The Baja Ferry

On the deck just before landing in Mazatlan

I done some research a few years back around taking the Baja Ferry to Mainland Mexico.  Not the particulars, but what to expect, the adventure, the unknown.  I seen "My Eyes Won't Dry" and remembered the few moments they had on the Baja Ferry.  I was told stories of shake downs, drunk cartel members, robberies and the what nots.  But the only advice that I could remember was a friend telling me to listen for these four words:  "Dos por una cerveza".  So I listened.  Saw.  And understood.  And drank.

Departing from Baja

The Ferry is about 10 miles south of La Paz in this small fishing village named Playa Pichilingue.  The cost for a single person in a two bedroom cabin (what we had) is about $167 USD.  It's much cheaper if you skip the room and sleep in the lounge or deck.  Probably more of an adventure too.  If you're bringing a car, add on another $200.  For more info, check the Baja Ferry website here.

The dining room, where it goes down!

The Baja Ferry offers numerous amenities. From very bad Hollywood movies dubbed in Spanish to the nastiest super nachos ever.  There is also the deck, which is where I spent most of my time, with four beers (remember "Dos por una cerveza"), the smell of salt, sound of the crashing sea, and the air as it breezed warmly against my cheeks.  Besides the deck and the dining room, there is also a "Salon" or lounge where most people sleep and watch T.V. who don't have a room.  Very family like and quiet, people and their loved ones share blankets, hot tamales and tortillas as they sleep the night away on their travels to Mazatlan.

The "Salon"

I spent most of my time on the deck watching the sun fall and rise.  At times it felt like I was on a surfboard, swaying with the sea, smelling that salty, breezy air.   William Least Heat-Moon best described my moments on the deck when he wrote "Since leaving home, I felt for the first time at rest.  Sitting fully in the moment, I practiced on the God-awful difficulty of just paying attention."

Besides practicing the "God-awful difficulty of just paying attention", I met a couple truck drivers  who shared some of their half price cervezas.  These fellas were sweethearts, salt of the earth type bearing the creed of honesty, integrity and sweat stained collars from hours upon hours of driving with no vacation in sight.  Only understanding half of what they said (And they only understanding half of what I could say) we shared our beers and smiles, connecting for short moments in the universal language of "catching a buzz".  But along with the stories and some good laughs, we also shared a sunset that blew our minds and upped our gratitude for living on such a beautiful planet. 

Sunset on the deck.

MC and I shared a two bed bunk with a small bathroom and shower.  The "facilities" in the corridor had more space, so I used those instead.  After the sun went down, I stayed out for an hour more with my new trucker buds.  After a few cervezas, I found my way to my bunk, and plopped on the blankets fully clothed and slept like a baby all through the night.  The sway of the ship probably made me feel like I was in uterus again, safe and warm, ready to be re-born.

Dawn Patrol

I woke up early the next morning, walked out to the deck and watched the sun rise in the east.  I wondered why the boat was heading east that morning since we were suppose to travel west.  And because of obvious reasons, I rather enjoyed traveling east and watching the warm glow of "El Sol" rise in the distance above the soft, swaying clouds.  But after an hour, the sun was high, hot and at our backs as we began making our way to Mazatlan.

Brekky.

Another amenity on the fabulous Baja Ferry is breakfast.  For no charge you will receive a no frills super nacho plate covered with the chefs secret sauce, chorrizo, eggs and re-fried beans.  Seconds are only a few steps away, if you dare finish what was on your plate.  And for 10 pesos you can buy a "fresca" or a coffee.  Sorry vegetarians, this boat can only serve you nachos.  The best thing that I had on the boat was the Tres Leches Cake for dinner.  Probably the best Tres Leches Cake I had on the trip, even better than Sayulita's "Cake Lady".  (Yes Amal, it was better than hers.)

At around noon we met land in Mazatlan.  Thinking that our car was going to come out last, we waited for a few minutes in the lobby for our "level" to be called (we were parked on the third level).  One of the equipment guys came running up and asked for the owner of a "white Toyota".  We raised our hands, and he told us "¡Vamos!" as it was our turn to drive out and we were holding things up.  He lead me down the stairs while MC waited in the lobby (only one person can drive in and out of the cargo bay).  The equipment guy had me feeling like things had to be done A.S.A.P, but within a few seconds I found out that a "A.S.A.P" in Mexico is a bit more relaxed than in the States.  For about fifteen minutes, I stood in a corner with a few truck drivers, small talking while waiting for our turn to drive on out.  When it was my turn, I turned the engine on and inched forward to daylight and the path before us.  As one check was etched off my bucket list, one more, unplanned, was before me.  
 

Bye Bye Ferry

 PS.  If you missed any legs of the trip so far, click on the leg that you missed!

1.  Tijuana to El Rosario
2.  El Rosario to Mulege
3.   Mulege to Cerritos
4.  Four Days In Los Cerritos: Part I
5.  Four Days In Los Cerritos: Part II

Next Blog:  "The Nayarit Part I"