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Bahia Concepcion, at 22 miles long, is the largest bay on the Sea of
Cortez. Entering the bay from the South, you will need to first come
around Punta Concepcion, which is not very well defined. Just
southwest of that, is Punta Aguja, which is a very rocky shoal area,
atop of which is a small navigation light. The southern end of the
point, is Punta Santo Domingo, beyond which it is possible to anchor.
There is really little protection from the winds here, and unless you
can see the beach beneath the red color cliffs, this area should
probably be avoided. On the western side of the bay, there is another
navigation light at Punta Gallo, also known as Punta Gallito. As you
head south toward Punta San Pedro, the channel becomes narrower. There
is also a sandy shoal bank extending from Punta San Pedro to Punta
Arena (Sand Point), so you will need to be aware of the depths,
particularly on night sails and at low tides. Beyond Sand Point is
Punta Priedrita (Little Black Point), and opposite that is Isla
Pitahaya (Cactus Island). There is another navigation light on
Pitahaya, but it isn't always working. Shoals extend out from both
sides, so if it is night or low tides it is probably best to sail
around the Island.
Once you round Isla Pitahaya you are in Bahia Coyote (Coyote Bay, see
the map), which has the best-protected anchorages in Bahia Concepcion.
Concepcion tends to be windy, particularly in the winter months, so
there are always quite a number of boats anchored here. Playa
Santispac is the first Beach you see upon entering the bay. Even in
the summer months the beaches tend to be crowded with RV's. The
anchorage here is well protected from the northerly winds, but tends to
be noisy due to the traffic on Highway 1. If your boat is positioned
the wrong way, the lights of the trucks can also be disturbing.
Slightly to the west is Playa Concepcion. This area is also well
protected from the winds, and the light and noise from the Highway are
blocked. There are permanent houses here, as opposed to the palapas
and RV's at Santispac. This cove does have a very broad, sandy shoal,
so you will have to anchor a bit farther out. Isla Requeson (Cottage
Cheese Island) is the southernmost anchorage in Bahia Concepcion,
although we have never visited it. A sand bar connecting it to Baja,
which is visible at low tides, distinguishes the island. There is a
shoal between the island and Baja for the length of the island, but it
is possible to anchor at either end of the shoal. It affords little
protection, however, and Playa Santa Barbara 5 miles north, at the
southernmost end of Coyote Bay is a much better anchorage.
There is no place to purchase supplies (or even ice) in Coyote Bay.
Mulege, 11 miles to the north is the nearest place to get supplies. In
the winter months there are sometimes taxis waiting at Santispac near
the restaurant. If there are no taxis, it is generally easy to hitch a
ride into town. There are taxis all over Mulege, but be certain to
negotiate the fare before leaving. It should range anywhere from 80 to
110 pesos. There is another restaurant at Playa Concepcion called
Ecomundo. The menu differs somewhat from the traditional Baja fare.
The food tends to be lighter, with a somewhat healthier approach. They
serve fruit smoothies as well. They rent kayaks here, and conduct
tours of the area for individuals and groups, as well as conducting
educational programs for children. The owners, Roy and Becky, have
built the place from the ground up, and it continues to be a work in
progress. Showers are available here for only $1, but since all water
has to be trucked in from Mulege, they should be brief. The building
is an adobe style, using straw and mud from the area, as well as
recycled materials. This is one of the few businesses in Mexico that
does recycle, and they either use or recycle everything. In fact,
everything Ecomundo does, is done to keep in harmony with the natural
environment.
Coyote Bay also has the best snorkeling in Concepcion. Our favorite
spot was Isla Bargo (also known as Isla Coyote). There are 2 tiny
islands off the western end of Bargo, connected to each other by a
reef. Here we saw an incredible array of marine life. The sea floor
between the two islands and Isla Bargo is covered with shells. One of
the most interesting things we saw was on the island itself. We
anchored at the cove at the northeast end of the island, and it was an
easy dinghy ride (the children swam) to shore. There we found a small
pet cemetery. It's definitely worth checking out. All of the small
islands in Coyote bay are great for snorkeling or diving, and because
the bay is so shallow and well protected, the kayaking is also
terrific.
| GPS Waypoints |
| Punta Concepcion Light |
N 26°54.050' |
W 111°48.569' |
| Punta Agua Light |
N 26°53.110' |
W 111°51.520 |
| Punta Arena shoal |
N 26°48.666' |
W 111°52.577' |
| Playa Santaspac anchorage |
N 26°45.469' |
W 111°52.855 |
| San Sabastion |
N 26°37.051' |
W 111°33.939' |
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