Topolobampo : Profile

Location

Topolobamp is a cruise-ship port with a daily car ferry across the Gulf of california to La Paz. It is on the northern side of the entrance to the Bahia de Chuira.

The marina here is reported to be well protected and the town very friendly. Cruisers recommend this as a good place to leave the boat and take the train from Los Mochis, about ten miles away, to the Copper Canyon area (a major scenic mountain region).

Docking

The marina is located on the north side of the dock/shipping complex, not where the ferry comes in. They monitor VHF channel 68, though they are reported to be not very responsive. The marina here is operated by Marina Palmira who also have a marina in La Paz.

The main shipping channel is well buoyed and the lights work at the time of writing. The entire 12 mile channel to the marina has lighted buoys. This is a side channel to the NE and then SE, however there is a relatively long gap in the buoys from nos. 20-21 to the start of the buoys to the new marina. Deep draft boats need to stay to starboard going in and not cut the last green buoy to avoid the shoal area to the north in the main channel.

The new addition of the Mexico Boating Guide is suppposed to have a new chartlet for Topolobampo.

Last updated December 2011.

Marina Palmira Topolobampo
Tel:(668) 862 1544, VHF Channel 72
contacto_topolobampo@marinapalmira.com
Opened Spring 2010. 150 berths up to 150ft, depth 15ft. Hotel, Restaurant-Bar, Minimarket and Hardware store, Gas and Diesel at Fuel Station, 24-hour Security via CCTV and patrol guards.

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