San Diego to Cabo by Sailboat: Every Dollar We Spent

Setting sail from San Diego, California in the United States to reach Cabo San Lucas, Baja California in Mexico marks one of coastal voyaging’s most celebrated milestones. For retired educators Jess and Tim aboard their 1988 Irwin MKIII 43-foot center-cockpit cutter, Sailing Into the Mystic, transiting the Pacific coastline of the Baja Peninsula marked the first leg of a ten-year bucket list dream to reach Bahía de Los Ángeles in the Sea of Cortez. Cruising on a disciplined teachers’ retirement budget demanded complete financial transparency and thorough seamanship.

Over the 800-nautical-mile passage, Jess and Tim recorded every expenditure, totaling $5,784, excluding capital refit improvements. Navigating remote desert headlands without marine infrastructure between Ensenada and the cape, their operational ledger provides an empirical financial guide for southbound cruisers.

Pre-Departure Paperwork, Permits, and Ensenada Port Clearance

Before casting off from San Diego, California in the United States bound for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California in Mexico, Jess and Tim aboard SV Into the Mystic of Sailing Into the Mystic completed extensive international permits and customs formalities to ensure legal compliance within Mexican territorial waters.

Mexican law requires fishing licenses for all crew if rods are aboard; Jess and Tim bought annual licenses via Discover Baja for 1,095 pesos each. To anchor in protected reserves, they secured CONANP passes online for 3,760 pesos. Vessel liability insurance for their 1988 Irwin 43 was obtained via Discover Baja and Baja Bound for $318. Rabies vaccines for their two cats, including Chubby, totaled $115. Proving departure from the United States for at least three years also allowed canceling California personal property taxes.

At Ensenada, Cruiseport Marina staff assisted clearance through the Capitanía de Puerto, immigration, and customs. Formalities included a 10-year Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for 1,045 pesos, six-month FMM visas at 983 pesos each (1,083 pesos upon renewal), 604 pesos in port captain fees, and a 250-peso courtesy flag. Per cruisers Salt and Tar, they recorded their tender, outboard serial numbers, and onboard tools on the TIP to avert customs disputes.

Diesel Fuel Range and Remote Baja Refueling Logistics

Calculating propulsion range between San Diego, California in the United States and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California in Mexico was essential for Jess and Tim aboard SV Into the Mystic of Sailing Into the Mystic, where offshore calm spells and contrary currents require extended motor-sailing.

The Irwin MKIII 43 holds 105 gallons of diesel in its main tank, plus 20 gallons in deck jugs and five gallons of dinghy fuel. Departing San Diego full, the crew replenished strategically along the peninsula:

• Ensenada: Topped off 15 gallons at the marina fuel dock.
• Bahía San Quintín: Added 15 gallons after motoring to outrun an incoming storm.
• Bahía Tortugas (Turtle Bay): Took on 20 gallons transferred from local pangas.
• Bahía San Juanico (Scorpion Bay): Siphoned 15 gallons hauled on foot from the village station.
• Bahía Santa María: Transferred 16 gallons from reserve jugs.
• Cabo San Lucas: Added 2 final gallons at the fuel dock.

SV Into the Mystic burned 83 gallons of diesel down the Pacific coast, spending $500 at roughly $6.00 per gallon. To ferry fuel in remote settlements, the crew relied on a siphon, stackable cans, and a folding cart for wheeling jugs over dirt roads.

Pacific Coast Provisioning and Offshore Galley Storage

Provisioning an offshore sailboat transiting from San Diego, California in the United States to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California in Mexico demands careful pantry planning, as Jess and Tim aboard SV Into the Mystic of Sailing Into the Mystic discovered along 700 nautical miles of isolated coastline.

Supermarkets exist only at Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas. Midway down the peninsula, Bahía Tortugas offers the sole village store reached via tender. Because coastal restaurants are nonexistent until Cabo, the crew stocked non-perishables: dried beans, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, pasta, rice, walnuts, oatmeal, and whole coffee beans paired with a manual grinder.

To prevent glass breakage when heeling, the crew chose simmer pouches, such as Trader Joe’s curries. Spices were replenished using inexpensive bagged Mexican seasonings. Produce longevity was preserved by isolating citrus, apples, onions, and root vegetables in separate dark, ventilated lockers to prevent ethylene gas from accelerating spoilage.

Marina Slips, Free Anchorages, and Heavy Ground Tackle

Minimizing expensive marina fees during the coastal passage from San Diego, California in the United States to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California in Mexico formed the core of the cruising budget for Jess and Tim aboard SV Into the Mystic of Sailing Into the Mystic. Commercial slips cease south of Ensenada.

After staging at San Diego guest docks ($63/day) and clearing at Ensenada’s Cruiseport Marina ($100/day), the crew anchored freely in coastal roadsteads: Bahía San Quintín, Bahía Tortugas, Bahía San Juanico, Bahía Santa María, and Bahía Magdalena. Holding in Pacific swells demanded heavy ground tackle: an oversized primary anchor with 300 feet of chain and nylon rode. When a gale struck in 35-foot depths at San Quintín, veering 200 feet of chain at 7:1 scope held firmly, with a sharp knife kept nearby to cut away tackle in an extreme emergency.

In Cabo San Lucas, they anchored freely over clean sand with dependable holding. Local regulations prohibit beaching dinghies on Médano Beach; cruisers must use the secured marina dinghy dock for 100 pesos ($5.50 USD) daily. Voyagers can transit independently or join the annual Baja Ha-Ha rally, which departs San Diego each November with stops at Turtle Bay and Bahía Magdalena.

Offshore Safety Protocols, Vessel Spares, and Cabo Arrival

Navigating the open Pacific transit from San Diego, California in the United States to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California in Mexico demanded rigorous deck safety and preventative maintenance for Jess and Tim aboard SV Into the Mystic of Sailing Into the Mystic.

Topside safety gear included self-inflating offshore lifejackets with integrated harnesses, bought on sale to save $400 on four units. Continuous deck jacklines allowed clipping tethers in heavy swells, while their cats wore harnesses. Communications featured Starlink, a tuned marine VHF radio, and an AIS transceiver. For emergency dismasting, bolt cutters and an electric angle grinder stood ready to sever rigging stays.

Mechanical spares included engine oil, transmission fluid, and spare fuel filters to counter contaminated diesel. Rigging blocks, line, dinghy patch kits, adhesives, fiberglass resins, and sail tape completed their workshop. Reaching Cabo San Lucas marked the passage milestone. Jess and Tim celebrated with a $150 dinner ashore, refueled at the fuel dock, and prepared to sail north into the Sea of Cortez.

San Diego to Cabo Passage Budget Breakdown

Documenting every expenditure from San Diego, California in the United States to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California in Mexico proved to Jess and Tim aboard SV Into the Mystic of Sailing Into the Mystic that long-distance coastal voyaging is achievable on a teachers’ retirement budget. Total spending across all passage categories totaled $5,784.

The structured financial ledger below itemizes expenditures across clearances, insurance, fuel, transient moorage, safety gear, and passage milestones, providing a practical operational reference for cruising Baja.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cruising sailors preparing for the Pacific passage frequently consult the operational data gathered by Jess and Tim aboard SV Into the Mystic of Sailing Into the Mystic. Traversing coastal waters from San Diego, California in the United States to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California in Mexico involves specific administrative clearances, mechanical preparations, and budgetary allocations outlined below.