Escala Náutica - The Nautical Ladder By Hal (Paco) Clark
Photo by Rachel Pack, others photos as indicated. Map drawn by John Pack
T
he Sea of Cortez region has very high potential these areas have populations of more than 100,000 for nautical tourism but lacks the facilities and people. The remaining 22 facilities will be in regions maritime infrastructure with populations of less required to serve pleasure than 15,000, including boaters. Escalas Náuticas some with populations of was conceived as a way less than 100. of realizing the tourism The ports of call will potential in the Sea of provide the following Cortez region. San Felipe, basic services: moorings, Ensenada and Puerto ramps and dry storage, Peñasco are three ports water, electricity, of call that will serve telephones and satellite nautical tourists. television service, fuel, Escalas Náutica pump-out facilities, and (Nautical Ladder), as facilities for the collection some like to call it, Victor Parra, local manager for SINGLAR who are operators of and disposal of wastes. the facility, showing the region on the map in the new office will ring the entire Baja complex. Photo by Paco Clark Some will also offer peninsula from Ensenada migration, customs to San Felipe, and then and port services, travel down the mainland radio communications, coast south to Puerto emergency assistance, Vallarta in the state of towing, provisioning, and Jalisco. minor repairs and spare In all, 29 facilities, parts. There will even be each roughly 120 nautical an “overland bridge” to miles apart, will make allow the transport of sea up the Nautical Ladder. going vessels between Fifteen already exist: the Pacific Coast port of four marinas which are Santa Rosalita and Bahia currently in operation and de Los Angeles on the eleven which need to be Sea of Cortez. renovated or expanded. Nice large fuel docks at Puerto Peñasco harbor. Photo by Robin The National Trust Fund Fourteen will be new Waters for Tourism Development and five of these will be (FONATUR) was formed mobile vessels or platforms providing basic marine by the Mexican Congress in 1973 to develop services. Mexico’s tourism industry, address ecological and The plan calls for seven facilities in urban areas, economic issues, and to attract foreign and domestic regions with populations above 15,000. Five of investment in tourism. It estimates that 76,400 22 - The ONLY Monthly Guide to Northwest Mexico
New San Felipe slips. Photo by Paco Clark
Sign in front of Port Captain offices. Photo by Paco Clark
boats will cruise the Baja coastlines by 2010 and that by 2014 the region will host 5.4 million nautical tourists, a huge increase compared to the estimated 8,600 small boats currently visiting. It is hoped that the marinas will spawn additional development of lodging, shops and other services to bolster local economies. Roads and airports along the route will also be upgraded. An example is the current upgrade of Highway 5 from Mexicali to San Felipe from two to four lanes.
Of course, not everyone is on board. Some ecological activists call the plan a blueprint for disaster, because it potentially threatens what the late great marine biologist Jacques Cousteau called “the aquarium of the world”. The San Felipe Marina fuel and courtesy docks are now complete, and are open for business this month, according to Victor Parra, local manager for SINGLAR who are operators of the facility. He added that the upgraded facilities in Puerto Peñasco have just opened. These two rungs in the ladder should immediately bring boaters, water sports enthusiasts, vacationers and retirees to this beautiful part of the Sea of Cortez.
Nautical Ladder
San Diego 82
Escala Náutica
MEXICALI
Ensenada 67
Puerto Penasco
70
Cabo Colonet BAJA CA
89
114
State Capital
86
Punta Baja
SONORA Nautical Ladder
San Luis Gonzaga 109
67
Pto. Canoas
Distance (Nautical Miles)
HERMOSILLO Bahia Kino
85
Santa Rosaliita 128
113
Bahia Los Angeles 133
Bahia Tortugas
101
San Carlos Guaymas
88
Santa Rosalia
46
Mulege
115
110
Map Illustration By John Pack
Punta Abreojos 283
136
San Juanico 160
138
124
Pto. Loreto
SINALOA
132
Topolobampo BAJA SUR
117
128 115
Pto. San Carlos
Altata
CULIACAN
153
For more info,
visit FONATUR at: www.fonatur.gob.mx/mardecortes/
184
245
LA PAZ 145
Cabo San Lucas
133
Mazatlan 195
60
Teacapan
Get more info: www.mexicoliving.info - 23