Bus from Tijuana to Ensenada

Taking one of the ABC buses to Ensenada is easy and inexpensive (currently about $10 one way). They leave the bus terminal every half hour from early morning to 9:30pm at night. After walking across the border you will pass through the first border turnstiles, take a right at the intersection and walk through a second set of turnstiles. Cross the street, turn left, and walk past all the yellow taxis and the McDonald's towards the Plaza Viva sign. The station is easy to find, it's on the street to the right just past the Taxi Libre pickup behind the large building with mirrored windows.

TIP 1: Don´t let anyone direct you to other buses, which may not be as nice and may take longer with frequent stops. ABC is the bus line you want. These buses are nice and comfortable with plenty of room and they usually show a movie on the way. If the bus is full you should take your assigned seat.

TIP 2: You can request to sit on the right side of the bus, which will give you a better view of the coastline.

TIP 3: The bus usually makes a stop before getting to the bus terminal near Ave. Juarez which is about four blocks from the main tourist street, which can save you several blocks if you are walking. You can ask the driver to identify the stop close to Ave Juarez. The ABC Bus terminal in Ensenada is located at the corner of Riveroll and Decima (10th street). A taxi ride between the tourist zone (Lopez Mateos/1st. street) and the terminal is currently $5, however if you don't have much luggage it isn't too long of a walk.

Thanks Margery.

The Road

Since many of us will be venturing down to our favorite spot over the next week or so, Dallas sent a report on the road. He says that the lower road is passable though muddy in some spots.

There is more rain predicted in the upcoming week, though, so be sure to drive carefully and don't go into uncharted muddy waters!

A Bit of Bocana History

Gordon and Opal (first American residents of La Bocana) recount finding La Bocana in the early 1960's:

At a party in Pasadena, we met Art Luczynski and casually mentioned our quest. He suggested looking at Puerto Santo Thomas, where he often camped. One sparkling April morning, Opal and I drove south on the San Diego freeway, bound for Baja and Puerto Santo Tomas.

Lightheaded, we breathed spring air and anticipated four days in new territory. The euphoria intensified as we passed Maneadero, ten miles south of Ensenada, into traffic-free country beyond the border influence. Only an occasional Mexican pick-up or aging sedan shared the two-lane road which turns off the highway and follows a fertile valley for seventeen miles
to the sea.

We were soon in an oak forest. Sunlight filtered through the leaves in dusty gossamer beams. Russet leaves were dappled with light. In a clearing, we passed the farm of our future friends Arturo, Maria, and Amalia. Their simple home appeared to have been built around an arched Window facing the road, as though the window had been there first and later the house had been built around it.

We left the oaks and bumped along the washboard road through green, yellow, and brown farm country in the valleys basin. The rich color was in sharp contrast to our preconception of a barren Baja. Small farms, corrals, and low farm houses complemented the rustic landscape. Overhead was blue sky and thick clouds.

In an hour or so, sea air cut through the road dust. From a knoll, we glimpsed ultramarine water and off-white sand The underground river running through the valley emerged to the surface, passing through the tulles to empty into the sea at La Bocana. Dense riverside growth ended on the brink of a sandy beach. Here, also, the road seemed to end. A road side sign in Spanish announced that this was Gomez country. Across the road from the sign was a small, unoccupied building which later was rebuilt to become Romulo’s store. Ahead, a hint of a road climbed straight up a steep, rocky hill. It looked formidable, if not impossible.

But where was Puerto Santo Tomas? Had we driven seventeen miles on the wrong bumpy road? After coming this far, we decided to chance the hill to see what lay beyond. A narrow
road at the summit followed the side of a precipitous mountain overlooking the sea. Further on, the road rose and disappeared over a mound.

"I'm not going over that hump without knowing what's on the other side,” I told Opal. "It might hide a drop-off to the ocean". I walked to the top of the mound. Ahead, near the tip of a distant point projecting far into the sea, were several buildings like rectangular, pallet-knife dabs of bright paint.

In between was a wide bay rimmed high cliff. "I think we've found our Port," I told Opal. In ten minutes we were there. As we drove in, two fishermen were repairing lobster traps and dogs dozed in the sun. An exuberant, weather­ smeared sign on the outside of the cantina read: "GOGE! GOGE! GOGE!" in elaborate letters bordered with giant musical notes. Loosely translated, they meant: "FUN! FUN! FUN!”

