The California Star to La Paz on the Baja Peninsula

An overnight Sea of Cortez crossing on the fabulous Baja Ferries' California Star

7:35pm: The Astro Verde is in line early, ready to board the blue and white, 610-foot-long super ferry. Her name is the California Star and launch is scheduled for 11pm. Built in Italy, she’s equipped with crisp private cabins, a restaurant, bar with a karaoke hostess, souvenir shop, video game room, various TV salons, and four levels of viewing decks.

8:30pm: The van pulls up to the holding area, awaiting her turn.

9:20pm: Into the steamy lower bowels of the ship the Astro rolls, wedged between semis and cargo containers. She must be left on her own, as passengers stay up top for the crossing.

 

9:30pm: I go to the reception desk, as nice as any hotel reception I’ve seen in a while, and get my cabin key. I open the door to an immaculate room with “Baja Ferries” labeled bottled water, embroidered towels and mints on the pillow. I feel like a cruising princess, and I’m like a kid in a candy shop, giggling to myself as I run around the fancy ship, checking out all the amenities.

9:45-Midnight: Passengers get settled, line up for the buffet dinner, and sing along to the karaoke screen, as countless huge semis and more cargo containers are one-by-one methodically fitted into every nook and cranny of the ship. It’s fascinating to watch the cargo movers scurry back and forth, hooking up to mobile containers that read “Sabritas,” “Tecate,” or “Mega.”  (Like USA’s Lays, Budweiser or Walmart). The process goes on and on and on.



Karaoke time!

 

A tragic love song



Nearly dinner time

Backing her in



A truck full of Sabritas!

12:15am: The California Star launches for La Paz’s Piquilinque ferry terminal, full to the brim, one and a quarter hours behind schedule.

The night air is balmy and calm, and the lights of Topolobampo’s waterfront sparkle all along the shoreline. The scene is absolutely romantic and I stroll all around the upper decks, taking in the fresh sea breeze. The punta (bow) carves a wake between lines of flashing buoys, keeping green to starboard as we push through the channel and approach the open sea. Spectacular heat lightning (relampago, as a Mexico City friend, Ariel, taught me once when camping on the beach in Baja Sur) flashes silently over the hills of Topolobampo town.

I grab a cool shower to get the sea water from my earlier swim off of me, and relax in my private cabin before getting some sleep. The ferry rolls just a bit to remind me I’m not on dry land.

I wake to a calm and silvery sunrise. We glide past unspoiled islands, white beaches glaring through the low light. Gradually, more viajeros rise, stretch, and take their morning coffees. The breakfast buffet is made ready and the deck rails are now lined with passengers anticipating the landing. Finally I see familiar beaches as we pass Isla Espiritu Santo, the marine life rich island off the coast of La Paz. Now Piquilinque is in view, and the ferry dock awaits.

The morning after



A sign of life





The harbor officials meet the ferry

8:30am: There is commotion in the reception area as passengers get ready to exit the ferry. I’m allowed to return to the Astro Verde, way down below, tucked in between the big rigs. It’s a claustrophobic situation, with the stale hot air and exhaust of the engines starting up. Slowly the rigs one-by-one, are guided out of their narrow cubbyholes, and I’m free to back out and do an about face, ready to disembark.



Cramped quarters



 

9:10am: The Military control point’s inspection line takes a while to get through, trained dogs sniffing and men with clipboards inspecting, but the camouflaged guards give a smile and ask about my travels as I wait my turn.

9:35am: I’m headed not into La Paz Centro, but the other direction to the beautiful Balandra Bay for a quick kayak paddle. The tide is up so it’s a no-brainer to put the little boat in this morning. When the tide is low, the postcard shot is revealed. Strings of curving white sand bars undulate and form like a water color painting. Bathers and paddlers can walk across the many bays, water never reaching above their knees. Yachts can be seen anchored well out past the furthest rocky point, with jet skis circling. Water birds play in the warm and shallow pools.

Next I visit Ramon and Arturo at their Palapa Azul restaurant on El Tecolote beach. Ramon always has a warm smile and we engage in good conversation, catching up on family, travel, and work details. Arturo brings me a whole fried pargo fish, ridiculously succulent and fresh.

The relaxation that comes from arrival washes over me. I’m home on the Baja Peninsula again, happy and safe.

Next up: My return to Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico