How to make a trip to La Bufadora  

[One carload or running a group]

These are the ramblings of an old hand, and should be taken with a grain of salt, and lime.

General notes about La Bufadora Itself   

La Bufadora area is a Mexican tourist resort site: their "Old Faithful".  Tourists come by busloads from Ensenada, but American tourists are plentiful too. A large souvenir shopping area and several restaurants serve the weekenders. Just off the road is Rancho La Bufadora, where the dive shop and launch cove are, watched by a resident parking fee collector.

We have come to feel safer there than most places in San Diego.  Dollars accepted everywhere. 

There is a homemade decompression chamber in La Bufadora that urchin divers use - we have never had to use it, but it is there.

Food....Because the restaurants do not open until 8 am, divers who want to get the best diving in make their own breakfast.   There is no ATM or phone booth in town, and no 110v in the camp area or bunkhouse.  Restaurants for lunch and dinner are a short walk. On Friday nights, the local expatriates gather at Gordo's Cantina to swap lies.  For local color, go there and treat yourself to a rattlesnake shooter.   On the way to or from La Bufadora, there are roadside tamales well worth trying, local olives, and lots of restaurants in Ensenada.  The tap water in the bunkhouse is not guaranteed, but all restaurants serve only bottled water.  Bottled water is $1/gallon in the minimart.(top)

Shops....The local shopping features nuts, sweets, sea food, pottery, stained glass, silver jewelry, shells, leather goods, lovely stuff, and junk. At the end of the shops is La Bufadora itself (the snorter).  It is a remarkable sight. :La Bufadora has a pharmacy and a minimart,  and better equipped shops a few miles back in Punta Banda.  Firewood is for sale in Punta Banda too.   

Diving.......  Shore diving is mediocre unless one clambers down rocks on a calm day and heads for the underwater arch by the blow hole.  It is really about boat diving.  There are several sites north and south of the launch cove.  Furthest north is the seal lion rookery and several pinnacles to dive.  Closer is the classic pinnacle, White Rock - over 90' deep and vertical, covered with the usual wildlife.   There is a nifty cave at 75' to dive with a gorgeous wall above it.  And  the Arch - 30' high natural stone arch and a pretty dive too. 

 To the south, the submerged pinnacle is just below the surface, but the boatman will point you right to it.   Lovely pinnacle and 100 vertical feet on one side.  In case of weather, the Hidden Cove and the Rock in the Tuna Farm are protected from swells.  You should be an experienced diver; with good buoyancy compensation, not bothered by kelp or surge.  Water will NOT be warmer than San Diego.(top)

Driving Down...Download the driving instructions from the home page, and figure 3 hours from San Diego.  All good paved road.   I have had people leave San Diego at 5 am and catch our boat the same morning. Figure $8 highway toll each way. Your American auto insurance is no good there.  If you have no insurance and you damage something, your car can be impounded until you make it right. If you hurt someone, you can be impounded.  Get the insurance.  You hear stories, but the only time I have been stopped was when I was really breaking the vehicle code.  I found it best to agree to give up my license, come to court on Monday, go to the station house,,,, and then suggest "the fine is probably about $20, and it would be easier if I could pay it now".  Wish it were that easy in San Diego.

 Just 1 Carload of Divers

So you and 1 or 2 others want to come down?  Call or email to Dale in advance.  Note it costs more for fewer divers in a boat, so it is clever to see if another group is known to be coming down.  No need to bring tanks, they just take up room, unless you just must have your high pressure steel tank.  You can rent most anything there except lights or computers.

If you camp, a guy will come to collect the $5/day/car and give you a receipt..  There are no motels in La Bufadora.   Ask about renting a villa from Dale.  There is a low cost resort a few minutes back up the road, billboard at the first speedbump you meet.   Boats want to launch around 9 am.(top)

 A Big Bunch of Divers

If you have at least 4 people, the boat rate is cheaper and it is your boat.  Dale has 3 boats and can take out 26 divers at a time.  At 8, you can justify reserving the bunkhouse, which makes everything easier.    When you reserve the bunkhouse, and cancel less than a month in advance, then honor dictates you forward $100 to Dale for messing up his chance to rent it.   I have done it, you can too.  

I have taken 2 dozen divers at a time.   You need to get deposits from people for good faith ante.  I take $30/person, and apply it to the bunkhouse, parking, tips, breakfasts, firewood, equipment.  But my breakfast is eggs, ham, muffins, oatmeal, juice, coffee, pastry, & pancakes. Twenty four divers will take down 5 dozen eggs in a weekend. Land Pictures/breakfast6X4.jpg You need extra cookstoves and 15 gallons of water for that many.  You can ask for more details at JLeek001@san.rr.com.  (top)  

You can save an hour in the morning by collecting all the boat and tank money for Dale, so he can concentrate on getting boats in the water.