mounted to protest pro environment, against the advance of large mining companies in the region. A cidade estava bastante movimentada e o passeio pelas ruas foi bastante agradável.

Gostosa border of La Paz

Environmental protest against mining in the region

We were looking forward to the next day, since Isla Espiritu Santo in waiting. Unesco protected peels, the island over 80 km2 is a sanctuary for animals and beautiful scenery, localizada a uma curta viagem de barco de La Paz.

Beautiful landscapes in Isla Espiritu Santo

An hour in the boat to reach the island

In the first part of the tour, Tubaroes seek baleia. The creature is large and can reach up 12 meters long. Technically, is not a shark or a whale, but a very large fish which seems to be as a mixture of two. It has the fins of a shark, those we see out of the water in the movies, e a cor escura e o tamanho de uma baleia.

Crew Ride

The whale shark

The heart pounded when we fell into the water first. The fin out of the water already scared, but the size of the animal underwater gave us chills. The instructor indicated that the shark not encostássemos, since it could react, with no serrated, but with a "oxtail" of about. In his first descent we came very close, always with adrenaline mil. After all, still did not know that the giant does not eat meat, mas sim de plânctons e pequenas plantas subaquáticas.

About to dive with the sharks

The whale shark was extremely fast, and often we came to his side, would disappear no offshore ele. We had a chance to see three of them closely. The biggest one was almost equal to the length of the boat itself, quase uns 8 meters. It was amazing!

Larger than the boat

The boat followed about an hour and a half toward Isla Espiritu Santo. On the way, guides entertained us with stories and pointed the animals typical of the region. And we were very lucky in this aspect! Vimos grupos de arraias saltando da água, as well as a family of dolphins. Tudo isso em um cenário de mar azul de brilhar os olhos.

Family rays intersect the path

Dolphins were the surprise of the day

The highlight of the tour was when we reached the part of the island where a large colony of sea lions. Loin, have heard their cries! As the ship neared, several of them came to check who the new visitor. Go round the boat and jump the water as if they were children. They looked like puppy dogs wanting attention. On the rocks, lobes of all sizes resting in the sun, ou berram uns com os outros.

A lobera – huge colony of sea lions

Some rest, others play in the water

This was where we would dive with them. That was awesome! As puppies, Wolves in curious seguiam for under d'água. With outstretched arms and clenched fist, they came to bite, as babies whose teeth have just been born. It was a fun one!

After Wolves, a stop for lunch on a deserted beach paradise and, called Candlestick. The white sand contrasts with the blue sea, practically a pool without waves at that point of the island. The menu includes a delicious ceviche tostadas and also marlin, o nosso peixe favorito da Baja California.

Stop for lunch

The deserted beach

Fernandes eating ceviche

The tour also stopped at other points good for snorkelling, where it was possible to observe a wide variety of fish and corals. Moreover, recommend a company that hired enough: Chicalera Tours (look at Jesus). O preço era abaixo da concorrência e o serviço de alta qualidade.

Moleza no barco

Stop in “The Arc”

“Paint naturally”, courtesy of birds

Landscapes curious

The Mask!

End of day, follow with more salt in the body for a walk on the waterfront. That's when we had the good fortune to meet by chance a group of girls who lived in the city. A Dutch, one German and the other in La Paz even. Nos divertimos bastante e o papo foi até altas horas. Ainda rendeu um almoço no dia seguinte.

Pôr-do-sol na bay of La Paz

Mexico International found no

La Paz Espiritu Santo Island and closed with a flourish our passage through Baja California. Our passage there left a great impression of Mexico. In its natural beauty, good food and plenty of sympathy. Nos despedimos da Baja na praia de Pichilingue, 23 km north of the city, where depart for the mainland side of the country ferry, imaginando o que nos espera do outro lado.

For more photos, click here!

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