From the journals of Gordon and Opal - submitted by Marge. Thanks Marge!

How to take the bus

This site has some helpful information if you or your guests want to take a bus to Santo Tomas (or anywhere else in Baja):

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mexico-82/Bus-Cabo-San-Lucas.htm

There are four buses per day going down the peninsula from Tijuana. Just ask to get off at Santa Tomas and be sure to arrange a ride to La Bocana. This is also a nice way to send someone back to San Diego if they are going back before you.

Thanks Margery.

Directions to the San Ysidro Sentri Lane

These are from Carol and her friend Marie. Unlike the previous directions, they have actually used these directions successfully to cross the border:

Take the toll road north all the way to the light at Benito Juarez.

There are three lanes. Get in the far right lane labeled Colonial Federal (it used to be the carpool lane). All three lanes turn left and you want to stay to the right so go on the right–hand side of the K-rail divider.

Follow this lane past all the folks waiting in the border line and keep going over the hill to the traffic circle. You want to be in the far left lane.

Make a U-turn onto Avenida Frontera.

Go one block to the huge speed bump and stop sign. Turn right and take the second left onto Paseo Centenario. Follow it to the first stop sign.

If you look over your left shoulder you will see the big green Sentri sign. Make a U-turn.

Congratulations, you have made it to the Sentri lane. There are currently two lanes that expand to four lanes as you proceed.

Occasionally, when you look back and see the Sentri lane you will notice that there is a long line of cars past where you want to do the U-turn. These people are already in line and you do not want to cut in line. Instead, make a left turn and go one block. Turn right and go one block. (Sometimes this is closed off, so make the first available right). Turn right again and you will return to Paseo de Tijuana (traffic circle). Turn right onto Paseo de Tijuana and you are at the end of the Sentri lane. Even if the Sentri lane is this long, you will still get to the border in less than 30 minutes.

Here is a link to a map showing both border crossings
http://www.tijuanaonline.org/english/maps/tj_otay.htm

Thanks Carol and Marie!

PS. I won't guarantee it, but this just might be the last post on the Sentri lanes.

There's been rain and there will be more

Dallas sent this report about the recent storm and the condition of the road:

First the rains came. We have a real mess with mass erosion, mudslides, and changes in the road out of here. Emily and I went to Ensenada today and found that twenty-two areas of the road were flooded out of existence or or made impassable by the mud. There are three sections of new road which bypass impassable sections. The next time you drive the road will be a new learning experience.

Today, it was the high surf. We are seeing eight to ten foot waves and some even larger. The surf washed all the way to the fresh water pond, hit Romulo's store and moved all the kelp to under the footbridge. I suspect that we will have brackish water for awhile. I have attached pictures of the surf.

Thanks Dallas - keep us posted.

Directions

Hi Folks,

I put a new link to the right titled Directions. These are driving directions with some photos to La Bocana from the border. I made them to give a visitor coming for the first tme. Our friend made it just fine so I hope these directions also work for your guests.

Share them and if you have any suggestions for clearer directions, let me know. Please double check the directions before you send someone and have them bring a map as well - I'm not responsible for any lost guests! You'll have to direct them to your house.

Photo from the fire in the valley

Thank you Marge for sending this photo of a burned area in the valley. I know we are all anxious about the conditions of that lovely valley.

(You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it.)

Spectacular Sunset

The fires in Baja did a lot of damage - an estimated 50 houses were burned. I suspect that our beautiful valley from the paved road to the coast will have a different look next time you drive down.

However, the smoke and the ash in the air did create some spectacular sunsets.

This was submitted by Marge.

Update on the Fires near La Bocana

This just in from Dallas:

San Diego isn't the only place burning; I suspect that Baja has as much land burning as California, if not more. The hills on both sides of the valley on the way in to La Bocana are burning or have burned. We saw at least one of the houses burned to the ground, and most disturbing of all,many of the old Oak trees are gone.

Although we feel safe where we are located, we are watching the advance of the fire. Perhaps, from our prospective, the smoke and falling ash are the worst at this time. We have to keep the house closed up.

Update 10/28/07: Dallas reported that the fires are mostly out and stayed about 2 miles from the coast (east of the dump).

Fires - So Cal and Baja

The Santa Ana winds and recent drought have joined forces to create terrible fires across Southern California and Baja California.

