Bahia Santa Maria - San Quintin (anchor)

Bahia Santa Maria is a huge bay just south east of Isla San Martin. Not to be confused with the more popular bay of the same name near Bahia Magdalena where the Baha Haha fleet anchor every fall.


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I rounded the point at the entrance and immediately noticed that the charts for this area are not very accurate. The Pacific swell wraps 100 deg around the point and causes some big breaking waves inside the bay. I sounded carefully and anchored in 25ft of water after crossing a 15ft shoal. After anchoring I noticed that occasional swell would break across the shoal area after wrapping around the point. This could be really nasty if you entered the bay in the dark and anchored in the suggested chart area.

Later that day another boat with 4 people on board searching for hot surf locations of the coast anchored the other side of the shoal area. I took the dinghy out to talk to them and we followed a few whales about 20ft long that were rolling around in the bay.

I went over to the other boat that evening for dinner and ended up coming back to my boat in the pitch black. I had my fingers crossed that I wouldnt be unlucky and get hit with a breaking wave, 10 mins after getting back I heard a huge wave braking, I promised myself to not take that risk again.

Anchored in the remote bay south of San Quintin