Our best wishes to all who live in the fire areas and who have been evacuated. We hope you, your families, your pets, and your homes are safe.

Dan Sedor, who owns the beautiful house with the octagon, reported that there are fires south of Maneadero. He found this map which shows lots of fire activity, perhaps near the road to La Bocana.

The two blue dots in the south represent La Bocana and the port.

If anyone has any information, please post on the comments section below and share with us.

Stay safe everyone.

Directions to San Ysidro Sentri Lane:

I know people would rather go to the San Ysidro Sentri lane than to the Otay Mesa crossing if it was easy to get there. I found these directions on another website - I have not tried them out myself. The written directions do not have street names. I'll try to find them on my Tijuana map and add them in. If you try these dirctions, let us know how it worked!

Directions:

Because you are dealing with round-abouts, a primmer may be necessary: a right turn is 1/4 of the way around, straight ahead is 1/2 way around and a left is 3/4th of the way around.

I suggest getting off the toll road in Rosarito Beach (Norte) and proceeding north on the Free Road. At the first round about in Tijuana, go three quarters of the way around (you are, in essence, making a left).

Go a block. At the next roundabout, make a right (that's a quarter of the way around). GO ACROSS THE BRIDGE!

At the next round about, go 3/4th of the way around (essentially a left turn).

At the next round about, go 1/2 way around (or straight ahead). Right after you get beyond the roundabout, you'll see a sign straight ahead that says "SENTRI."

I found these maps, too: San Ysidro Sentri lane from the free road:

And here's one from the toll road:

Note: the blog editor is not resonsible for anyone who attempts to follow these directions and gets hopelessly lost in Tijuana, adding hours to their journey or inches to their waistline (due to the necessity of buying churros to stave off starvation)

Transportation to Rosarito from San Diego

If you ever have friends or family who want to visit you in La Bocana and you don't have time or just plain don't want to drive across the border to pick them up, here is a very reasonable alternative:

Your guest(s) can take MexiCoach from Old Town in San Diego or the US side of the San Ysidro border to the Rosarito Beach Hotel. You can drive to Rosarito to meet them and drop them back there after their visit. I know it won't save oodles of time since Rosarito is only about 30 minutes south of the border but it does save the border crossing hassle and (bonus!) you have an excuse to have lunch in Rosarito.

The price for round trip transport from Old Town to Rosarito is $36. From the border to Rosarito, the round trip price is $24.

Here's the link for the details:
http://www.mexicoach.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=36

If anyone tries it, let us know if everything worked out ok. I haven't done it but it is nice to have this option.

Great spot to overlook the lagoon

Submitted by Jennifer Smith

The Old Runway Gets Some Use

Now that there are mounds of dirt preventing planes from landing, the runway has a new use - as a motorcycle track.

Photo: Father and son ride their motorbikes.

Submitted by Jennifer Smith.

Fishing in La Bocana - for all ages

And if you are wondering, yes, this fish

did weigh more than young Tristan!

Submitted by Jennifer Smith

Sunset Labor Day

Submitted by Jennifer Smith of the Casa de Arturo or the Casa with Seven Arches

Kika (or Daisy or Chewy) has been adopted!

If you were in La Bocana this summer, you probably met this beautiful, well behaved, friendly dog. Some called her Daisy, we called her Chewy (for her ability to smile and talk in a way that reminded of us Chewbaca of Star Wars) and others called her Kika (yes, named after Kiko). The guess is that she got lost from her original owners.

Every time we visited La Bocana, Kika would inevitably show up to say hi and hang out around our back door. She was so easy going and friendly. We tried to figure out if there was a way we could adopt her as I know other people did.

Well, Jerry and Susan stepped up and are now the proud parents of Kika. They have had her registered and made sure she has all her shots. Lucky for the rest of us, Kika will be visiting La Bocana with Jerry and Susan so we'll get many chances to see her again.

Thanks Jerry and Susan!

How Hot was It?

Hot enough to convince some of our fine friends to go in the water:




But in the big picture of heat, La Bocana was a great place to be this past weekend.


It was 111 degrees at the check point. These poor guys had it pretty tough:

The guy inspecting us stuck his head in our air-conditioned window and just chit-chatted so he could cool off for a moment. He said in perfect English, "I'm melting."